Petra Diamonds has completed precautionary measures to contain the tailings material and strengthen the New Alamasi water dam following the wall breach at Williamson in Tanzania last year.
The diamond miner said it also completed the creation of a safety bund, mitigating risk in affected areas.
It said environmental assessments, with the assistance of independent experts, continue to be carried out by Williamson Diamonds (WDL) to determine how best to clean up or remediate affected areas. Trials are also in place to identify the best land use options post-remediation of affected areas. To date, these studies indicate that areas lying within the Mining Lease Area (MLA) are best suited to be returned to wilderness, either as forest or wetlands, through amelioration of the soil and revegetation.
“Areas outside of the MLA are treated according to the depth of tailings material, where thinner layers of tailings can be mixed into the surrounding soil and thicker layers can be used for agricultural purposes following trials which demonstrate that enrichment with compost will enable cash crops to be farmed on a viable basis,” it said.
Petra confirmed that a total of 286 individuals from 50 houses were relocated as a result of the breach. Of these, 130 individuals from 22 houses returned to their former homes which have been deemed safe.
At least 145 individuals from 23 houses are currently accommodated in houses rented by WDL and 11 individuals from five rental houses have secured alternative rental accommodation.
All affected households have been provided with accommodation and humanitarian relief within the village they were displaced from.
Alternative agricultural land is being identified to enable farming activities for those affected to recommence as soon as possible and this work is ongoing in keeping with Tanzanian law and international standards for resettlement.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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