Cooperation is key tackling to water challenges in mining
Dr Dirk-Jan Koch, delivered a lecture entitled: “Mining and water challenges: Mitigating today’s risk and into the future”, at Wits on 11 February 2016.
The implementation of alternative technologies to tackle water challenges in the mining sector is not enough – cooperation between key role players is just as crucial. This is according to Dr Dirk-Jan Koch, Special Envoy Natural Resources of the Netherlands, who delivered a public lecture organised by the Global Change and Sustainability Research Institute (GCSRI), the Industrial and Mining Water research Unit (IMWaRU), and the Centre for Sustainability in Mining and Industry (CSMI) at Wits University (11 February 2016).
“The Dutch Water Sector is working on new innovative and integral solutions with a long-term approach. But technology alone does not do the trick; cooperation is just as important. Cooperation between research institutes, private sector actors and government actors. We have also learned to involve communities: you don't do water-management for the communities; you do it with the communities. Communities are not adversaries, they are the principle allies in an adequate water containment strategy,” said Dr Koch.
“Mining and water are inseparably linked and any mistakes with regard to water management in mining can result in enormous risks for both man and environment,” said Dr Koch. According to him, approximately $25 billion of stalled investments exist in the mining sector due to disputes with local communities. “The mining industry uses about 600 gigalitres of water a year, which can have a major impact on access to drinking water. Seventy percent of mining operations of the big six mining firms are in countries with high levels of water stress [such as South Africa]… Mining companies have the opportunity to build and foster good relationships with community members by working together to tackle water-related challenges,” explains Koch.
Dr Koch’s sentiments were echoed earlier by Professor Barend Erasmus, Exarro Chair in Global Change and Sustainability; and Director of GCSRI who stated during his welcome address: “Over the past few years there has been a push for industry to redefine their operations in an effort to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Further engagement between key role-players from government, industry, business, academics and the general public is needed to proactively work together to find sustainable solutions that will not only positively contribute to the environment and ensure water security, but offer economic benefits for our country too.”
The Dutch have just recently launched the Netherlands Mining and Water Platform, which focuses on innovative and integral solutions for successful water management. This Platform aims to offer expertise on improving water management practices in mining operations in addition to mitigating the impact of mining activities on the environment, water quality and land use.
Koch highlighted some of the solutions to water challenges, including using bacteria to tackle Acid Mine Drainage. Another mention was Geotubes, which are flexible purifying containers, in which the slurry enters on one side. Inside the flexible tubes is a dewatering system, which separates the water from the residuals. The residuals remain in the tubes. The tubes can be tailor-made and can be used to create tailing dams.
For more information on this Platform, please visit http://www.dutchwatersector.com/expertise/water-and-mining/.