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Acid Mine Drainage Group

The WET-Africa Acid Mine Drainage Special Interest Group looks at the impact of Acid Mine Drainage in the environment and appropriate ways of engaging the problem.

Acid Mine Drainage threatens Human and Animal Life on the West Rand

From FSE - Federation for a sustainable environment - http://www.fse.org.za/

Mariette Liefferink calls it the smell of death. And after all the years she has spent fighting mining pollution, the environmental activist doesn’t even gag at the strong stench of sulphur wafting from the old mining shaft behind her.

Wonderfonteinspruit Catchment Area, Slideshow Presentation

Wonderfonteinspruit Catchment Area risk areas

Carte Blanche story on Acid Mine Drainage

Carte Blanche story on Acid Mine Drainage, transcript:

A bitter paradox is unfolding in the economic heartland of South Africa: we’re short of water to drink; we are also running out of gold. Yet, as the sun sets on the gold industry, the waters beneath her commercial capital are rising.

The cost of mining operations

It is a sorry fact that the mining of gold, uranium, coal and other metals and elements has left a legacy of damage to South Africa and her communities. The funding put aside within government departments and by the mining companies themselves come nowhere near providing for remediation.

Acid Mine Drainage

Pristine River - Magaliesberg

What is Acid Mine Drainage?

Acid water is formed underground when old shafts and tunnels fill up. The water oxidises with the sulphide mineral iron pyrite, better known as fool's gold. The water then fills the mine and starts decanting into the environment, in a process known as acid mine drainage. In 2002 acid mine drainage had started decanting from the Western Basin, located below the Krugersdorp-Randfontein area.
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