The metropolis of johannesburg, south africas largest city and financial centre, owes its origin to the aubearing rocks of the witwatersrand basin. The acid mine drainage solution bandwagon africas best read. The witwatersrand is not the only region in south africa where acid mine drainage is a problem, but it is currently the area of greatest concern. The video presents the main findings of the opportunities in acid mine drainage in south africa. Acid mine drainage also sometimes referred to as acid rock drainage is a wellunderstood process 2. Liefferink m and elize s van eeden 2010 proactive environmental activism to promote the remediation of mined land and acid mine drainage. How acid rivers are corroding south africas landscape. In most cases, this acid comes primarily from oxidation of iron sulfide fes2, also known as pyrite or fools gold, which is often found in conjunction with valuable metals.
As a result, the water becomes very acidic and damages downstream aquatic ecosystems. South africa is facing the increasing challenge of acid mine drainage amd whose genesis is the country s mining history, which paid limited attention to postmining mine site management. Acid mine drainage in gauteng province, south africa mining in south africa and in gauteng province. Environmental, health and human rights consequences of gold mining in south africas west and central rand noted the. Acid mine drainage is a major problem with many hardrock mines, including almost all. Acid mine drainage prediction acid mine drainage prediction tests are increasingly relied upon to assess the longterm potential of acid generation. This springerbrief focuses on acid mine drainage amd in the three basins in the witwatersrand, south africa. The production of broken waste rock and tailings by mining operations can expose large amounts of pyrite and other sulphides to the effects of water and oxygen.
The basin roughly oval in shape, approximately 350 km in a north east to south west direction and stretching over 150 km across hosts seven major goldfields. The regulation of acid mine drainage in south africa. Several mines in the witbank coalfield in south africa are affected by acid mine drainage. Many streams derived from acid mine drainage are largely devoid of life for a long way downstream. These coalfields are located between latitude 25o30. The gold mining industry in south africa principally the witwatersrand goldfield is in decline, but the postclosure decant of amd is an enormous threat, and this could become worse if remedial activities are delayed or not implemented. Acid mine drainage in south africa development actors.
In a nutshell, acid mine drainage is a form of water pollution that happens when rain, runoff, or streams come in contact with rock that is rich in sulfur. What is acid mine drainage amd, why is it such a serious threat to south africa and more importantly why has been it been silenced and kept under wraps by the mining industry and south african government for so long. Journal for transdisciplinary research in southern africa 5 1 july. South africa is facing this issue derived from abandoned mines after the largescale mine closure since 1970s, especially from underground mines in recent years 4 8 9. There was consistency in the level of ph at the proximity of the mine, in the dams and downstream in the residential area. South africas government delayed the implementation of a planned carbon tax to 2016, while saying it may impose new levies on mining companies to help fund the treatment of acid water seeping. How south african communities are affected by government and industry neglect by andrea zeelie acid mine drainage amd refers to the mixing of water with toxic chemicals such as those present in heavy metals, sulphates, and radioactive uranium, which leak from abandoned mine sites into dolomitic areas underground. Mobility potential of metals in acid mine drainage. This has led to a deterioration in the water quality in many surface streams.
Emmanuel sakala1, 2, francois fourie2, modreck gomo2, henk coetzee1, lwazi. Acid mine drainage issues in south africa godfrey mwiinga pr. How acid rivers are corroding south africas landscape in. The flow of polluted water from past and present mines is a chronic problem in south africa, and large volumes of water carrying toxic. Residents left in dark over acid mine drainage treatment. The acid mine drainage solution bandwagon the mail. This is a natural chemical reaction which can proceed. With acid mine drainage amd threatening some of south africas major cities, waterways and industries, south african technology providers are getting on the solutions bandwagon in the hopes of. She noted that since 1912 it had been illegal to allow polluted water from exiting a mines property. Final words acid mine drainage issues in south africa. Water and sanitation, dbsa amd and its adverse impacts put simply, acid mine drainage amd is acidic water that forms when water reacts with minerals voided by mining, which are then exposed to air. Acid mine drainage overview acid rock drainage ard is produced by the oxidation of sulfide minerals, chiefly iron pyrite or iron disulfide fes2. The key factor of acid mine drainage amd in the history. The impact of acid mine drainage in south africa article pdf available in south african journal of science 10756.
This concern has developed because of the lag time at existing mines between waste emplacement and observation of an acid drainage problem univ. Feb 26, 2014 south africas government delayed the implementation of a planned carbon tax to 2016, while saying it may impose new levies on mining companies to help fund the treatment of acid water seeping. The south african government and nongovernmental organizations response to amd is assessed, as well the socioeconomic and developmental effects of amd. South africa delays carbon tax, plans levies on acid mine. The acid mine drainage amd threat to the dam emanates from the west rand goldfield a. The major areas of research on amd are prediction of amd and preventionmitigation.
