Acid mine drainage still an issue, says Set Point Laboratory

Although significant progress has been made to address the acid mine drainage issue, it is still a concern in South Africa and other mining countries. This persistent challenge has had a negatively affected the environment and communities around the mining areas to the extent that some contaminated sites may never be completely restored.

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In the absence of swift remedies, it is imperative that precautionary measures are taken to ensure that we preserve the environment and safeguard the livelihood of the communities living in these areas.

In South Africa, Witwatersrand is a key concern for a high impact on our precious water resources mainly because of the catchment of the most important river: The Vaal River.

Planning and relevant testing

Set Point Laboratories believes that with the right planning and relevant testing the mining industry can avert acid mining drainage before it causes grave damage to the environment.

"We offer various environmental testing for mine, surface water as well as borehole water for compliance to the National Water Act," said Kevin Gerber, MD of Set Point Labs.

"Our services can assist the mines with their impact studies, such as the potential for underground and surface material that can develop into acid mine drainage, and equip them to plan for future occurrences as well as assist with preventative measures," said Gerber.