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Water Quality and Security: Mining Industry Perspective

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.

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Water Quality and Security: Mining Industry Perspective

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  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

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