AMD Polluted Water
AMD (acid mine drainage) seeps down hill into the Brugspruit stream. The polluted Brugspruit then joins the Olifants River and eventually flows into the Loskop Dam, where large-scale dying off of fish has been attributed to the contaminated water from coal mines.
What is Acid Mine Drainage?
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is the flow of polluted water from old mining areas. Depending on the area, the water may contain high levels of salts, sulphate, iron, aluminium, toxic heavy metals such as cadmium and cobalt, and radioactive elements. This contaminated water can pollute soil and water supplies as it spreads underground and flows into streams and rivers.
The flow of AMD into South Africa’s surface and ground water systems is having devastating consequences that are both far-reaching and long-term. These consequences include degrading the quality of our water systems, poisoning of food crops, endangering human health, and the destruction of wildlife and eco-systems, infrastructure and heritage sites.
Where is this happening?
Currently millions of litres of AMD are still flowing into streams connected to both the Vaal and Crocodile River and groundwater systems. This has devastating consequences for communities and the environment. The recent heavy rainfalls have greatly exacerbated the situation, resulting in the rapid rising of toxic water levels. Groundwater levels are estimated to be rising at a rate of 40 centimetres per day and heavy rains are expected to continue for another three months.
AMD in areas around Johannesburg has reached a crisis point. On the West Rand, about 40-million litres of acid mine drainage is leaking into the Tweelopiespruit each day. The polluted water level in the Central Basin is currently rising with more than 0.9 meter per day and is expected to reach the surface within 12-18 months, risking contamination of the Johannesburg groundwater.
AMD Polluted Water
Look familiar? Yellow scum on the yellow/orange AMD (acid mine drainage) pond. AMD leaches from a working open pit coal mine in the Brugspruit Valley. The polluted water turns a yellow orange colour as a result of iron oxide, known to miners as "yellow boy" from the yellow precipitates it forms. This water is highly acidic, mobilizing heavy metals from the sediments over which it flows.
On the East Rand, as of June 2010, unpaid mineworkers at Aurora mine are bravely keeping the pumps going in an attempt to control the rising acid mine waters that have already begun to pollute the Blesbokspruit. The Blesbokspruit is part of the Vaal River catchment.
What is being done?
The Inter Ministerial Committee on Acid Mine Drainage (IMC) has been established in September last year to determine a plan of action and to develop a government response. However since its establishment, millions of litres of AMD continue to flow into, and contaminate the environment.
Civil society organisations, including Greenpeace Africa, have sent a letter to the IMC outlining their concerns on the lack of action to prevent further AMD pollution. The problem of AMD has been known for many years. Despite their being numerous technologies for the effective treatment of AMD, and regular calls for urgent action by stakeholders, no protective measures have been taken.
Greenpeace Africa is deeply concerned by both the extent of the problems of acid mine drainage in the Johannesburg region, and by the lack of action by the authorities and mining companies. Government and mining companies need to take responsibility now, taking extensive measures to prevent any further damage and to safeguard the local population.
Slideshow
What is Acid Mine Drainage?
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is the flow of polluted water from old mining areas. Depending on the area, the water may contain high levels of salts, sulphate, iron, aluminium, toxic heavy metals such as cadmium and cobalt, and radioactive elements. This contaminated water can pollute soil and water supplies as it spreads underground and flows into streams and rivers.
The flow of AMD into South Africa’s surface and ground water systems is having devastating consequences that are both far-reaching and long-term. These consequences include degrading the quality of our water systems, poisoning of food crops, endangering human health, and the destruction of wildlife and eco-systems, infrastructure and heritage sites.