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From the Proceedings of the 1978 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 14-15, 1978, Flagstaff, Arizona / Surface mining of coal in the western U.S. can cause problems of increased salinity and heavy metal contamination in runoff along with a lack of enough rainfall to sustain plant growth for reclamation. To facilitate the planning of reclamation efforts in such areas results are described of a water quality sampling experiment on the ponds and runoff at the University of Arizona Experimental Watershed on Black Mesa in northern Arizona. A systems theoretic framework is employed to model the watershed and the results of a computer simulation based on this model is used to indicate that salinity buildup could be expected over time, given a minimal change in watershed configuration, with possible development of fluoride contamination being of particular concern. Water quality tests of the pond water and runoff on Black Mesa indicated that the water is within Federal standards for drinking and irrigation, except for sodium and fluoride. It is suggested that if it is economically desirable, the collection of more data on the ponds could be used to develop a simulation model of pond subsystems along the lines of the methodology outlined in this analysis.

Reclamation on the Cardinal River and Gregg River coal mines includes the construction of mine pit lakes connected to stream environments. Key physical, chemical and biological parameters of these “truck and shovel” lakes and their streams were investigated, and hypotheses regarding ecosystems and populations were tested. Findings include: Sphinx Lake and Pit Lake CD exhibit meromictic (partial-mixing) tendencies, but still function in a similar fashion to shallower, natural sub-alpine lakes. Elevated selenium concentrations as high as 16 ug/g (dry weight) were recorded in Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) eggs taken from gravid Sphinx Lake and Pit Lake CD fish. Potential detrimental effects associated with the bioaccumulation of selenium on fish reproduction were not observed. Stream water temperatures downstream of Sphinx Lake and Pit Lake CD were significantly warmer than in inlet streams and streams without pit lakes. Streambed concretions caused by calcite precipitation were documented and found to affect portions of the upper Gregg River basin. Remediation of this concretion is important for sustainability of trout populations. Aquatic communities including fish, invertebrates, zooplankton and aquatic plants are present in these pit lake systems. Athabasca Rainbow trout populations are self-propagating (spawning at the outlets) with higher densities downstream than there were prior to lake reclamation. The development of sub-alpine mine-pit lakes connected to the stream environment appears to be an appropriate and beneficial reclamation technique in this area. / xvi, 224 leaves : col. ill., map ; 28 cm

The generation of large quantities of mine wastewater in South African coal mines and the needs for a cost effective, as well as an environmentally sustainable manner of mine water disposal, have fostered interests in the possibility of utilizing mine water for irrigation. Such a possibility will not only provide a cost-effective method of minimizing excess mine drainage, as treatment using physical, chemical and biological methods can be prohibitively expensive, but will also stabilize the dry-land crop production by enhancing dry season farming. Considering the arid to semi-arid climate of South Africa, the utilization of mine water for irrigation will also boost the beneficial exploitation of the available water resources and relieve the increasing pressure on, and the competition for, dwindling amounts of good quality water by the various sectors of the economy. The disposal of excess gypsiferous mine water through irrigation has been researched in a few collieries in the Witbank area. In this study, the assessment of the impacts of using gypsiferous mine water for irrigation were carried out in parts of the Upper Olifants basin upstream of Witbank Dam, using the ACRU2000 model and its salinity module known as ACRUSalinity. The study area was chosen on the bases of locations of previous field trials and the availability of mine water for large-scale irrigation. The primary objectives of the study were the development of relevant modules in ACRU2000 and ACRUSalinity to enable appropriate modelling and assessment of the impact of large-scale irrigation with mine water and the application of the modified models to the chosen study area. The methodology of the study included the modifications of ACRU2000 and ACRUSalinity and their application at three scales of study, viz. centre pivot, catchment and mine scales. The soils, hydrologic and salt distribution response units obtained from the centre pivot scale study were employed as inputs into the catchment scale study. The soils, hydrologic and salt distribution response units obtained from the catchment assessment were in turn applied in similar land segments