water quality and security: mining industry perspective

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Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry

7 August 2006

Nikisi LesufiEnvironmental Adviser

Chamber of Mines of South AfricaTel: +2711 498 7661Fax: +2711 498 7429

Email: nlesufi@bullion.org.za

Water Quality and Security:

Mining Industry Perspective

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• What is the Chamber of Mines

• Mining: Historical Context

• Mining and Water Quality

• Mining and Water Security: Some Perspectives

Overview of Presentation

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• 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

Chamber of Mines

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• 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

Mining: Historical Context

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Typical Mining Environmental Issues

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• 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

Mining and Water Quality

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Waste Rock Impacts

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Evaporation Pans

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Dams

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Shaft Areas

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Processing Plant

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• 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

Mining and Water Quality:

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• 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

Mining and Water Quality

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• 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

Mining and Water Security

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Final Thought