Mariette Liefferink OHS Presentation - LexisNexis South Africa

Compliance levels in mines, what is really
required to protect communities affected
by mining
Case Study
Mariette Liefferink

Applicable Environmental Legislative
Matrix
• Common Law
• Promulgated Acts Of Parliament (Constitution)
• Legal Precedents

COMMON LAW
DUTY OF CARE
Duty of care
Determination of amount of care
– Likelihood of injury being caused
– Class of person likely to suffer
– Seriousness of injury risk – gravity of consequences
– Intrinsically harmless contaminants as opposed to intrinsically dangerous
contaminants
– Standard of care required is that of a reasonable person in the circumstances;
there being a higher standard required of persons possessing special skills or
expertise

NATIONAL WATER ACT
Secondly, s 19 of the NWA obliges any person (i.e. not only those who
hold a water use authorization) who has occupied or used land on
which any activity or process was performed that caused (or is likely
to cause) pollution of a water resource, to take all reasonable
measures to prevent such pollution from occurring, continuing or
recurring. Where a person fails to take such measures, the relevant
catchment management agency may direct that specified reasonable
measures be taken.
Where a person fails to comply with such a directive, the catchment
management agency can carry out such reasonable measures as are
required and recover the costs from the person responsible.

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT
Section 28 of NEMA establishes a similar but at the same time more
general obligation on every person who has or may cause significant
pollution or degradation of the environment to take reasonable
measures to prevent such pollution or degradation from occurring,
continuing or recurring. Where the pollution or degradation is
authorized by law or cannot reasonably be avoided or stopped a
person must take reasonable measures to minimize and rectify the
pollution or degradation.
The Director-General of the national department responsible for
environmental affairs or a provincial head of department can direct a
person to take reasonable measures and, where they fail to comply,
can cause the measures to be carried out and recover costs from the
responsible person.

MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT
Firstly, in terms of the MPRDA, the holder of a prospecting or mining
right is responsible for any environmental damage, pollution or
ecological degradation arising from the prospecting or mining
operations and occurring inside and outside the area to which the right
relates. Liability for environmental damage, pollution or degradation
continues until such time as a closure certificate is issued by the
Minister of Mineral Resources.
Further, directors of a company or members of a close corporation are
jointly and severally liable for any unacceptable impact on the
environment irrespective of whether such damage was done
intentionally or through negligence.

Mine Health and Safety Act
The Mine Health and Safety Act is mainly concerned with
defining the obligations of mining owners in regard to
ensuring a safe working environment. However, a general
obligation rests upon every employer (i.e. every owner of a
mine), to: (a) Identify the relevant hazards and assess the
related risks to which non-employees are exposed; and (b)
to ensure that non-employees who are directly affected by
the activities at the mine, are not exposed to any hazards
to their health and safety. To this end, the employer must
establish a policy concerning the protection of nonemployees
who are directly affected by the activities at the
mine.

south african
human
rights
commission
• The South African Human Rights Commission is a national human rights institution
established in terms of section 184 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
• The Commission is mandated to promote respect for and the protection and observation of
human rights.
• This mandate includes the respect for and promotion and protection of the right to dignity
and life and to an environment that is not harmful to one’s health and wellbeing.
• The Commission further has a mandate to monitor access to socio-economic rights such as
the right to sufficient water.

south african
human
rights
commission
• In the context of socio-economic rights and the environment, the Commission has identified
the need to undertake a number of activities to promote and protect the rights of people
and access natural resources, or a lack of access thereto. To this end, Commissioner Janet
Love has been assigned primary responsibility for all matters relating to natural resource
management.
• Within its legislative mandate, the Commission has the power to establish expert-advisory
committees that have a particular focal point: Section 5 Human Rights and Acid Mine
Drainage Committee
• Mining has impacted negatively on the quality of the natural environment and resources –
the impact of mining on the security of water resources a matter of grave concern.
• AMD – serious threat to the realisation of the rights to human health services, access to food
and sufficient water (s 27); the right to housing (s26); the right to freedom and security of
the person (s12); the right to human dignity (210); children’s rights (s8(c)(d)] as well as the
safety of employees.

