Acid Mine Drainage. Retrieved from: coromandelwatchdog.com
JOHANNESBURG – “THE government still does not have a comprehensive strategy to deal with toxic mining water, months after describing the situation as urgent and a serious threat to the environment.
“And so far treatment subsidised by the state has been inadequate, according to Mariette Liefferink, CEO of the Federation for a Sustainable Environment, which campaigns for the effective treatment of this water, known as acid mine drainage (AMD).
“AMD, widely regarded as one of SA’s most serious pollution problems, is highly acidic and contains high levels of sulphates and heavy metals. Treatment is costly, and pumping this water is expensive for mining companies.
“The polluted water is seen as a particular problem in the gold fields of the Witwatersrand, where disused and derelict mine shafts have been allowed to flood and where existing mines have had to pump water from their works in order to continue mining.
“Mike Muller, a registered engineer and professor of public and development management, warns that the focus on AMD risks distracting the country from dealing with water pollution from inadequately maintained sew age works, which he says pose an immediate risk to downstream users .
“Chris Herold, a council member of the South African Institute of Civil Engineers, agrees that there is a more serious problem facing the water sector than AMD: water supply itself.”
read more: BusinessDay
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