LONG-TERM WATER, SEDIMENT, CORAL, REEF FISH, TURTLES AND FISHERIES MONITORING AT THE KENMARE MOMA MINE, MOZAMBIQUE

Anchor were appointed to design and implement a long-term marine environmental monitoring programme for the Kenmare Moma heavy mineral sands mine in northern Mozambique. The primary aim was to evaluate potential direct and indirect impacts of land-based mining, shipping, and transhipment activities on adjacent coastal and marine ecosystems, including sensitive habitats associated with the Primeiras and Segundas Islands. This included an assessment of changes in the coastal fisheries resource use in the area over the past decade.

The programme comprised an integrated monitoring framework aligned with regulatory requirements and the mine’s Environmental Management Plan, supporting environmental performance assessment and adaptive management. Specialist components included marine water and sediment quality monitoring, coral reef and benthic community assessments, reef fish and sea turtle surveys, and evaluations of artisanal fisheries and coastal settlement dynamics. The framework was implemented through repeated, standardised surveys and was refined over time to remain responsive to emerging risks, cumulative pressures, and long-term sustainability considerations associated with mine operations.