When the pH of acid mine drainage is raised past 3, either through contact
with fresh water or neutralizing minerals, previously soluble Iron(III) ions
precipitate as Iron(III) hydroxide, a yellow-orange solid colloquially known as
yellow boy. Other types of iron precipitates are possible, including iron oxides
and oxyhydroxides. All these precipitates can discolor water and smother plant
and animal life on the streambed, disrupting stream ecosystems .The process
also produces additional hydrogen ions, which can further decrease pH.

West Wits Pit

As early as 1987, the US Environmental Protection Agency
recognised that “.....problems related to mining waste may
be rated as second only to global warming and
stratospheric ozone depletion in terms of ecological risk.
The release to the environment of mining waste can result
in profound, generally irreversible destruction of
ecosystems.”
If this is indeed so then the Witwatersrand gold mining area
of South Africa is at serious risk.
Reference:s CSIR. Briefing Note August 2009. Acid Mine Drainage in South Africa. Dr. Pat Manders. Director, Natural
Resources and the Environment.
European Environmental Bureau (EEB). 2000. The environmental performance of the mining industry and the action
necessary to strengthen European legislation in the wake of the Tisza-Danube pollution. EEB Document no 2000/016.
32 p

• The potential volume of AMD for the Witwatersrand
Goldfield alone amounts to an estimated 350ML/day (1ML
= 1000m3).
• This represents 10% of the potable water supplied daily by
Rand Water to municipal authorities for urban distribution
in Gauteng province and surrounding areas, at a cost of
R3000/ML.
• The gold mining industry in South Africa (principally the
Witwatersrand Goldfield) is in decline, but the post-closure
decant of AMD is an enormous threat, and this could
become worse if remedial activities are delayed or not
implemented.
Reference: CSIR. Briefing Note August 2009. Acid Mine Drainage in South Africa. Dr. Pat Manders. Director, Natural
Resources and the Environment.

GOLD-MINING AREAS OF
WEST RAND AND FAR WEST RAND

Mining Area
Key Issues
Witwatersrand Goldfields:
Witwatersrand Goldfields:
•Kosh Basin
•Free State Goldfields
•Far West Rand
•West Rand
•Central Rand
•Eastern Rand
•Decanting Acid Rock of Drainage Flooded Mines and Mine
Drainage •Physical Instability
Large Salt Loads
Decanting of Flooded Urban Centres Mines
Physical Instability
Dust Pollution
Land Use Conflicts with Growing Urban Centres
Radioactivity and Uranium
•Interconnection of mining basins
•Acid Rock Drainage and Mine
Drainage
Interconnection of mining
•Large basins Salt Loads
•Dust Pollution
•Land Use Conflicts with Growing
•Radioactivity (Contamination)
and Uranium

WITWATERSRAND MINING BASIN*
• The Witwatersrand has been mined for more than a century.
• It is the world’s largest gold and uranium mining basin with the
extraction,
• from more than 120 mines,
• of 43 500 tons of gold in one century and
• 73 000 tons of uranium between 1953 and 1995.
• The basin covers an area of 1600 km 2 , and
• led to a legacy of some 400 km 2 of mine tailings dams and
• 6 billion tons of pyrite tailings containing low-grade uranium.
* The Witwatersrand Mining Basin is composed of the Far East Basin, Central Rand Basin, Western
Basin, Far Western Basin, KOSH and the Free State gold mines.
A Remote-Sensing and GIS-Based Integrated Approach for Risk Based Prioritization of Gold Tailings Facilities – Witwatersrand, South Africa –
S. Chevrel et al

•Tailings Dams contain 100 000 tons of U
•50 Tons of U discharged annually
•Seepage/Percolation: 24 tons U (1 000 to 1 million higher than the background U
concentrations)
Technolgically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive
Material
•Point Discharges: 12 tons of U
•Stormwater: 10 tons of U
•Sinkholes: Secondary Sources of U contamination

