Long-term impacts of gold and uranium mining on water quality in dolomitic regions - Examples from the Wonderfonteinspruit catchment in South Africa

Abstract

A number of gold and uranium mines in South Africa are located in areas where compartmentalised dolomitic rock forms extensive karst aquifers overlaying mined reefs. Apart from dewatering of such aquifers triggering widespread sinkhole formation and impacting on water availability by drying up of springs and boreholes, mining activities also impact on the quality of local water resources. Of particular concern to downstream users is uranium pollution of ground- and surface water often associated with gold in the mined reefs. This paper estimates potential U-fluxes associated with different types of mining-sources assessing their varying significance in past, present and future.