Water and sanitation, south africa, for years 2003 to 2008. The witwatersrand basin is a largely underground geological formation which surfaces in the witwatersrand, south africa. 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. Return to article details the impact of acid mine drainage in south africa download download pdf. Acid mine drainage amd or acid rock drainage ard is considered as one of the main pollutants of water in many countries that have historic or current mining activities. The acid mine drainage amd challenge can be traced back more than 100 years to the 1800s. Most of the cases result from the exposure of sulfide minerals in waste dumps to air and rainfall after the abandonment of mines in the world.
Mining and water pollution safe drinking water foundation. Acid mine drainage an overview sciencedirect topics. Water flowing through active or abandoned mine sites can become polluted by the material being mined1. Acid mine drainage in south africa has become a major concern for the countrys water infrastructure over recent years. 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. Ground and airborne geophysical surveys have also identified sub surface acid mine drainage pathways in krugersdorp game reserve area 14. Many of south africas current amd problems can be attributed to mining. Joining abn to discuss the impact it is having in south africa. Acid mine drainage, acid and metalliferous drainage amd, or acid rock drainage ard is the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines acid rock drainage occurs naturally within some environments as part of the rock weathering process but is exacerbated by largescale earth disturbances characteristic of mining and other large construction activities, usually within rocks. The impact of acid mine drainage in south africa author. South africa most certainly has uncovered a very inconvenient truth.
The key factor of acid mine drainage amd in the history. Acid mine water drainage debating a sustainable solution. Ppa 9677 the management measures of acid mine drainage in the western, central and eastern basin of the witwatersrand goldfields in gauteng. Pdf the impact of acid mine drainage in south africa. Management and mitigation of acid mine drainage in south africa. Acid mine drainage amd is the flow, or seepage, of polluted water from old mining areas.
Environmental law remedies available to regulators and civil society melissa fourie wits school of law mandela institute, october 2009. In the scourge of amd in south africa, such technologies like gis are very useful in the analysis and modelling of water quality. Researchers team up to tackle states acid mine drainage. While mining is considered valuable for its contribution to this countrys gross domestic product, its polluting effects on water and land resources have been criticised as unsustainable. Acid mine drainage issues in south africa godfrey mwiinga pr. The heat of acid mine drainage 18 may 2018 delia du toit mining is a key contributor to south africa s economic development but its effect on the environment could spell disaster. Chapter 6 land department of environmental affairs. 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. The acid runoff further dissolves heavy metals such as copper, lead, and mercury into groundwater or surface water. Government and mining companies need to take responsibility now, taking extensive measures to prevent any further damage and to safeguard the local population.
The acid runoff further dissolves heavy metals such as copper, lead, and mercury into groundwater or. Acid mine drainage in south africa development actors. Map of the study area and location of the sampling sites in relation to mining. The acid mine drainage solution bandwagon the mail. Ard is often mislabelled amd or acid mine drainage too.
Gis maps are a commendable method of correlating a range of. The south african government and nongovernmental organizations response to amd is assessed, as well the socioeconomic and developmental effects of amd. By far the most common mine drainage problem is that of acid mine drainage amd. Recent estimates of the rate of decant ranges between 18 mld and 36 mlday with a ph. When you have eliminated the javascript, whatever remains must be an empty page. Mapping the decision context for the intersection of mining and. Mccarthy t s 2010 the decanting of acid mine water in the gauteng cityregio2n. Acid mine drainage is recognized as one of the more serious environmental problems in the mining industry.
Case study acid mine drainage south africa earthwise. Treating acid mine drainage from abandoned mines in. Hug an environmentalist today, without us you would never know how youre being poisoned. Effective treatment options for acid mine drainage in the coal region of west virginia a thesis submitted to the graduate college of marshall university in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of science in geography by daniel kirby dr. South africas acid mine water pollution risks lives africanews. Acid mine drainage solution targeted at south african mining. Amd is caused when water flows over or through sulfurbearing materials forming solutions of net acidity. Acid mine drainage amd has received considerable coverage in the media of late and the number of short courses and workshops devoted to the. Management and mitigation of acid mine drainage in south africa munyaradzi mujuru, s. In response to the millions of litres of acid mine drainage already flooding or threatening to flood south africa s streams, rivers, cities, and towns, a variety of solutions have been proposed. South africa is facing the increasing challenge of acid mine drainage amd whose genesis is the countrys mining history, which paid limited attention to postmining mine site management.
