Management and Mitigation of Acid Mine Drainage in South Africa
Management and Mitigation of Acid Mine Drainage in South Africa

Author: Mujuru, Munyaradzi

Publisher: Africa Institute of South Africa

Published: 2017-02-03

Total Pages: 359

ISBN-13: 0798304987

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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 post-mining mine site management. In mineral resource-rich Africa, this has emerged as one of the most daunting challenges of our time. South Africa has been bold in its approach to mitigating this problem, although the challenge is multi-faceted. On a positive note, substantial research has been conducted to confront the challenge. However, thus far, the research has been largely fragmented. This book builds on the work that has been done, but also provides a refreshing multi-disciplinary approach that is useful in addressing the AMD challenges that South Africa and the continent face. Whilst addressing the problem as a scientific and engineering challenge, the book also exposes the economic, policy and legal challenges involved in addressing the problem. The book concludes, quite uniquely, that AMD is an opportunity that can be used by South Africa and Africa to solve problems, such as acute water shortage, as well as mineral recovery operations.

Acid Mine Drainage in South Africa
Acid Mine Drainage in South Africa

Author: Suvania Naidoo

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-10-13

Total Pages: 137

ISBN-13: 3319444352

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This SpringerBrief focuses on Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) in the three basins in the Witwatersrand, South Africa. It provides a background to AMD and its impactsfrom a social science perspective.The South African government and non-governmental organizations’ response to AMD is assessed, as well the socio-economic and developmental effects of AMD. This volume, which is based on the author’s Master’s dissertation at UNISA, involves interviews with a range of experts in the field from government departments, environmental organisations (activists), the private sector (mining), tourism sector and the agricultural sector. The book discusses existing policy documents on AMD and provides recommendations in response to the many socio-economic impacts which have not been fully addressed. A literature review on the global context of AMD is provided. South Africa’s water systems are already severely harmed by climate change, different forms of pollution, and poorly managed sanitation systems. For these reasons, the country is becoming increasingly water-stressed and therefore, water will continue to become much scarcer in the future. As a result of AMD’s continued impact on South Africa’s water systems, as a technical or scientific matter as well as the policy implications for the mining sector, water security and socio-economic sustainability has become a highly contested issue.

Minewater Treatment
Minewater Treatment

Author: Melanie Brown

Publisher: IWA Publishing

Published: 2002-03-31

Total Pages: 468

ISBN-13: 1843390043

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Part of Groundwater Set - Buy all six books and save over 30% on buying separately! Biffaward Winner 2002 The Clean Rivers Trust has fought off stiff competition to become the Research and Development - Technology Category winner at the Biffaward Awards 2002, with its project "Technology Analysis of Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Methods". Minewater Treatment - Technology, Application and Policy, was produced based on the findings of the research to aid in the selection, design and implementation of the most appropriate treatment techniques for particular minewater discharges. Much work has been carried out in recent decades concerning minewater treatment, both in the UK and worldwide. Many different bodies and organizations are involved in developing minewater treatment processes and schemes. Minewater Treatment addresses the need for a single source of state-of-the-art information that draws all the latest research material together. Key features of the book include: a full literature review of minewater treatment throughout the world an overview of relevant legislation and policy in a global context a review of currently available methods for treating minewater worldwide a site specific inventory of minewater treatment schemes within the UK, including compilation of available monitoring data and assessment of performance a review of emerging and innovative minewater treatment technologies and consideration of related academic research within the UK a comprehensive list of active and innovative minewater treatment technologies that are not currently compiled in a book or other review publication a detailed summary and recommendations section assessing the applicability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of minewater treatment schemes Relevant scientific subject matter is presented in a concise, easily accessible manner to assist with the objective assessment of the progress made to date. Heavily illustrated with many colour photographs, the book allows best use to be made of the collective experience of minewater treatment practitioners throughout the UK, whilst at the same time placing the UK experience within a global context. An invaluable reference work for mining companies, consultants, planning officers, environmental research scientists, environmental agencies, water utilities and regulatory bodies, Minewater Treatment is a definitive source of information on minewater treatment technologies and will help facilitate the selection of the most appropriate technique required to tackle particular minewater discharge problems. Contents The minewater problem Treatment options Existing sites in the UK: Case studies Existing sites in the UK: Site summaries Summary & conclusions

Acid Mine Drainage, Rock Drainage, and Acid Sulfate Soils
Acid Mine Drainage, Rock Drainage, and Acid Sulfate Soils

Author: James A. Jacobs

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2014-04-28

Total Pages: 502

ISBN-13: 0470487860

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Provides the tools needed to analyze and solve acid drainage problems Featuring contributions from leading experts in science and engineering, this book explores the complex biogeochemistry of acid mine drainage, rock drainage, and acid sulfate soils. It describes how to predict, prevent, and remediate the environmental impact of acid drainage and the oxidation of sulfides, offering the latest sampling and analytical methods. Moreover, readers will discover new approaches for recovering valuable resources from acid mine drainage, including bioleaching. Acid Mine Drainage, Rock Drainage, and Acid Sulfate Soils reviews the most current findings in the field, offering new insights into the underlying causes as well as new tools to minimize the harm of acid drainage: Part I: Causes of Acid Mine Drainage, Rock Drainage and Sulfate Soils focuses on the biogeochemistry of acid drainage in different environments. Part II: Assessment of Acid Mine Drainage, Rock Drainage and Sulfate Soils covers stream characterization, aquatic and biological sampling, evaluation of aquatic resources, and some unusual aspects of sulfide oxidation. Part III: Prediction and Prevention of Acid Drainage discusses acid-base accounting, kinetic testing, block modeling, petrology, and mineralogy studies. It also explains relevant policy and regulations. Part IV: Remediation of Acid Drainage, Rock Drainage and Sulfate Soils examines both passive and active cleanup methods to remediate acid drainage. Case studies from a variety of geologic settings highlight various approaches to analyzing and solving acid drainage problems. Replete with helpful appendices and an extensive list of web resources, Acid Mine Drainage, Rock Drainage, and Acid Sulfate Soils is recommended for mining engineers and scientists, regulatory officials, environmental scientists, land developers, and students.

