Water
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...
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...
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.
BCI Chemical Research & Analysis – Potassium & Sodium
2011
Chemical market survey commissioned to price the by products of brine treatment, covering South African and global price levels for five salts and the sector outlook at the time.
What this report foundMarket prices are set out for sodium sulphate, sodium chloride, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate and potassium chloride, in South Africa and abroad, as at...
Coal Mine Acid Mine Drainage Treatment and Sludge Processing
2010
Laboratory evaluation of acid drainage treatment paired with thermal recovery of reagents from the resulting sludge, with capital and operating cost estimates for mine water planners.
What this report foundA modified alkaline barium calcium process was tested on coal mine acid drainage, using calcium hydroxide neutralisation, hydrogen sulphide metal removal and...
Determination of the Impact of Coal Mine Water Irrigation on Groundwater Resources
2007
Groundwater investigation behind mine water irrigation in the Mpumalanga coalfields, with hydraulic testing, leaching studies and site selection and monitoring guidance for mines and regulators.
What this report foundMonitoring and geochemical modelling at five pilot sites, on undisturbed soils and on opencast spoils, showed that most soils held a large share of the applied...
DyVar Pilot Test Report
2019
Batch pilot trial of a salt concentration unit on saline coal mine effluent at the eMalahleni reclamation plant, for mines weighing brine treatment and salt recovery.
What this report foundA pilot brine concentrator treated Stage 3 reject effluent from a mine water reclamation plant, raising total dissolved solids from 24 g/L to 154 g/L at 88 per...
Institutional, Legal & Financial Aspects of Regional Mine Water Collection, Treatment and Re-use
2004
Review of ownership models, licensing and funding for a shared regional mine water treatment scheme on the Mpumalanga coalfields, written for mine managers and water regulators.
What this report foundA regional scheme to collect, treat and re-use mine water in the Upper Olifants River Catchment has merit, with the mines best placed to start it through a...
Predicting the Environmental Impact and Sustainability of Irrigation With Coal Mine Water
2006
Commercial scale field trials and modelling of centre pivot irrigation with gypsiferous and sodium sulphate mine water, covering crop, soil and aquifer effects for mines and regulators.
What this report foundIrrigation with calcium and sulphate rich mine water proved feasible and sustainable over eight years at a Mpumalanga colliery, with no significant impact on...
Recharge in Rehabilitated Opencast Collieries
2019
Groundwater levels and pumping records from five rehabilitated opencast pits at South African collieries, for hydrogeologists and closure planners estimating post-mining water balances.
What this report foundRecharge factors of 23.5 per cent and 12.9 per cent were calculated at the two rehabilitated pits with complete data.
Rehabilitation of Mined Land Irrigation of Pastures with Gypsiferous Mine water
2011
Pasture and animal production work on rehabilitated mine land under mine water irrigation, joining agronomy and animal science, for rehabilitation and closure planners.
What this report foundGrazing trials on tall fescue pasture irrigated with gypsiferous mine water on rehabilitated mined land, run over several seasons.