S11 ATR NOV 2021 Mining_ATR - New Master Template 2016 28/10/2021 09:30 Page 41
WATER MANAGEMENT | MINING
Water management in mining
Image Credit: Adobe Stock
Water plays many key roles in the mining industry and is used for a broad range of activities including mineral processing, dust suppression, slurry transport, as well as meeting the potable water needs of employees. Tim Guest reports.
Mining companies across Africa face a variety of mine water challenges.
ining companies across Africa face a variety of mine water challenges, often depending on their location (e.g. isolated, or near population centres) and type (e.g. surface/open cast versus underground, etc). From the production of potable water using processes such as desalination in remote locations, to the processing and treatment of wastewater both from human activities, as well as wastewater from mining, whether hard and soft rock mining or solution mining, each require the use of water treatment methods of one sort or another. With so many factors involved, mining companies outsource such requirements to specialist players like Veolia Water Technologies and SGS SA. Companies such as these provide a range of mining water treatment and filtration
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services like preliminary and detailed engineering, standard and custom water treatment equipment, project management, cyanide detoxification, effluent treatment, highdensity sludge processing, as well as full maintenance and support on a long-term basis to ensure all aspects of water at a mine are handled properly. This allows the operator to remain focused on its core mining activities in the knowledge that such things as proper water treatment and discharge compliance are in line with respective national environmental protection effluent discharge requirements, and are in the hands of experts.
A crucial undertaking Many mines in Africa face climate fluctuations
When seasonal patterns provide very high rainfall for only a few months, water must be managed cautiously to avoid flooding of operations which could lead to water contamination and potential health and safety issues.” www.africanreview.com
NOVEMBER 2021 | AFRICAN REVIEW OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
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