• Waste from gold mines constitutes the largest single source of waste
and pollution in South Africa and there is wide acceptance that Acid
Mine Drainage (AMD) is responsible for the most costly
environmental and socio-economic impacts.
• As at 1997, South Africa produced an estimated 468 million tons of
mineral waste per annum (DWAF, 2001).
• Gold mining waste was estimated to account for 221 million tons or
47 % of all mineral waste produced in South Africa, making it the
largest, single source of waste and pollution (DWAF, 2001).
• There are more than 270 tailings dams in the Witwatersrand Basin,
covering approximately 400 km 2 in surface area (AngloGold Ashanti,
2004).
• These dams are mostly unlined and many are not vegetated,
providing a source of extensive dust, as well as soil and water (surface
and groundwater) pollution (AngloGold Ashanti, 2004).

Sinkholes caused by dewatering and rewatering
of aquifers

.
Air Pollution

• Stormwater drainage systems, into which windblown dust from
adjacent slimes dams is flushed by run-off from sealed surfaces are
also likely to constitute a major source of potential water pollution.
• Based on (conservative) assumptions regarding the affected surface
area and average deposition rates of dust from adjacent slimes dams,
it was estimated that approx. 10 tons of (particle-bound) uranium per
year are flushed by stormwater into receiving watercourses.
• Dust concentrations of up to 3 700 mg per m³ of air were reported
from areas adjacent to slimes dams of the East Rand during a windy
day.
“An Assessment of Sources, Pathways, Mechanisms and Risks of Current and Potential
Future Pollution of Water and Sediments in Gold-Mining Areas of the Wonderfonteinspruit
Catchment.” Report, WRC, H Coetzee et al, Council for Geosience. 2004. Report No
1214/1/06. 2006

The health effects of uranium particles inhaled:
Witwatersrand Goldfields
•Small particles are carried by the inhaled air stream all the way
into the alveoli. Here the particles can remain for periods from
weeks up to years depending on their solubility.
•Highly insoluble uranium compounds may remain in the alveoli,
whereas soluble uranium compounds may dissolve and pass
across the alveolar membranes into the bloodstream, where
they may exert systemic toxic effects.
•In some cases, insoluble particles are absorbed into the body
from the alveoli by phagocytosis into the associated lymph
nodes.
•“Insoluble” particles may reside in the lungs for years, causing
chronic radiotoxicity to be expressed in the alveoli.

Housing Development (Retirement Village) on Mined Land, within 500m buffer zone of tailings
Witwatersrand
dam
Goldfields
AMBERFIELD LIFESTYLE ESTATE
Congratulations! You have just invested in the West Rand's
premier Lifestyle Estate.
Every effort has been made to provide you with the services,
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and as such due diligence has gone into…

KAGISO
KAGISO
.

Uraniferous
Tailings
Spillages

Heavy Metal Contamination
"The mean values for the Wonderfonteinspruit samples were found to
exceed not only natural background concentrations, but also levels of
regulatory concern for cobalt, zinc, arsenic, cadmium and uranium,
with uranium and cadmium exhibiting the highest risk coefficients.”

COLOUR CODING SYSTEM USED FOR TIER 1
RISK ASSESSMENT
Risk quotient
Colour Explanation
2 Quotients in this range will represent an
environmental risk

0.000 – 0.500
0.501 – 2.000
2.000 – 5.000
5.001 – 10.000
10.001 – 38 642

Uranium Concentration

Nickel Concentration

Arsenic Concentration

Copper Concentration

RADIOLOGICAL RISKS
The measured uranium content of many of the fluvial sediments in the
Wonderfonteinspruit, including those off mine properties and therefore outside the
boundaries of licensed sites, exceeds the exclusion limit for regulation by the
National Nuclear Regulator.
For approximately 50% of the 47 sampling sites, the calculated incremental doses of
the respective critical group are above 1 mSv per annum up to 100 mSv pa (548 mSv
pa Blyvooruitzicht Mine/Bridge Carletonville)
The radioactive contamination of surface water bodies in the Wonderfonteinspruit
catchment area caused by the long-lasting mine water discharges and diffuse
emissions of seepage and runoff from slimes dams poses radiological risks to the
public resulting from the usage of polluted environmental media;
The pathway sediment→SPM →cattle→milk/meat→person (“SeCa”) can cause
radioactive contamination of livestock products (milk, meat) resulting in effective
doses of the public in some orders of magnitude above those resulting via the
pathway “WaCa.