identified in the mine used for the mine scale study. The modifications carried out included the incorporation of underground reservoirs as representations of underground mine-out areas, multiple water and associated salt load transfers into and out of a surface reservoir, seepages from groundwater into opencast pits, precipitation of salts in irrigated and non-irrigated areas and the incorporation of a soil surface layer into ACRUSalinity to account for the dissolution of salts during rainfall events. Two sites were chosen for the centre pivot scale study. The two sites (Syferfontein pivot of 21 ha, located in Syferfontein Colliery on virgin soils; Tweefontein pivot of 20 ha, located in Kleinkopje Colliery on rehabilitated soils) were equipped with centre pivots (which irrigated agricultural crops with mine water), as well as with rainfall, irrigation water and soil water monitoring equipment. The pivots were contoured and waterways constructed so that the runoff could leave the pivots over a weir (at Tweefontein pivot) or flume (at Syferfontein pivot) where the automatic monitoring of the quantity and quality of runoff were carried out. The runoff quantities and qualities from the pivots were used for verification of the modified ACRU2000 and ACRUSalinity. The catchment scale study was on the Tweefontein Pan catchment, which was a virgin area mainly within the Kleinkopje Colliery, draining into the Tweefontein Pan. The data on the water storage and qualities in Tweefontein Pan, as well as the soil water salinities in the irrigated area located within the catchment were used for verification of results. In the catchment scale study, different scenarios, including widespread irrigation on virgin and rehabilitated soils, were simulated and evaluated. For the mine scale study, the Kleinkopje Colliery was used. The colliery was delineated into 29 land segment areas and categorized into seven land use types, on the basis of the vegetation and land uses identified in different parts of colliery. The centre pivot and catchment scale studies indicated that the impacts of irrigation with low quality mine water on the water resources are dependent on the soil types, climate, the characteristics and the amount of the irrigation mine water applied, whether irrigation was on virgin on rehabilitated soils and the status of the mine in terms of whether a regional water table has been re-established in an opencast mining system or not. The studies further indicated that the irrigation of agricultural crops with low quality mine water may lead to increases in soil water salinity and drainage to groundwater, but that the mine water use for irrigation iii purposes can be successfully carried out as most of the water input onto the irrigated area will be lost through total evaporation and a significant proportion of the salt input, both from rainfall and irrigation water, will either be precipitated in the soil horizons or dissolved in the soil water of the soil horizons. By irrigating with a saline mine water therefore, the salts associated with the low quality mine water can be removed from the water system, thereby reducing the possibility of off-site salt export and environmental pollution. On-site salt precipitation, however, may lead to accumulation of salts in the soil horizons and consequent restriction of crop yields. Therefore, efficient cropping practices, such as leaching and selection of tolerant crops to the expected soil salinity, may be required in order to avoid the impact of long-term salinity build up and loss of crop yields. The simulated mean annual runoff and salt load contribution to Witbank Dam from the Kleinkopje Colliery were 2.0 x 103 MI and 392 tons respectively. The mean annual runoff and salt load represented 2.7% and 1.4% of the average water and salt load storage in Witbank Dam respectively. About 45% of the total water inflow and 65% of the total salt load contribution from the study area into Witbank Dam resulted from groundwater storage. From the scenario simulations, the least salt export would occur when widespread irrigation is carried out in rehabilitated areas prior to the re-establishment of the water table due to a lower runoff and runoff salt load. It may therefore be a better water management strategy in active collieries if irrigation with mine water is carried out on rehabilitated soils. In conclusion, this research work has shown that successful irrigation of some (salt tolerance) crops with low quality mine water can be done, although increases in the soil water salinity of the irrigated area, runoff from the irrigated area and drainage to the groundwater store can occur. Through the modifications carried out in the ACRU2000 model and the ACRUSalinity module in this research work, a tool has been developed, not only for application in the integrated assessment of impact of irrigation with mine water on water resources, but also for the integrated assessment and management of water resources in coal-mining environments in South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Physical and chemical influences