Environmental Policy in Mining
Environmental Policy in Mining

Author: Alyson Warhurst

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 1999-09-17

Total Pages: 538

ISBN-13: 9781566703659

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Ecological Management of Mining: Achieving Environmental Compliance is a study and comparison - global in scope - of current practices used by mining firms striving for ecological management. The author takes an integrated and interdisciplinary approach in addressing, analyzing and working towards solutions regarding the complex challenges posed by managing the environmental impacts of mining. The issues addressed range from the ecotoxicological effects of metal residues to the land use effects of mining and from socioeconomic impacts to environmental regulation. The goal of this book is to assist mining companies throughout the world to achieve environmental compliance and improve competitiveness in the context of growing environmental regulation and technological innovation. It is an essential book for the wide variety of professionals working on issues in mining. Like the book and the research itself, the audience is integrated and interdisciplinary including engineers, planners, ecologists, policy makers and economists. Features

Acid Mine Drainage and its Governance in the Gauteng City-Region
Acid Mine Drainage and its Governance in the Gauteng City-Region

Author: Kerry Bobbins

Publisher: Gauteng City Region Observatory (GCRO)

Published: 2015-05-29

Total Pages: 76

ISBN-13: 0620657782

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Acid mine drainage (AMD) has generated an enormous amount of media interest and public concern in the Gauteng City-Region (GCR) over the last decade. However, it has been framed as a narrow technical concern, with government action being directed towards securing the necessary engineering and processing solutions as quickly as possible to prevent decant and treat acid mine water to industrial standards. This has arguably limited the scope for full discussion and debate on the impacts of AMD, particularly for the environment, and this bears implications for how AMD has been managed in the GCR. Government’s immediate, short and long term interventions to address AMD have been set out as a straight forward solution, but over time more complex environmental concerns have emerged. Becoming more evident over the last few years is that one of the main impacts of AMD will be its effect on the overall water security in the Vaal River System (VRS) on which the GCR relies for its supply of potable water. Limits on water abstraction from the VRS, together with the increasing need to maintain the overall water quality in the system through dilution and treatment activities, means that AMD is beginning to manifest as a binding constraint on economic development and a burden on society – in particular via escalating costs for water consumers. Fiscal constraints are likely to see GCR residents and businesses pick up more and more of the costs associated with the treatment of AMD, through the format of increased municipal tariffs. With final decisions on municipal tariffs now pending, the broader yet invisible impacts of AMD loom large. This means that the debate has moved far beyond the issue of predicted decant in each of the Witwatersrand’s mining basins. Water security for the GCR, and who will carry the costs associated with the long-term treatment of AMD, have instead taken centre stage. This paper carefully updates the historical record on AMD since the publishing of a GCRO Provocation on the issue in 2010. In doing so, it argues that the way in which AMD has been governed raises a flag around how the political economy of an issue such as AMD should be understood, publicly debated and managed. In particular, it suggests that the governance of an environmental challenge such as AMD is not only about finding a technical solution. The lack of platforms to ensure well-informed public deliberation, especially over such issues as who will pay and how, must be addressed to ensure more equitable and transparent decision-making. In light of the broader mine waste legacy inherited by the GCR, and the strong likelihood of environmental contamination becoming more commonplace in the future, these concerns are not only limited to AMD. They will only grow in importance over time.

Water Management at Abandoned Flooded Underground Mines
Water Management at Abandoned Flooded Underground Mines

Author: Christian Wolkersdorfer

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2008-02-01

Total Pages: 476

ISBN-13: 3540773312

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This book addresses the processes related to mine abandonment from a hydrogeological perspective and provides a comprehensive presentation of water management and innovative tracer techniques for flooded mines. After an introduction to the relevant hydrogeochemical processes the book gives detailed information about mine closure procedures. The book also includes case studies and hints, and some new methodologies for conducting tracer tests in flooded mines.

Social Constructions of Water Quality in South Africa
Social Constructions of Water Quality in South Africa

Author: Suvania Naidoo

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2022-05-04

Total Pages: 229

ISBN-13: 3030982378

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This book details how the water quality of the Blesbokspruit River in Gauteng, South Africa was socially constructed by stakeholders and key individuals in the context of acid mine drainage (AMD) and its treatment. Social constructionism is used as the framing for this research to explain how water is intrinsically social. Findings presented here show that stakeholders are aware that the changes in the physicality of the Blesbokspruit resulted from human interventions and varied uses of the water over the years. Such knowledge, among factors such as the historical context of mining, current coal mining, flows and volumes of water, technology used and processes followed, information and communication, and vested interests influence social constructions of the water quality. What counts as the truth about water varies depending on the individual’s perspective, their purpose, and their individual interests. Further, how one defines water quality influences what treatment processes are preferred in order to improve water quality. The book explains why, for example, a treatment process meant to improve water quality gained a bad reputation by the public because of the South African government’s silo approach. The book explains how these social constructions are entrenched in power relations between stakeholders regarding AMD treatment and illustrates how power was used to influence decisions to improve the water quality of the Blesbokspruit. The case presented in this book offers insights and recommendations for policymakers working in water governance, including means to influence social constructions of water quality and ways to clarify roles and responsibilities in pursuit of improved cooperative government.