(4) The clearance of forest areas, deforestation, aforestation, timber harvesting or any other related activity that requires authorisation in term of the Forest Act, 2001 (Act No. 12 of 2001) or any other law. Limited vegetation clearing of bush-encroached areas may be required for tracks and survey access creation, and possibly for the set up for survey teams’ field camps. WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (8.1) The abstraction of ground or surface water for industrial or commercial purposes. Due to the drilling activities, ground and surface water will need to be abstracted, or sourced. MINING AND QUARRYING ACTIVITIES (3.1) The construction of facilities for any process or activities which requires a licence, right or other form of authorisation, and the renewal of a licence, right or other form of authorisation, in terms of the Minerals (Prospecting and Mining Act), 1992. The proposed project has obtained an EPL from MME; now requires an environmental clearance from DEA/MEFT for the search for base and rare metals, and precious metals. Minerals (e.g. soil and stream sediment), will be sampled within selected target areas of the project area. Exploration activities shall take place within the boundaries of EPL 7935, as illustrated in Figure 1. The proposed exploration activities are generally low-impact and non-intrusive. The exploration activities to be used may be 'scaled up' depending on exploration findings. The following are envisaged during the proposed project: - Preliminary field inspection of onsite geology (non-invasive); - Potential creation of access tracks, where existing tracks cannot be utilised; - Limited vegetation clearing for the creation of tracks, and survey access; and - Ground exploration activities may include soil and stream sediment geochemical sampling, geophysical surveys, geological mapping and drilling.