Business and Biodiversity

Black Mountain Mining

The IUCN-Black Mountain Mining (BMM) partnership is focused on assisting the company to meet its no net loss target for biodiversity within Gamsberg Zinc Mine operations. The Gamsberg Mine is located in Aggeneys in the Northern Cape, South Africa, and in the Succulent Karoo, a fragile and sensitive ecosystem in South West Africa, which extends into Namibia.
IUCN-BMM partnership focuses on no net loss

Photo: IUCN-Rachel Asante-Owusu

The collaboration between IUCN and BMM started in 2013. Under a five-year agreement, which subsequently has been extended until 2020, the partnership was originally led by the IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office. Since 2017, IUCN’s Business and Biodiversity Programme (BBP) has managed the project with the main purpose of helping ensure the company’s production of zinc concentrate in the Northern Cape of South Africa supports the establishment of a sustainable Biodiversity Management System as well as enhances and diversifies rural livelihoods in the region.

To achieve the objectives of the collaboration, IUCN undertakes the following activities:

  • Works with BMM to identify potential biodiversity impacts, opportunities, mitigation and compensation due to the planned expansion of projects.  The goal is to help the company manage biodiversity-related risks and opportunities resulting from expansion projects to ensure the best possible outcome for biodiversity locally and regionally;
  • Provides input on a revised Biodiversity Management Plan for the Gamsberg operation, including a robust action tracker to follow required activities;
  • Advises, support and inputs regarding the update and revision of the existing Biodiversity Management Plan (Version IV);
  • Advises on the development of key biodiversity monitoring protocols;
  • Supports BMM and South Africa’s Department of Environment Nature Conservation Northern Cape Province (DENC) in their implementation of the Gamsberg Biodiversity Offset Agreement.

Background

Black Mountain Mining (Pty) Ltd (BMM) is a subsidiary of Vedanta Zinc International.  BMM is located at Aggeneys, a mining town in the Northern Cape, and is one of the largest private sector employers in the region.

Discovered more than 40 years ago, the site was held undeveloped for many years until it was acquired by the Vedanta Group in 2011.  In 2015, Vedanta began operations at the site. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa officially inaugurated the Gamsberg operation in February 2019.

 

 

Go to top