Andries Coetzee’s Dam
900mg/kg U
Photo: Courtesy Dr. Henk Coetzee

Tudor Dam -Elevated levels of radioactivity
10 000 – 100 000 Bq/kg
Regulatory Limits: 500Bq/kg

Courtesy: DME

Draft Regional Closure Strategy For
The Far West Rand Goldfield
•An airborne radiometric survey of the WR and FWR was done
for DWAF
•Interpretation of the data show many of the residential areas
(Carletonville, Westonarea, Khutsong, Kagiso, Randfontein) fall
within areas of high risk of radioactivity contamination.

STATUS REPORT
ON THE ACTIONS ARISING FROM THE STUDY OF RADIOLOGICAL
CONTAMINATION
OF THE WONDERFONTEINSPRUIT CATCHMENT AREA (WCA)
The study undertaken by the NNR has confirmed the presence of radioactive
contamination in the WCA.
Preliminary results of analyses conducted on produce grown in the area have
indicated that the dose levels are of radiological concern to the regulator.
The study has also highlighted the need for all the regulators to work closely together
since the contamination includes non radiological contaminants such as heavy metals
and salts.

“The most important lesson learnt from
the studies in the Wonderfonteinspruit is
that no short-cuts exist which would allow
certain pathways to be ignored in a study
of radioactive contamination within these
mining areas.”.

At present the U and other heavy metals, such as cadmium, copper,
zinc, arsenic and cobalt are adsorbed in the sediment. Plausible
environmental conditions such:
•Acid mine drainage
•Acid rain
•Drying out of the sediment and influx of water
•Dredging operations
•Tailings spillages
•Turbulence caused by cattle drinking the water or children playing in
the water can cause the mobilization or transport of uranium in the
Wonderfonteinspruit.

Central Basin
60 Mega Litres
The central basin is currently flooding at 0.9 meter per day (60 ML per day) with
no means of intercepting the water prior to reaching surface which will
contaminate all ground water and decant on surface in a densely populated
area (Boksburg) at three times the rate of the Western Basin.
Photo: Courtesy Prof.
McCarthy

Photo: Courtesy Prof. Terence McCarthy

Eastern Basin
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
108 ML
Photo: Courtesy Elise Tempelhoff

Courtesy: Beeld

West Rand goldfields
Decanting Volumes: Currently between 18 and 36 ML/per day
An unqualified volume still escapes downstream
North and south (intercontinental water divide)
Environmental critical level not absolute decant management solution
Dolomitic Outlier not a low permeability barrier: faults and fractures
Photo: Courtesy Henk Coetzee

DECANT
In 2002 in the Krugersdorp-Randfontein area water has started to
decant from a number of shafts into the Tweelopiespruit and the
Wonderfonteinspruit. The water has a pH of 2.2 (the normal pH is
7.3).
The combination of the pH and redox driven reactions resulted in a
measured uranium concentration of 16mg/l of the Robinson Lake, and
resulted in the NNR declaring the lake a radiation area.
The background U concentration in water is 0,0004mg/l.
In terms of the DWAF regulations for drinking water, the U
concentration should not exceed 0.07mg/l and for irrigation, 0.01mg/l.

