While a consequence of diamond mining is the effect it has on the environment, diamond miner De Beers Diamond Route chairperson Rob Smart tells Mining Weekly that the overall impact of mining can be mitigated using energy and water wisely, as well as through the restoration and rehabilitation of the disturbed areas.

The De Beers Diamond Route initiative represents the conservation and cultural aspect of restoring the natural and ecologi- cal balance.

To ensure a sustainable and viable future for nearby communities and the natural ecosystem surrounding the operational mine, De Beers undertakes specific mine life-cycle and mine- closure planning to ensure a posi- tive environmental and social legacy, says Smart.

The life-of-mine plan, which every De Beers mining operation prepares during exploration while developing a mine or when planning significant changes to existing operations, includes undertaking an environmental-impact assessment and management plan, a social and labour plan and a mine closure plan.

The mines also use a range of tool kits to identify and address their impact on the environment and communities across the life cycle. These tool kits have been developed over several years to assist De Beers in carrying out these tasks in conjunction with its stakeholders.

The various plans and tool kits are updated yearly and reviewed by in-house and external specialists, as well as by interested and affected parties, to ensure continued environmental best practice.

De Beers has adopted the concept of “living up to diamonds” to inform its mining operations. This concept ensures that attention is paid to all the facets of its business – the impact of what- ever action the company is about to take is carefully considered first, says Smart.

This ensures that, throughout the life of the operation, the impact of mining is carefully monitored, assessed and addressed, ensuring that appropriate and accepted environmental and social conditions of sustainable livelihood remain as a positive legacy when mining eventually ceases.

The concept also informs De Beers’ nature conservation and research efforts.

The Diamond Route initiative is the result of the passion shared by the Oppenheimers and De Beers for conservation of the natural environment and cultural history.

The initiative consists of ten sites and comprises 250 000 ha of cross-regional private conservation land accessible to tourists. The land is owned by diamond miner De Beers, the Oppenheimer family and De Beers’ black economic-empowerment partner Ponahalo Investment Holdings.

The conservation land is about six times the size of the area impacted on by De Beers’ diamond mining operations.

The aim of the Diamond Route initiative is to support the Diamond Route sites in their efforts to make a lasting contribution to the social fabric around them.

This includes promoting the development of small businesses and educating employees and communities in environmental and conservation awareness. Mediated experiences of the environment and nature, as well as the cultural and social history pertaining to the Diamond Route sites, are also offered, says Smart.

The ten sites include the 32 000 ha Venetia Limpopo nature reserve, about 80 km from Musina, in Limpopo; the 10 000 ha Ezemvelo nature reserve north-east of Johannes- burg, in Gauteng; the 16 ha Brenthurst Gardens, at the Brenthurst Estate, in Johannes- burg, Gauteng; the Orapa Makgadikgadi Game Park, in Botswana; the 31 000 ha Namaqualand Diamond Coast, south of Port Nolloth, on South Africa’s West Coast; and the 12 000 ha Dronfield nature reserve, the 11 000 ha Benfontein nature reserve, the Kimberly Big Hole Diamond Experience, the 40 000 ha Rooipoort nature reserve and the 100 000 ha Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, all in the Northern Cape.

The Diamond Route was initiated in 2002 as a programme that would link the conservation properties and pull together their physical and intellectual knowledge and ecological and cultural assets. There are four dedicated research centres – the Venetia Limpopo nature reserve, the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, the Benfontein nature reserve and Telperion in the Ezemvelo nature reserve.

More than 120 research projects have been conducted to date across the Diamond Route properties at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

At its fourth yearly Diamond Route Research conference, held at the De Beers corporate headquarters, in Johannesburg South, last month, rhino poaching, climate change, the loss of biodiversity, the decline in bee popu- lations and the impact of the decrease in pollinators and heritage conservation were discussed.

The opening keynote address was undertaken by conservationist, author and botanist Dr Graham Williamson and Endangered Wildlife Trust founder Clive Walker spoke about the changing dynamics of rhino conservation in South Africa.