downstream of surface coal mines, including selenium (Se) release, water quality shifts, and habitat alterations can affect aquatic organisms. To evaluate these influences at the community level of organization, fish and macroinvertebrates were studied in mine-affected and reference streams. Se can be toxic to aquatic organisms and was measured in lotic food chains (water, biofilm, macroinvertebrates and juvenile salmonids). Invertebrate Se was significantly related to Se in juvenile fish muscle (westslope cutthroat, bull, rainbow and brook trout) and Se concentrations exceeded proposed individual-level reproductive effects thresholds in some rainbow and cutthroat trout. Community-level effects were only detected in rainbow trout where species specific biomass was negatively related to muscle Se concentration in stream reaches. Macroinvertebrate assemblages varied along a mineinfluence gradient defined by Se, alkalinity, substrate embeddedness and interstitial material size. Ephemeroptera were the most sensitive to mining effects and potential mechanisms influencing community composition included Se and ion toxicity and habitat degradation. This project highlights the need to study multiple organisms at different levels of ecological organization in order to understand and manage diverse mining impacts. / xi, 108 leaves : col. maps ; 29 cm

Coal seams are commonly associated with poor quality water that requires treatment. Water treatment can be very expensive and can severely affect the profitability of mining projects. This study investigated the potential cultivation of Arthrospira maxima (Spirulina) in coal seam water to beneficiate coal seam water in order to effectively offset the water treatment cost. The study was conducted in Northern South Africa and formed part of a larger Coal Seam Water Beneficiation Project (CSWBP). The study consisted of laboratory based Flask Studies and outdoor High Rate Algal Pond Studies. The Flask Studies that were carried out in the on-site field laboratory, found that the coal seam water could provide a suitable medium for Spirulina cultivation. In addition, it was found that the optimal pH for the selected strain ranged between 9 - 10.5 and that the addition of excess iron, up to 100 times the concentration found in defined growth media such as Schlösser’s, to the culture media could enhance productivity. The High Rate Algal Pond Studies (HRAP) were carried out over a period of 18 months. The studies showed that the coal seam water at the CSWBP is a valuable resource that can reduce media costs by 50% without affecting productivity. In a study encompassing 334 days it was shown that heating the culture through plate heat exchangers would result in a significant increase in productivity and a heated productivity of 19.86 g/m2/day was recorded. An unheated productivity of 14.11 g/m2/day was recorded. Therefore, it was found that it would be economically feasible to beneficiate coal seam water found at the CSWBP through the cultivation of Arthrospira maxima (Spirulina). / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

Business Intelligence (BI) applications are consulted by their users on a daily basis. BI information obtained assist users to make business decisions and allow for a deeper understanding of the business and its driving forces. In a mining environment companies need to derive maximum benefit from BI applications, therefore these applications need to be used optimally. Optimal use depends on various factors including the usability of the product. The documented lack of usability evaluation guidelines provides the rationale for this study. The purpose is to investigate the usability evaluation of BI applications in the context of a coal mining organization. The research is guided by the question: What guidelines should be used to evaluate the usability of BI applications. The research design included the identification of BI usability issues based on the observation of BI users at the coal mining organization. The usability criteria extracted from the usability issues were compared and then merged with general usability criteria from literature to form an initial set of BI usability evaluation criteria. These criteria were used as the basis for a heuristic evaluation of the BI application used at the coal mining organization. The same application was also evaluated using the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI) standardised questionnaire. The results from the two evaluations were triangulated to provide a refined set of criteria. The main contribution of the study is the heuristic evaluation guidelines for BI applications (based on these criteria). These guidelines are grouped in the following functional areas: visibility, flexibility, cognition, application behaviour, error control and help, affect and BI elements. / Information Science / M.Sc. (Information Systems)