Alkaline
Acid
pH (Logarithmic)
14
13 Bleach
12
Ammonia
11
10
9
Baking Soda
8
7 Distilled Water
6
5
Orange Juice
4
3 Vinegar
DWAF Guidelines
Drinking Water
6.0-9.0
Irrigation
6.5-8.4
Aquatic Ecosystem
(Site Specific)
7.0-8.0
Typical Wits Acid Mine Drainage
2
Lemon Juice
2.5-4
1
0
Battery Acid

Robinson Lake
pH 2.6
U concentration of 16 mg/l; resulted in the
NNR declaring the lake a radiation area

Pollution Plume

Pollution Plume

Volumes and loads
2005 - Jan. 2010
• Polluted water is discharged into a receiving
environment
– Volume = ~25Ml/d
– Salt content = ~4g/l
– Salt load = ~100 tons per da
20t 20t 20t 20t 20t
Photo: Courtesy Dr. Henk Coetzee

Cradle of Human Kind World Heritage Site

In April 2009 the mine void water, containing
sulfuric acid will have been flowing into the
Zwartkrans compartment for 8 years – the
corresponding void in the dolomite that has formed
so far amounts to a staggering 16 700 m3

January 21, 2010
Ssiesmic Risks
Dewatering/Rewatering
Uncontrolled decant of AMD

18 Winze

Water Treatment Plant

Precipitated Heavy Metals

Pollution Plume
Radioactive Sludge

CPS Pit

Acid Mine Drainage
•Waste from gold mines constitutes the largest single source of waste
and pollution in South Africa.
•Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is responsible for the most costly
environmental and socio-economic impacts.
•Production of AMD may continue for many years after mines are closed
and tailings dams decommissioned.
•AMD is not only associated with surface and groundwater pollution,
degradation of soil quality, for harming aquatic sediments and fauna,
and for allowing heavy metals to seep into the environment.

Acid Mine Drainage
•Long-term exposure to AMD polluted drinking water may lead to
increased rates of cancer, decreased cognitive function and
appearance of skin lesions.
•Heavy metals in drinking water could compromise the neural
development of the fetus which can result in mental retardation.
•If indeed the extent of “… problems related to mining waste may be
rated as second only to global warming and stratospheric ozone
depletion in terms of ecological risk” (EEB, 2000), then the
Witwatersrand gold mining area of South Africa is at serious risk.

Uranium Pollution of Water resources in Mined-Out and Active
Goldfields of South Africa – A Case Study in the
Wonderfonteinspruit Catchment on Extent and Sources of U-
Contamination and Associated Health Risks
Prof.Dr. Frank Winde
• “Results indicate that U-levels in water resources of the whole
catchment increased markedly since 1997 even though U-loads
emitted by some large gold mines in the Far West Rand were
reduced. This apparent contradiction is explained by the
contribution of highly polluted water decanting from the flooded
mine void in the West Rand.
• “800kg of U per year flowing into Boskop Dam as Potchefstroom’s
main water reservoir
• “Of particular concern is the fact that U-levels in the WFS are
comparable to those detected in the Northern Cape which had been
geostatistically linked to abonormal haematological values related to
increased incidences of leukaemia observed in residents of the area”.

– Even though a large number of the world’s rivers are contaminated by heavy metals
released from present day and historic mining operations, relatively little is known
about the effects on communities that live beside and rely on these rivers for food and
livelihood. One of the complications is that the toxicity of many metals is a function of
such conditions as redox, pH and water hardness.
– Elevated salts and metals can also negatively affect the health of animals in many
different ways, depending on the species, age, sensitivity, general health and diet of the
consumer, among other factors.
– Some metals, when consumed in excess, can affect organs and the central nervous
system, cause reproductive failure or birth defects, and act as cofactors in many other
diseases.
– Certain receptors may be more sensitive than others, depending upon species, age, sex,
season, body mass, metabolic rate, general health, diet, behaviour, etc, with younger
animals and children being generally more at risk than adults under the same conditions
of exposure (WHO).
– The potential for trans-generational (genetic) impacts of bioaccumulated metals and
NORMs (Naturally Occurring Radiactive Materials) on biota exposed above certain
thresh-holds.
– The probability that such latent impacts will only be identified and assessed over the
next 100 to 500 years.