Thanks to the international veolia group, veolia water technologies south africa is able to supply a costcompetitive acid mine drainage treatment system that can reduce the impact of mining on the environment. Jan 27, 2011 greenpeace africa is deeply concerned by both the extent of the problems of acid mine drainage in the johannesburg region, and by the lack of action by the authorities and mining companies. There is limited access to acid base accounting or leach test and other mineralogical or quality. Left unchecked, it can result in such longterm water quality impacts that it could well be this industrys most harmful legacy. This springerbrief focuses on acid mine drainage amd in the three basins in the witwatersrand, south africa. The origin of acid mine drainage variables affecting the impact of acid mine drainage how mines generate acid mine drainage gold mining coal mining past experiences of the impact of acid mine drainage on water quality in south africa. Impacts of mining on water resources in s outh africa. When large quantities of rock containing sulphide minerals are excavated from an open pit or opened up in an underground mine, it reacts with water and oxygen to create sulphuric acid.
Acid mine drainage amd is a pollutant that arises from exposure of metal sulphide. Acid mine drainage in johannesburg greenpeace africa. Pretoria, south africa, d irrigation with acid mine drainage, e rice paddy airconditioning in japan. It provides a background to amd and its impactsfrom a social science perspective. Acid mine water drainage debating a sustainable solution to a serious issue 7.
The origin of acid mine drainage acid mine drainage also sometimes referred to as acid rock drainage is a wellunderstood process2 and arises primarily when the mineral pyrite fools gold or iron disulphide comes into contact with oxygenated water. Mapping of abandoned mine tailings and acid mine drainage using. Pdf acid mine drainage amd is arguably one of the most serious environmental. Acid mine drainage in gauteng province, south africa mining in south africa and in gauteng province. The pyrite undergoes oxidation in a twostage process, the.
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 amd is one specific public health and ecological issue that has stirred debates in political and social circles in this country. Final words acid mine drainage issues in south africa. Thus, there is a close connection between resource development and amd issue. Geospatially coded map of top ten of the worlds 20 worst toxic pollution processes 12. A prospecting right application for offshore sea concession 6c, west coast slr consulting south africa pty ltd.
In examining this table, it is important to note that diffusion of oxygen into water is slow and, therefore, oxidation of iron sulfide is inhibited until the water level drops, which can occur periodically or seasonally in some cases. Mutanga published by african books collective mujuru, munyaradzi and s. Pdf impact of acid mine drainage on water resources in south. The last decade has witnessed an upsurge in the use of geospatial technologies. 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. It holds the worlds largest known gold reserves and has produced over 1. Sulfuric acid is produced when water interacts with sulfurbearing materials in the presence of oxygen and common bacteria1. Pdf the role of geospatial technologies in modelling of. Po box 3, wits 2050, johannesburg, south africa how to cite this article. Acid mine drainage amd is a low ph, sulphate and heavy metal rich. See recent media report from department of water affairs regarding acid mine. 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 acid mine drainage is one of region 3 most serious water.
Disintegration of concrete construction induced by acid mine. Effective treatment options for acid mine drainage in the. The acidic water formed by this process can dissolve many metals. Treating acid mine drainage from abandoned mines in remote areas john j. Most south african industrial mines quarries can be classified as smallscale. Acid mine drainage in south africa amazon web services. Kill zones such as the one at the upper red eyes acid mine drainage spring in somerset county, pennsylvania, decimate plant life. See csir draft report on acid mine drainage pdf see carte blanche transcript on acid mine drainage.
In mineral resourcerich africa, this has emerged as one of the most daunting challenges of our time. Amd is a legacy left behind by abandoned, derelict and defunct mines, and is a continuing byproduct of existing mining activities. Sources of acid mine drainage university of pretoria. Pdf acid mine drainage is recognized as one of the more serious environmental problems in the mining industry. Some or all of this iron can precipitate to form the red, orange, or yellow sediments in the bottom of streams containing mine drainage. Journal for transdisciplinary research in southern africa 5 1 july. In 2006, south africa was the largest producer of gold, and the fourth largest producer of coal, in the world usher and vermuelen 2006. According to a report december 2010 commissioned by the interministerial committee on acid mine drainage the mining companies and government have until june 2012 to control acid mine drainage before the toxic water under central johannesburg begins to flood the tourist mine in gold reef city, with estimates of the water reaching the surface. 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. The south african government and nongovernmental organizations response to amd is assessed, as well the. As a result, the water becomes very acidic and damages downstream aquatic ecosystems. Pdf the regulation of acid mine drainage in south africa.
