Publications
A diatom based index for pans impacted by acid mine drainage
2021
Wet and dry season sampling of epiphytic diatoms from reed, salt and grass pans on the Mpumalanga Highveld, validating a biomonitoring index for mine affected depressional wetlands.
What this report foundLevel of acid mine drainage disturbance explained more of the variation in diatom communities than any other factor, with pan type second and season not...
A manual for authorisation of pitlakes as a closure option for South African coal mines
2021
A practical guide for coal mines and their consultants, built on earlier water research on pitlake viability, with South African examples from the Highveld, Waterberg and KwaZulu-Natal coal fields.
What this report foundSets out the authorisation route for leaving a pitlake as a closure landform, covering water use licensing, environmental authorisation and the wider...
A Preliminary Investigation Into the Geotechnical Interpretation of Geophysical Logs
2004
Compares a full suite of downhole sondes against geotechnical core logging over the 5 m above three coal seams, for geologists and rock engineers assessing roof conditions.
What this report foundGeophysical logging of boreholes above three Witbank seams identified clay rich matrices, stiffness changes, bedding planes and the principal stress direction...
A technology to condition plants with adapted Rhizospheric soil/substrate bacterial species to improve vegetation resilience and growth on rehabilitated land
2024
Review and proposed method for using soil microbial communities to establish lasting vegetation on coal waste substrates where topsoil is scarce. For rehabilitation and closure practitioners.
What this report foundConventional rehabilitation relies on lime, fertiliser and compost to build fertility and select adaptive species, which produces short term cover but rarely a...
Agricultural Research on Rehabilitated Coal Mined Land (1994-2001) Conducted in Terms of the Kraai Van Niekerk Report
2001
Consolidated review of six field studies on highveld opencast rehabilitation, covering soil profiles, pasture performance, crop potential and soil water, for mine environmental staff and regulators.
What this report foundRehabilitated opencast soils carried pastures and cash crops, but compaction and cover soil depth set the ceiling on what they could produce.
Air Emissions, Air Quality and Energy Efficiency Monitoring for Prioritisation of Pollution Preventions and Public Health in the Region of Mpumalanga Highveld Conurbation
2004
Viability assessment and outline plan for regional air quality monitoring on the Highveld, including institutional arrangements and information gaps, for industry, regulators and community bodies.
What this report foundA regional monitoring programme was found to be viable and is proposed as a public private partnership covering air emissions, air quality and energy...
Alternative uses of coal in the production of advanced materials and lightweight products for the sustainability of the South African coal industry
2023
Desktop review commissioned to shape a five year coal processing research roadmap, covering rare earth recovery, carbon fibre, graphene, activated carbon and building products. For research planners.
What this report foundCoal can feed products well beyond combustion. The study sets out routes to rare earth elements held in particular seams, building materials made with carbon...
An Environmental Management Accounting Model for the South African Mining Industry
2008
Doctoral work comparing environmental cost practice at four South African mines and building a model from it, for environmental managers and finance staff in mining companies.
What this report foundConventional cost accounting at the mines studied could not report on physical structure or materials flow, so environmental costs such as water, energy and...
Application of Earth ion Exchange Technology for Conversion of Ro Brine From Tutuka/new Denmark Into Saleable Products
2010
Pilot trial on single stage reverse osmosis brine at a Mpumalanga power station treating acid drainage from a neighbouring colliery, with projections for the planned second stage.
What this report foundIon exchange converted reverse osmosis brine from a power station treating colliery water and cooling tower blowdown into fertiliser and explosives salts, with...
Application of Earth ion Exchange Technology to Convert Acid Mine Drainage from Kilbarchan Colliery into Saleable Products
2010
Pilot scale ion exchange trial on acid drainage pumped from a closed colliery in KwaZulu-Natal, for mine water managers weighing alternatives to reverse osmosis.
What this report foundIon exchange treatment of acid mine drainage from a closed KwaZulu-Natal colliery was piloted and shown to give effluent free processing, converting the salts...
Application of EARTH Ion Exchange Technology to Process RO (Hipro) Brine from eWRP
2010
Pilot trial on brine from a working water reclamation plant on the Mpumalanga coalfield, the first of four studies testing ion exchange on coal mine liquors.
What this report foundIon exchange applied to brine from a three stage reverse osmosis plant at eMalahleni converted the brine entirely into saleable fertiliser and explosives...
Assessing the Ecosystem Processes of Ecological Infrastructure on Post-coal Mined Land
2017
Physical, chemical and biological sampling at two points on each of four Mpumalanga watercourses, with wetland functionality assessment and mitigation recommendations, for mine environmental and water managers.
What this report foundWatercourses on post mined land near Kriel showed deterioration in manganese, calcium, magnesium, sodium, total dissolved salts and sulphate, while other...
Audit and Diagnostic Assessment of Productivity in Continuous Miner Sections
2003
Mine level study of the human and social influences on continuous miner section output, using interviews, focus groups, observation and work study at participating collieries, for mine managers.
What this report foundSection performance was limited by the will and motivation of the workforce, not by equipment, layout or technical competence, all of which were found sound.
BCI Chemical Research & Analysis – Calcium & Magnesium
2012
Desk research on two mine water by products, closing out the economic analysis behind proposed brine treatment plants, for readers judging whether recovered salts can be sold.
What this report foundPrices for calcium and magnesium sulphate are recorded for South Africa and for world markets as at mid 2012, together with price trends and the groundwater...
BCI Chemical Research & Analysis – Eutectic Freeze Crystallisation
2012
Desktop market and technology review of brine from coal related waste, covering global and South African demand, plant energy use and laboratory crystalliser results, for water treatment planners.
What this report foundEutectic freeze crystallisation was compared with evaporative crystallisation as a route for treating hypersaline mine brine.
BCI Chemical Research & Analysis – ion Exchange
2012
Global, regional and South African market analysis of ion exchange resins as applied to mine waste brine, including a United States pilot plant, for technology and investment decisions.
What this report foundIon exchange was assessed as a treatment route for brine arising from mine water cleaning, from a market rather than a plant performance standpoint.