Land suitability assessment of the proposed uranium mining area in north-east Botswana

Abstract

Land suitability assessment of the proposed uranium mining site was made to mitigate the possible environmental hazards arising from its potential use. The FAO framework of land evaluation and guidelines for land use planning were employed to assess the land suitability for arable, pasture/grazing and forestry uses. Typical soil textures are sandy loam to sandy clay loam, generally characterized by high base saturation and good fertility. The soils are deep enough for plant growth. Water-holding capacities are favourable for most of the agronomic crops and pastures. The mining area is assessed as marginally to moderately suitable for arable farming and grazing. Poor drainage, soil salinity and rainfall are the limiting factors for arable crops, whilst poor quality of vegetation species and rainfall are the major constraints to pasture and grazing. The area is marginally suitable to forestry due to rainfall being the main constraint. Overall, the area is suitable for grazing/pastures and arable farming, with few pockets suitable for forestry use.