18 March 2010

Tweelopiespruit Inlet

Tweelopiespruit

Tweelopiespruit Downstream

Tweelopiespruit Downstream

Tweelopiespruit Downstream

Tweelopiespruit Downstream

Tweelopiespruit Downstream

Tweelopiespruit Downstream

Tweelopiespruit Downstream

Inflow into Game Reserve
Flow Rate Ml/DAY
2006 - 2010
60
56
52
48
44
40
36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
No Flow
Inflow into
Game
Reserve V1C
Aviary
2006/08/15
2006/10/15
2006/12/15
2007/02/15
2007/04/15
2007/06/15
2007/08/15
2007/10/15
2007/12/15
2008/02/15
2008/04/15
2008/06/15
2008/08/15
2008/10/15
2008/12/15
2009/02/15
2009/04/15
2009/06/15
2009/08/15
2009/10/15
2009/12/15
2010/02/15
2010/04/15

14.0
Inlet to Game Reserve
Weekly Oct 2007-May 2010
pH Units
12.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
pH @ 25ºC
Directive 9.5
Directive 6.5
4.0
2.0
0.0
17-Oct-07
17-Nov-07
17-Dec-07
17-Jan-08
17-Feb-08
17-Mar-08
17-Apr-08
17-May-08
17-Jun-08
17-Jul-08
17-Aug-08
17-Sep-08
17-Oct-08
17-Nov-08
17-Dec-08
17-Jan-09
17-Feb-09
17-Mar-09
17-Apr-09
17-May-09
17-Jun-09
17-Jul-09
17-Aug-09
17-Sep-09
17-Oct-09
17-Nov-09
17-Dec-09
17-Jan-10
17-Feb-10
17-Mar-10
17-Apr-10
17-May-10

10.0
Aviary Dam Game Reserve Outlet
Weekly Oct 2007-May 2010
pH Units
9.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
pH @ 25ºC
Directive 9.5
Directive 6.5
2.0
1.0
0.0
17-Oct-07
17-Nov-07
17-Dec-07
17-Jan-08
17-Feb-08
17-Mar-08
17-Apr-08
17-May-08
17-Jun-08
17-Jul-08
17-Aug-08
17-Sep-08
17-Oct-08
17-Nov-08
17-Dec-08
17-Jan-09
17-Feb-09
17-Mar-09
17-Apr-09
17-May-09
17-Jun-09
17-Jul-09
17-Aug-09
17-Sep-09
17-Oct-09
17-Nov-09
17-Dec-09
17-Jan-10
17-Feb-10
17-Mar-10
17-Apr-10
17-May-10

Inlet to Game Reserve
Weekly Oct 2007-May 2010
Conductivity mS/m
600
500
400
300
200
Conductivity
mS/m@ 25ºC
Directive
100
0
17-Oct-07
17-Nov-07
17-Dec-07
17-Jan-08
17-Feb-08
17-Mar-08
17-Apr-08
17-May-08
17-Jun-08
17-Jul-08
17-Aug-08
17-Sep-08
17-Oct-08
17-Nov-08
17-Dec-08
17-Jan-09
17-Feb-09
17-Mar-09
17-Apr-09
17-May-09
17-Jun-09
17-Jul-09
17-Aug-09
17-Sep-09
17-Oct-09
17-Nov-09
17-Dec-09
17-Jan-10
17-Feb-10
17-Mar-10
17-Apr-10
17-May-10

450
Aviary Dam Game Reserve Outlet
Weekly Oct 2007-May 2010
Conductivity mS/m
400
350
300
250
200
150
Conductivity
mS/m@ 25ºC
Directive
100
50
0
17-Oct-07
17-Nov-07
17-Dec-07
17-Jan-08
17-Feb-08
17-Mar-08
17-Apr-08
17-May-08
17-Jun-08
17-Jul-08
17-Aug-08
17-Sep-08
17-Oct-08
17-Nov-08
17-Dec-08
17-Jan-09
17-Feb-09
17-Mar-09
17-Apr-09
17-May-09
17-Jun-09
17-Jul-09
17-Aug-09
17-Sep-09
17-Oct-09
17-Nov-09
17-Dec-09
17-Jan-10
17-Feb-10
17-Mar-10
17-Apr-10
17-May-10

