There has been much interest recently in mine-contaminated water, with media reports highlighting the issue and concern mounting that environmental and health risks are not being managed effectively.
Africa’s variable and unreliable water resources have been a source of conflict for centuries.
Dr Anthony Turton, strategic research leader for water resource competency in the natural resources and environment unit at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research says: “The early mining economy was simply an extractive industry. Unintended consequences included a lowered natural water table and compromised ground stability. It also caused much of the exposed pyrite and other minerals to be brought into contact with oxygen, bacteria and water, which had an adverse impact on water quality through acidification and subsequent heavy metal contamination.”
Turton says that since 1994 South Africa’s challenges have been based on upholding citizens’ constitutional rights to have equal access to water and other natural resources.
“Natural resources became the state’s property and stakeholders were given the right to access information and to inform the policymaking process, with government acting as the central custodian.”
Although much has been achieved since 1994, Turton contends there are still shortcomings in current legislation and policy enforcement.
The cumulative harm to off-mine populations resulting from modified water tables, contaminated groundwater sources, acidic mine drainage and ground instability must be addressed before they lead to more socio-Âeconomic, political and environmental damage.
“While new policies have been drafted to address these issues, in most cases the regulation of mining-related activities is fragmented throughout multiple pieces of legislation, to be enforced by various agencies at the national, provincial and municipal Âlevels. Additionally, the legislation is reactive, rather than proactive, in addressing externalities.”
Turton says South Africa’s mine-contaminated water problems cannot be solved by legislation only, let alone legislation in a single country. “For example, in Zimbabwe there are many individual artisans working with picks and shovels along the rivers mining for alluvial gold.
“However, to reach the gold the banks of the river beds are being dug up, which harms the ecosystem. Furthermore, mercury is used to aggregate the gold flakes, resulting in significant volumes of mercury entering the river systems of Zimbabwe, which is finding its way into the food chain.”
He calls for a new approach based on the CSIR trialogue model of governance — describing the triangular relationship between government, society and science in a three-legged dialogue process with key interfaces between science and decision-makers on the one hand and between science and society on the other hand.
“Pressure needs to be exerted by society on government and the mining sector to remedy environmental and social impacts associated with mining practices.”