Flood risks are considerable to several mines in Mozambique, given the country's climatic and topographical conditions.
A number of mining operations are being developed on the stretched between Xai-Xai and Beira on Mozambique's eastern coastal region. According to Peter Shepherd, SRK partner and principal hydrologist, one of the key issues that face most of them is that much of this area is on the flood plains of major rivers like the Limpopo and the Zambezi. Recent flooding has shown how disruptive the variability of river levels in this country can be.
"The flat topography along much of the eastern of Mozambique means that flooding affects a wide area when it occurs," said Shepherd. "The linear infrastructure - including roads, railways and power lines - has to cross these rivers and low-lying areas, and so is also regularly affected by flooding."
For mines, this creates considerable risk of damage to their own infrastructure and operations. It even poses a real possibility of being cut off from access roads and other vital infrastructure services. He highlights that these risks have to be carefully analysed and planned for in the mine location and design - especially since many are in remote areas with few infrastructural alternatives.