In some regions, it is the most common form of stream and river pollution. Mine acid drainage mad is the runoff produced when water comes into contact with exposed rocks containing sulfurbearing minerals that react with water and air to form sulfuric acid, dissolved fe and al, and other chemical elements blowes et al. So, to better understand amd and ard, lets begin by defining some terms like ph the standard measure of acidity. Mapping ecological conflicts and spaces of resistance. Management and mitigation of acid mine drainage in south. Residents left in dark over acid mine drainage treatment. Acid mine drainage acid rock drainage ard is a natural process whereby sulphuric acid is produced when sulphides in rocks are exposed to air and water. Treated water running into a lake at a acid mine drainage plant near krugersdorp. Pdf impacts of mining on water resources in south africa. Acid mine drainage amd has started posing environmental and industrial challenges in a number of former and current mining areas in south africa, including the witwatersrand goldfields, the mpumalanga and kwazulunatal coal fields, and the okiep copper district. It is based on the national land cover 2000 supplemented with more recent data.
Oct 14, 2016 institutional linkages and acid mine drainage. South africas gauteng province holds some of the biggest gold deposits on earth, and extraction processes has left drains of acid mine drainage amd which results from the outflow of acidic. The impact of acid mine drainage in south africa article pdf available in south african journal of science 10756. For individual support on doing business in south africa, specific questions about market. The natural scarcity of water resources in south africa, coupled with the impact of economic development needs, increased land use, and a growing population. The video presents the main findings of the opportunities in acid mine drainage in south africa. The government appointed the team after warnings emerged last year that south africa faced a potential water pollution crisis that could lead to health problems due to spillage from acid mine drainage amd, particularly in the witwatersrand gold fields around johannesburg. Liefferink m and elize s van eeden 2010 proactive environmental activism to promote the remediation of mined land and acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage and human rights the south african human. Acid mine drainage is a major problem on coal and gold mines throughout the world and in. Governance and sociopolitical issues in management of acid. South africa is a nation under stress when trying to meet water requirements. 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.
The impact of acid mine drainage in south africa mccarthy. A map showing the distribution of coal and witwatersrand basin gold deposits. View of the impact of acid mine drainage in south africa. Attenuation of pollution arising from acid mine drainage by a natural. Dec 10, 2010 in response to the millions of litres of acid mine drainage already flooding or threatening to flood south africas streams, rivers, cities, and towns, a variety of solutions have been proposed.
The regulation of acid mine drainage in south africa. South africa is renowned for the diversity and richness of its mineral wealth, the. The acidic water formed by this process can dissolve many metals in bioavailable. The printed hardcopy or printready a3 atlas in high definition. Acid mine drainage amd is arguably one of the most serious environmental concerns in south africa. South africa has nine biomes, or broad groupings of vegetation. Pdf this chapter provides a detailed description on the impacts of acid mine. Metesh hydrogeologist terrie jarrell project leader steve oravetz program leader usda forest service technology and development program missoula, montana 7e72g71 acid mine drainage study october 1998 united states department of. The effect of mining on the environment includes the release of many chemical contaminants into water resources, which can cause environmental damage and threaten the health and safety of nearby communities long after mine closure. What can be done to prevent or clean up acid mine drainage. Jun 12, 20 the video presents the main findings of the opportunities in acid mine drainage in south africa. The legacy of acid mine drainage in south africa vuyo mjimba, munyaradzi mujuru and shingirirai s mutanga abstract south africas mining sector plays a significant role in the countrys economy. 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.
Acid mine water drainage debating a sustainable solution to a serious issue 3. However, researchers said bacteria in the area is leading to the rapid removal of heavy metals such as iron, which is harmful to fish and other life. A new solution to treat acid mine drainage amd, targeting the south african mining industry, was launched on july 5, in johannesburg, as a viable and cost effective solution to remove metals and. In response to dr laans suggestion, dr seija virtanen finland has informed that drainage is always needed in cultivated fields since there is a surplus. Acid mine drainage prediction compares acid rock drainage factors of waste rock piles and tailings impoundments. Assessing the sustainability of acid mine drainage amd.
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