Inlet to Game Reserve
Weekly Oct 2007-May 2010
Sulphate mg/l
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
Sulphate mg/l
1500
1000
500
0
17-Oct-07
17-Nov-07
17-Dec-07
17-Jan-08
17-Feb-08
17-Mar-08
17-Apr-08
17-May-08
17-Jun-08
17-Jul-08
17-Aug-08
17-Sep-08
17-Oct-08
17-Nov-08
17-Dec-08
17-Jan-09
17-Feb-09
17-Mar-09
17-Apr-09
17-May-09
17-Jun-09
17-Jul-09
17-Aug-09
17-Sep-09
17-Oct-09
17-Nov-09
17-Dec-09
17-Jan-10
17-Feb-10
17-Mar-10
17-Apr-10
17-May-10

Aviary Dam Game Reserve Outlet
Weekly Oct 2007-May 2010
Sulphate mg/l
3000
2500
2000
1500
Sulphate mg/l
1000
500
0
17-Oct-07
17-Nov-07
17-Dec-07
17-Jan-08
17-Feb-08
17-Mar-08
17-Apr-08
17-May-08
17-Jun-08
17-Jul-08
17-Aug-08
17-Sep-08
17-Oct-08
17-Nov-08
17-Dec-08
17-Jan-09
17-Feb-09
17-Mar-09
17-Apr-09
17-May-09
17-Jun-09
17-Jul-09
17-Aug-09
17-Sep-09
17-Oct-09
17-Nov-09
17-Dec-09
17-Jan-10
17-Feb-10
17-Mar-10
17-Apr-10
17-May-10

Inlet to Game Reserve
Uranium ppb
Weekly Oct 2007 – Apr 2010
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
Uranium ppb
30
20
Domestic
Guideline 70 ppb
10
Directive
0
8-Oct-07
8-Nov-07
8-Dec-07
8-Jan-08
8-Feb-08
8-Mar-08
8-Apr-08
8-May-08
8-Jun-08
8-Jul-08
8-Aug-08
8-Sep-08
8-Oct-08
8-Nov-08
8-Dec-08
8-Jan-09
8-Feb-09
8-Mar-09
8-Apr-09
8-May-09
8-Jun-09
8-Jul-09
8-Aug-09
8-Sep-09
8-Oct-09
8-Nov-09
8-Dec-09
8-Jan-10
8-Feb-10
8-Mar-10
8-Apr-10
8-May-10

Aviary Dam
Weekly Oct 2007 – Apr 2010
Uranium ppb
160
140
120
100
80
Uranium ppb
60
40
20
Domestic
Guideline 70
ppb
Directive
0
8-Oct-07
8-Nov-07
8-Dec-07
8-Jan-08
8-Feb-08
8-Mar-08
8-Apr-08
8-May-08
8-Jun-08
8-Jul-08
8-Aug-08
8-Sep-08
8-Oct-08
8-Nov-08
8-Dec-08
8-Jan-09
8-Feb-09
8-Mar-09
8-Apr-09
8-May-09
8-Jun-09
8-Jul-09
8-Aug-09
8-Sep-09
8-Oct-09
8-Nov-09
8-Dec-09
8-Jan-10
8-Feb-10
8-Mar-10
8-Apr-10
8-May-10

400
Mine Water Dissolved Iron Concentrations vs. pH into Tweelopies
Weekly mg/L
Feb 09 – May 10
14
350
12
300
250
10
8
Fe
200
pH
6
150
100
4
50
2
Fe
pH
0
02-Feb-09
23-Feb-09
16-Mar-09
06-Apr-09
27-Apr-09
18-May-09
08-Jun-09
29-Jun-09
20-Jul-09
10-Aug-09
31-Aug-09
21-Sep-09
12-Oct-09
02-Nov-09
23-Nov-09
14-Dec-09
04-Jan-10
25-Jan-10
15-Feb-10
08-Mar-10
29-Mar-10
19-Apr-10
10-May-10
0
Fe
Directive

