Mining activity entraps sand, ore particles and suspended solids in the water that flows from the stopes. The entrainment of solids in the mine’s process water threatens the effective operation of the mine’s underground water reticulation system. Typical problems that occur include: costly replacement of hydro-powered equipment and pumping infrastructure silting of clarifiers and storageRead more
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A gold mine in the Free State faced the risk of water outages, as the local water board was not properly managed and faced bankruptcy. The mine was pumping approximately 4ML of excess water per day from under the ground to surface dams for storage, and ultimately, dumping. The mine realised that converting excess mineRead more
This article discusses how membrane technology was used to optimise nickel sulphate recovery from a waste stream at a Platinum Group Metals (PGM) company and achieve downstream process dilution. A current global trend is a growing value attached to raw materials utilised in the manufacture of batteries. High purity nickel sulphate is a raw materialRead more
This case study tells the story of a mine’s water treatment plant upgrade. How upgrading an existing water treatment plant optimised the use of abundant and free fissure water, minimising its reliance on municipal water – and limiting the associated reticulated water costs.Read more
The continuous focus on improved productivity and efficiency in the mining industry in the face of decreasing ore grades, deeper deposits, harder rock mass and increasing environmental and social awareness, has given rise to the need to consistently enhance mining processes. Innovation plays a crucial role in mining production enhancement by providing suitable solutions toRead more
Where water comes at a premium, creative cost-effective solutions follow, thanks to Watercare’s industrial water treatment plants. One of Watercare Mining’s unique core competencies is the way we design, engineer, build and operate unique, customised water plants that treat complex water to drinking water quality. In this case, we set out to fundamentally understand theRead more
Underground transfer dams form an integral part of the water management systems of a mine. The purpose of the transfer dams in underground mine water management is to receive and transfer dirty water from the stopes to the mine surface. The dirty water is clarified and treated if necessary (e.g. pH adjustment) before it isRead more
Remote sites, including underground mine environments, have no potable water for workers to drink. Workers are reliant on carrying their water to their place of work. The volume of water available for consumption is consequently limited by the amount the worker can carry, often only sufficient for part of the day. Watercare Mining applied itsRead more
Decades of mining in the Witwatersrand basin has created an enormous, interconnected, subterranean void from Randfontein in the west to Nigel in the east, in some places as deep as 3 000 metres. During mining operations, water is constantly pumped from the mine to prevent flooding, but when the mine is abandoned or closed, pumpingRead more
Business in South Africa has an obligation to ensure the health and safety of all employees and to adopt best practices in terms of workplace preventative measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. As the country entered Level 3 lockdown in an attempt to resume much-needed economic activity, managing the risk of infection associated withRead more
