1 / 16

Sustainable Mining Practices for Water Quality and Security in South Africa

This presentation delves into the mining industry's impact on water quality and security from a historical context to current challenges, addressing factors such as waste rock impacts, regulatory tools, and environmental management. It also explores initiatives and commitments to improve water quality through collaborative efforts and industry activities.

sdriscoll
Download Presentation

Sustainable Mining Practices for Water Quality and Security in South Africa

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Water Quality and Security: Mining Industry Perspective Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry 7 August 2006 Nikisi Lesufi Environmental Adviser Chamber of Mines of South Africa Tel: +2711 498 7661 Fax: +2711 498 7429 Email: nlesufi@bullion.org.za

  2. Overview of Presentation • What is the Chamber of Mines • Mining: Historical Context • Mining and Water Quality • Mining and Water Security: Some Perspectives

  3. Chamber of Mines • A premier mining sector employers’ organisation • The principal advocate of mining policy positions endorsed by mining employers • Exists today primarily to provide strategic support and advisory input to its members • Members account for 90% of SA’s mineral production by value

  4. Mining: Historical Context • Mining played a critical role in SA’s economic development, e.g. JHB from mining camp to a major African city • Social legacies: • Labour relations, social and occupational health issues • Environmental footprint: land, soil sterilisation, biodiversity degradation and water impacts • Regulatory/Corporate inadequacies

  5. TypicalMining Environmental Issues

  6. Mining and Water Quality • Factors determining water quality impacts • Site characteristics • Amount & type of material moved • Depth of deposit, chemical composition of ore and surrounding rocks • Extraction process, environmental management practices and business philosophy • Enforcement/Application of regulatory tools • Cooperative governance (DWAF,DME, DEAT) • Turn around time on authorisations • Properly capacitated DWAF regional and national offices

  7. Waste Rock Impacts

  8. Evaporation Pans

  9. Dams

  10. Shaft Areas

  11. Processing Plant

  12. Mining and Water Quality: • Historical factors • Dewatering • Mine dumps • Inter mine flow • Regulatory lag • Current practices • Adequate regulatory tools in place: Insufficient enforcement • Cooperative management philosophies: Adoption of best international practice • Commitment to research and innovation technologies

  13. Mining and Water Quality • Industry Activities to improve water quality • Regular liaison meeting with DWAF • Coaltech 20/20 initiatives • Participation in WRC Research Projects • Water Service Provision: Emalahleni • Participation in water forums • Current Challenges • Historical legacies • Regulatory Overlaps • Turn around time on authorisations • Small scale mining

  14. Mining and Water Security • Environmental challenges • Abandoned mine sites: Measures required to manage acid mine drainage • Inter mine flow: What happens when the last operating mine close? Threats to catchments? • Small scale mining • Economic Considerations • PGM potential: water availability • Regulatory Overlaps • Turn around time on authorisations

  15. Final Thought

More Related