140
V 1
Entry into Game Reserve-Manganese
Monthly Oct 2007- Apr 2010
120
100
80
60
Mn
(Dissolved)
mg/l
Directive
40
20
0
2007/10/17
2007/11/17
2007/12/17
2008/01/17
2008/02/17
2008/03/17
2008/04/17
2008/05/17
2008/06/17
2008/07/17
2008/08/17
2008/09/17
2008/10/17
2008/11/17
2008/12/17
2009/01/17
2009/02/17
2009/03/17
2009/04/17
2009/05/17
2009/06/17
2009/07/17
2009/08/17
2009/09/17
2009/10/17
2009/11/17
2009/12/17
2010/01/17
2010/02/17
2010/03/17
2010/04/17

Chronological Analysis of AMD: West Rand
• 1996: SWaMP Report
• 2002: Decant
• 2002 -2005: Uncontrolled Decant
• 2005 – 2009: Partial Treatment
• 2009 – Western Utility Corporation (WUC) Proposal
• 21 January 2010 – Uncontrolled Decant
• 18 March 2010 - R6.9 (lime treatment)
• May 2010 – Revised Directive
• 1 July 2010 – Discharge Untreated AMD

• Ministerial directive –6 April 2011
• Emergency works in Witwatersrand Gold Fields
comprising:
– Installation of pumps
– Construction of water treatment plants
– Release treated water into river system
• Obtain environmental and regulatory approvals
• Funding via National Treasury (R225 million)
• Advise and assist DWA with O&M model
• Minister may direct to do more

• Implementation of Immediate Solution
• Selection of Rand Uranium treatment plant upgrade
-cater for up to 26Ml/d
• Abstraction from Shaft No.8
• Discharge treated water to Tweelopiespruit
• Co-disposal of sludge to Wes Wits Pit
• Operate together with Short Term solution until
water level reaches ECL

• AMD abstraction from South West Vertical Shaft
• Ritz pumps to be used if drawdown level is set at
400 m
• AMD to be transferred via duplex stainless steel
pipe
• HDS plant to be erected Next to South West Vertical
Shaft
• Treated water transferred pipeline to EslburgSpruit
• Sludge co-disposal with Durban DRD Gold via duel
HDPE lines

AMD (Phase 1) Capital Cost Grand Total (R’ Million)
Construction 665
Western Basin: Immediate (Oct'11) 20
Western Basin: Short Term (Nov'12) 195
Central Basin: Short Term (Nov'12) 210
Eastern Basin: Short Term (May'13) 240
Engineering- Infrastructure 62
Environment 9
Total : Contr & Eng & Env 736
5% Administration Cost 37
Total: Excl Contingency & Escalation 772
15% Contingency 116
Total: After Contingency 888
6% Escalation 36
Grand Total : Project Implementation Cost 924

AMD1
Operation & Maintenance
Cost Monthly Annual(R'million
Western Basin: Immediate
(15 months) 5 55
Western Basin: Short Term
(18 months) 8 101
Central Basin:
Short Term (18 months) 11 128
Eastern Basin: Short Term
(9 months) 8 101
Operations & Maintenance 32 385

Enabling Legislation
• National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998)
• Section 110 (2)(a) applies as the waterworks is
deemed to be constructed in emergency
circumstances

CLOSURE RISKS AND LIABILITIES
• Latent impacts may take decades, or even centuries, to
manifest themselves.
• Inherent water quality risks
• Gold mine ore bodies – associated with radionuclides
• Hydrological interconnections between mines – cannot be
considered in isolation
• Tailings dams and waste rock dumps can never be
maintained in completely reducing environment - water
risk ad infinitum
• Long term risk re formation of sinkholes

“It is as unacceptable for companies, when they move on, to leave great holes in the
earth and polluted rivers as it is to leave disrupted or unenriched communities….”
(quoted in Anglo America 2002b:3)