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Karst, Uranium, Gold and Water – Lessons from South Africa for Reconciling Mining Activities and Sustainable Water Use in Semi-arid Karst Areas: A Case Study

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Sustaining Groundwater Resources

Part of the book series: International Year of Planet Earth ((IYPE))

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Abstract

Despite the fact that much of the water stored in dams and reservoirs is lost to the atmosphere due to prevailing semi-arid conditions, South Africa traditionally relies mainly on surface water. Owing to an ever increasing demand that approaches the limits of economically exploitable surface water, the focus increasingly shifts towards groundwater as a long neglected resource. In this context, dolomitic karst aquifers that store large volumes of water protected from evaporation in vast underground cavities are of particular importance. This even more so as some of these aquifers are located in highly industrialised and densely populated areas such as the Gauteng Province, where water demand by far exceeds local supply and necessitates the expensive import of water from catchments as far as Lesotho. However, owing to impacts related to the century-old, deep-level gold mining that initiated South Africa’s economic development, many of the karst aquifers are currently not usable. Using the Far West Rand goldfield as an example, the extent, type and magnitude of mining-related impacts on dolomitic karst aquifers are analysed. This includes impacts on the geohydrological conditions in the area as well as water availability and ground stability associated with the large-scale dewatering of dolomitic aquifers that overly mine workings. Of particular concern is the mining-related contamination of groundwater and surface water with uranium which accompanies gold in most of the mined ore bodies. Finally, possible scenarios for water-related impacts of future mine closure are outlined and associated research needs identified.

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  1. Mine Water Research Group, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Frank Winde

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  1. Frank Winde
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Correspondence to Frank Winde .

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  1. Aberystwyth University, Institute of Geography & Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DB, United Kingdom

    J. Anthony A. Jones

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Winde, F. (2011). Karst, Uranium, Gold and Water – Lessons from South Africa for Reconciling Mining Activities and Sustainable Water Use in Semi-arid Karst Areas: A Case Study. In: Jones, J. (eds) Sustaining Groundwater Resources. International Year of Planet Earth. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3426-7_3

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