and management challenges in the South African mining / minerals - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

R&D needs to meet the water usage and management challenges in the South African mining / minerals processing industry

Jeremy Mann Centre for Minerals Research University of Cape Town

21 April 2016

Presentation Overview

• The South African national water resource
• The South African mining industry
• Water challenges in South Africa
• Key drivers for water related R&D for the mining

industry

• Key research areas for mining & processing

– Short to medium term R&D – Long term R&D

• Key performance criteria that new technologies must

provide

• Conclusion

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• Uneven spatial

distribution and seasonality of rainfall

• Relatively low

stream flow in rivers most of the time

• Location of major

urban and industrial developments remote from the country’s larger watercourses

3

South African Water Resource

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Shared Rivers & Transfer Schemes

• 4 International river

basins

• Shared with 6

neighbouring countries

• 70% of South

Africa’s water resources are trans- boundary in nature

Water Users & Consumption

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• 6 Water use

categories.

• Differential water use

charges will be applied.

• Not all water users

will be liable for charges.

• Agriculture the

biggest user ~60%.

• Municipal &

domestic 2nd biggest user ~ 27%.

• Mining only ~2.5%.

South Africa’s water scarcity

• Based on:

– Rising population, – economic growth projections, – scarcity of resources as well as – current use and efficiency levels.

• South Africa will demand 17% more water than exists by 2030.
• In addition, South Africa’s water supplies are already almost fully

allocated.

• This means that new businesses and industries will find it increasingly

difficult to access water licenses, particularly in more overdrawn catchments.

• This places renewed emphasis on the need for:

– innovative solutions, – technologies and processes as well as – highly skilled individuals.

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South Africa’s water pollution

• The land based activities

– Agriculture: runoffs from irrigation bring nutrients and salts from fertilisers used in farming – Industries: effluents and discharges – Mining: defunct mines discharge acid water into the environment – Human settlements; partially or untreated sewage discharges

impact ecosystems by introducing pollution that alter the quality of water resources.

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South African mining industry

• In 2013 the mining sector accounted for 8.3%
• f GDP directly.
• The 2014 ICMM “Investment in Mining”

report identified South Africa as the seventh most significant mining nation in the world.

• Mineral exports as a % of total SA

merchandise exports remains significant at 26% in 2014.

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Global bench mark comparison (5 year average)

ECONONMIC CONTRIBUTION OF: Low & middle income nations South Africa Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) 60 -90% of Total FDI 15 – 25% of Total FDI Exports 30 – 60% of Total Exports 30 – 35% of Total Exports Government Revenue 3 – 20% of Government Revenues 30 – 35% of Government Revenues National Income (GDP & GNI) 3 – 10% of Total National Income 8% of Total National Income Employment 1 – 2% of Total Employment 8 – 15% of Total Employment

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South Africa’s mineral reserve ranking

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Commodity SA’s rank in World reserves SA’s % of World’s reserves Chromium 1 ~ 85% Fluorspar 3 ~ 17% Gold 2 ~ 12% Manganese 1 ~ 24% Platinum Group Metals 1 ~ 96% Titanium minerals 4 ~ 10% Uranium 6 ~ 5% Vanadium 3 ~ 25% Zirconium minerals 2 ~ 29%

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Distribution of mining activity

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Location of major urban and mining activities relative to the larger watercourses

2009: Status of Water Quality in South Africa

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Water pollution from mining activities

• 1. Acid mine drainage.
• 2. Heavy metal contamination and leaching.
• 3. Processing chemicals pollution.
• 4. Erosion & Sedimentation.

14

Water Management in South Africa

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• The Department of

Water Affairs and Sanitation is the national custodian

• f South Africa’s

water.

• 9 Catchment

Management Agencies (CMA).

• Water User

Associations (WUA).

• A body responsible

for international water management.

South African Mine Water Atlas

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South African Mine Water Atlas

Survey of Mining Industry Water R&D needs

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• Regulatory Framework institutions (2)
• Industry and Government Research Organisations (3)
• Environmental & Water Consultants (3)
• University departments involved in water research (3)
• Mining Companies (6)

– Platinum – Gold – Base – Coal Sector

Key mining water challenges in South Africa

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Water scarcity:

– Water reserves are already over-allocated to water users. – A significant net deficit between supply and demand will result in the medium term.

Water quality deteriorating severely:

– Acid rock drainage from surface waste dumps and tailings impoundments. – Acid mine drainage from the decantation of closed mine workings. – The fresh water systems are being significantly overloaded with contaminants as a result of untreated (and only partially treated) sewage municipal and regional water treatment plants.

Key drivers for mining water related R&D

• Legal compliance.
• Water scarcity.
• Environmental protection.
• Mine closure requirements.
• Production penalties.
• Socio – political pressure.

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Key short to medium term R&D themes

• Creating value from discharges and effluents.
• Closed water systems.
• Water efficient processing.
• Energy efficient treatment technologies.
• Passive systems.
• Measurement and monitoring systems.

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Key long term R&D themes

• The long term sustainability of the technology

adopted.

• Non – Reverse Osmosis treatment technologies.
• Alternatives to lime precipitation and

neutralisation.

• Disposal of tailings and waste in old mine

workings.

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• Cost neutrality, or at least cost effectiveness.
• Long term economic sustainability.
• Commercially demonstrated and serviced.
• Consistent water quality after treatment.
• Energy efficiency.

Key performance criteria new technologies must provide

Conclusion

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The mining and resources industry’s R&D thrust will focus on the

• reduction of fresh water consumption,
• the removal of contaminants from mine water

seepages and effluent, and

• highly water efficient processing plants.

All three of these thrusts support the concept of establishing “closed water concentrators” in the minerals processing industry.

Acknowledgements

Outotec Academy of Finland Anglo American Anglo American Coal Anglo American Platinum Aalto University AngloGold Ashanti ARM – Nkomati CoalTech Chamber of Mines

• Dept. of Water Affairs and Sanitation

Digby Wells Environmental Mintek National Research Foundation (NRF) Pulles Howard & DeLange Consulting SAMMRI Sibanye Gold University of Cape Town University of Stellenbosch Water Research Commission

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