Gauteng’s appointment with the acid bath can be deflected if all stakeholders pull together

According to Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel, we should not be too worried about the effect of acid mine drainage (AMD) on our water resources. “The government has the issue under control,” he stressed earlier this year. Others, however, are not convinced.

“There is no catastrophe,” Manuel emphasised during a press conference following a Cabinet meeting in February. “You can throw away your gumboots and relax with us because we are dealing with this matter,” he said.

“The science is exceptionally good on this matter and there is actually no cause for panic about it. I want to repeat that there is no cause to panic about it.”

Manuel’s statements referred to the Cabinet’s approval of a list of recommendations drafted by a team of experts on how to deal with AMD in the Witwatersrand. The suggested solutions were made public on 23 February this year, the same day Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan presented his annual Budget speech.

AMD, in short, refers to seepage of water from abandoned shafts of metal or coal mines into river, lakes and other water sources. This water, which contains excessive amounts of dissolved metals and is therefore acidic, is harmful to humans and the environment.

The water – due to rainfall, for instance – accumulates and may slowly rise to the surface while decanting in ground and surface water sources.

In South Africa, mining companies are legally obliged to pump and treat water from active mines before diverting it into rivers and streams.

Although the Water Amendment Act 58 of 1997 controls abandoned mines with regard to pollution and effluent discharge, many unused mine shafts are often not being subjected to this practice.

Finding solutions for the AMD crisis is crucial, experts say. “If we may believe hydrogeologists, by the year 2012 the Witwatersrand Basin may flood and, as a result, acid mine water may spill into Johannesburg and its periphery,” said André van Niekerk, who is the director of Golder Associates – an international firm that provides civil, geotechnical and environmental consulting services to a wide range of industries, including the mining sector.

He was one of the speakers at the Mining Indaba 2011, which took place in Cape Town at the beginning of February this year.

“This has not happened yet but, over the past three years, South Africa was subjected to various incidents that involved contaminated mine water,” Van Niekerk said. “These incidents varied from AMD decanting into the dams of the Krugersdorp Game Reserve to crocodiles and fish dying in the Loskop Dam in Mpumalanga.

“It is a fact that historical impact of AMD on water resources has been negative and is having a negative impact on our water resources.”

According to him, tackling AMD requires the involvement of all stakeholders, including the government, nature conservation and civil society, and the mining sector in particular. “Stronger leadership of the mining industry is required, for instance with regard to the treatment of acid mine water,” Van Niekerk added.

“The reality is that the South African government will probably not take the lead in resolving the issue of AMD, despite the fact that they are the ones who are by law in charge of managing, regulating and developing our national water resources – which are contaminated by AMD. This, because the government has other priorities that are of a social and socio-economic nature.

“Secondly, the authorities do not have the necessary resources to deal with the threats of AMD. That is why the private sector and other stakeholders need to join hands and work together – with the government – to solve the problem,” he said.

Van Niekerk’s statements are reflected in the Budget allocations for AMD. The government, over the next three years, has reserved R225 million, of which R75m will be spent this year.

Experts have expressed concern with regard to this figure, claiming it is too little, and stating that the government is dropping its responsibility of protecting water resources on the doorstep of the mining companies.

Some stakeholders, however, are not fazed. According to them, the mining industry – one of the biggest polluters and consumers of water – should in fact play a greater role with regard to AMD, and protecting South Africa’s precious water supplies.

“It is in our own interest: Water constraints and not dealing with water management in a sustainable way may put the future of these and other companies at risk,” said Jan Schwier, Africa adviser at the International Finance Corporation.

“Water problems can affect economic growth, a company’s returns, long-term operations strategies, and corporate viability. This is particularly applicable to enterprises that heavily rely on water. Mining companies, for instance.”

Elaine Dorward-King, the managing director of Richards Bay Minerals (RBM), added: “It is indeed in our own interest to take the existing water issues seriously. If we do not have water, we have to stop our production and will no longer meet our business obligations to investors, clients and employees.”

RBM – which is owned by Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Blue Horizon Investments, and its permanent employees – mines sand and processes minerals in the northeastern region of KwaZulu-Natal.

“It is not about how much it costs to manage, protect and monitor water resources. It is about what it will cost in the future when we do not have sufficient water available,” Dorward-King noted.

Rio Tinto has drawn up a water strategy, comprising various pillars. These include improving water performance and quality, accounting for the value of water, and engaging with other stakeholders with regard to water management.

“At group level, Rio Tinto aims to reduce its water consumption with 6% per tonne of product,” said Dorward-King.

“In Richards Bay and surroundings, we also work together with communities and other stakeholders on the issue of water.

“We, over time, have implemented various rehabilitation and restoration projects of land that was used for mining.”

Valerie Green, director of the National Business Initiative (NBI), said she could not agree more with Dorward-King.

The NBI is a network of national and multinational companies that operate in South Africa, and it aims to work toward sustainable growth and development in the country through partnerships, practical programmes and policy engagement.

“Tackling issues like AMD and water management is very critical if we want to stay in business,” said Green. “If we no longer have sufficient water, mining companies are lost.

“We need to realise that, according to research, the water demand in 2030 will outstrip the supply.” 

Miriam Mannak