Waterberg extension projects, south africa latitude 23 14 11s, longitude 28 54 42e report date. The key factor of acid mine drainage amd in the history of. Mines deny acid mine drainage responsibility farmers weekly. Dec 10, 2010 with acid mine drainage amd threatening some of south africas major cities, waterways and industries, south african technology providers are getting on the solutions bandwagon in the hopes of. Impact of acid mine drainage in south africa youtube. Case study acid mine drainage south africa earthwise. Nov, 2019 in a nutshell, acid mine drainage is a form of water pollution that happens when rain, runoff, or streams come in contact with rock that is rich in sulfur. Jun 17, 2016 what is acid mine drainage amd, why is it such a serious threat to south africa and more importantly why has been it been silenced and kept under wraps by the mining industry and south african government for so long. Acid mine drainage mines built as early as the 1800s were developed in a manner which utilized gravity drainage, to avoid excessive water accumulation in the mines as a result, water polluted by acid, iron, sulfur and aluminum drained away from the mines and into streams results of acid mine drainage. Amd comes mainly from abandoned coal mines and currently active mining. Acid mine drainage dumped in west virginia waters paul thomas of morgantown, w. Acid mine drainage at a coal mine in the eastern transvaal. Acid mine drainagcentral basin, germiston, gauteng, south africa. Environmental, health and human rights consequences of gold mining in south africas west and central rand noted the slow response to the acid mine drainage amd.
Treated water running into a lake at a acid mine drainage plant near krugersdorp. In 2006, south africa was the largest producer of gold, and the fourth largest producer of coal, in the world usher and vermuelen 2006. Overview mine water pollution has been identified by the department of environmental affairs and tourism deat, 2008 as an emerging issue. Jun 12, 20 the video presents the main findings of the opportunities in acid mine drainage in south africa.
The high acidity of acid mine drainage and the high amounts of dissolved heavy metals such as copper and zinc generally make acid mine drainage extremely toxic to most organisms pentreath, 1994. Pdf the impact of acid mine drainage in south africa. Acid mine drainage amd refers to the outflow of acidic water from a mining site. Mapping surface sources of acid mine drainage using remote. Acid mine drainage research acid mine drainage amd has been the subject of intensive research since the 1960s. The following is an overview of information on some major.
The oxidation of sulphidic mine wastes and the consequent release of acid mine drainage and acid rock drainage, is one of the main strategic environmental issues facing the mining industry. Law and governance perspectives l feris lj kotze acid drainage is one of the most serious and potentially enduring environmental problems for the mining industry. South africa, one of the worlds biggest metals producers, has been hit by a slide in commodities prices that has come on top of widespread labour unrest among miners. The government should only pay in instances where a mine is truly abandoned, liefferink said. The last mine standing doesnt have to take on the full burden, but they will have to work out how it will be funded. Research efforts have proceeded recently through the acid drainage technology initiative. Mapping surface sources of acid mine drainage using remote sensing. Hence, an initial investigation was carried out to determine the source of acid mine drainage pollution and the associated hydrogeological conditions. Mccarthy t s 2010 the decanting of acid mine water in the gauteng cityregio2n.
In some regions, it is the most common form of stream and river pollution. For individual support on doing business in south africa, specific questions about market. The nature of acid mine drainage in the vaal river system. Platinum group metals ltd technical report for the update. Mobility potential of metals in acid mine drainage occurring in the highveld area of mpumalanga province in south africa.
Sep 10, 20 the last mine standing doesnt have to take on the full burden, but they will have to work out how it will be funded. Joining abn to discuss the impact it is having in south africa. Amd is a legacy left behind by abandoned, derelict and defunct mines, and is a continuing byproduct of existing mining activities. This case was highlighted over the past 20 years, and this is one of the features of serious conditions of amd in south africa.
South africa plans levy on mines to tackle acid mine water. It unfortunately makes a beautiful sulfuric acid, says jay barton, a geochemist and board member of south africas council for geoscience, that nations equivalent of the u. Dec 25, 2015 the flow of polluted water from past and present mines is a chronic problem in south africa, and large volumes of water carrying toxic sulphates and metals such as lead, zinc, copper and. It provides a background to amd and its impactsfrom a social science perspective. Management and mitigation of acid mine drainage in south. May 19, 2016 south africa, one of the worlds biggest metals producers, has been hit by a slide in commodities prices that has come on top of widespread labour unrest among miners. Left unchecked, it can result in such longterm water quality impacts that it could well be this industrys most harmful legacy. Acid mine drainage prevention and control options nural kuyucak golder associates ltd. Acid mine drainage amd is arguably one of the most serious environmental concerns in south africa.