MPH / Department of Public of Health / The occupational health and safety of coal mine workers is one of the major occupational challenges in the mining industry. Coal mine workers face the looming perils of potential falls of volatile rocks, the ergonomic challenges caused by bending and lifting heavy objects in their daily work, the challenges caused by inhaling coal mine dust which can cause coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and a plethora of other hazards in both underground and open cast mines on a daily basis. The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of coal mineworkers pertaining to occupational health and safety at the Leeuwpan mine in Mpumalanga province of South Africa. The study adopted a quantitative, cross sectional descriptive design. Self-reported questionnaires with closed-ended questions were administered to the eligible participants. The study targeted the 3200 coal mineworkers who were employed at the Leeuwpan mine in Lephalale. A sample of 356 mineworkers was used as derived from Slovin’s formula and data was collected over a period of 5 days at the Leeuwpan mine. Measures to ensure validity and reliability were ensured and ethical considerations were observed. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 was used to analyse the data. Results and recommendations are based on the findings of the study. / NRF

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / Emalahleni, situated in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa, has been exposed to over a hundred years of continuous mining of coal. Evident challenges include the sterilisation of land due to underground fires, polluted water, surface collapse and acidification of topsoil (McCarthy & Pretorius, 2009:65; Schneider, 2016:1). The researcher reviewed existing literature to determine existing frameworks thereby identifying gaps. Consequently, the researcher found no published decision-making framework that may assist coal mining companies in South Africa to preserve the environment and its natural resources. Research objectives and research questions as well as a preliminary framework were developed. A qualitative research design was adopted in which personal interviews were employed to gather primary data from coal mining companies in South Africa whilst a focus group was utilised to validate the framework. Personal interviews established that majority of participants were not familiar with EMA and that EMA tools such as ISO, LCC and the green strategy would add value to the coal mining industry. Furthermore, there was no consistency in the application and adherence to environmental regulations. Participants also indicated that current processes employed by the coal mining industry were not effective in saving the environment. In validating the framework, the focus group established that tools (methodologies) will serve the purpose as indicated in the framework and that the framework was relevant to the coal mining industry. There was a general consensus that regulatory aspects can go a long way in controlling adverse effects on the environment, so long as these would be applied to all industries, and not only the coal mining industry. Input from the focus group assisted in enhancing the framework by testing the associations and links. Key recommendations indicated that coal mining companies should incorporate environmental accountability in their corporate decisions; education and training should be conducted in all coal mining companies in order for these companies to know the type of information that they need to utilise in identifying waste. Future research could include a similar study of statistical nature that will test the decision-making framework developed in this study. Going to the coal mining companies to exercise the framework on a real-life setting. / Emalahleni, hu wanala kha Vundu ḽa Mpumalanga Afrika Tshipembe, ho ṱanea lwa miṅwaha i fhiraho ḓana nga migodi ya malasha ine ya khou bvela phanḓa. Khaedu dze dza vhonala dzi katela, nyiledzo ya mavu zwo vhangwa nga mililo ine ya thoma fhasi migodini, maḓi o tshikafhadzwaho, u wa ha nyalo na esidi kha mavu a nṱha. (McCarthy & Pretorius, 2009:65; Schneider, 2016:1). 65; Muṱoḓisisi vho sedzulusa hafhu maṅwalwa ane a vha hone u topola furemiweke dzi re hone, nga u topola zwikhala. Muṱoḓisisi a vho ngo wana furemiweke yo ganḓiswaho ya tsheo yo dzhiwaho ganḓiswaho ine ya nga thusa khamphani dza migodi ya malasha Afrika Tshipembe u vhulunga vhupo na zwiko zwadzo zwa mupo. Zwipikwa zwa ṱhoḓisiso na mbudziso dza ṱhoḓisiso na furemiweke thangeli zwo bveledziswa. Ho shumiswa ngona ya kuitele kwa ṱhoḓisiso kwa khwaḽithethivi he ha shumiswa inthaviwu dza vhuṋe u kuvhanganya data kha vhathu u bva kha khamphani dza migodini ya malasha Afrika Tshipembe ngeno tshigwada tsho sedzwaho khatsho tsho shumisiwa u khwaṱhisedza furemiweke. Inthaviwu dza vhuṋe dzo sumbedzisa uri vhunzhi ha vhadzheneleli vho vha vha sa ḓivhi zwishumiswa zwa EMA na zwa EMA zwi nga ho sa ISO, LCCP na muṱalukanyo une wa dzhiela nṱha mveledziso ya matshilisano na mveledzwa dza vhupo zwi ḓo engedza ndeme ya nḓowetshumo ya migodi. Zwi tshi ya phanḓa, a hu na u tevhekana ha zwithu kha kushumisele na u tevhedza ndaulo dza vhupo. Vhadzheneleli vho dovha vha sumbedzisa uri maitele a zwino o shumiswaho nga nḓowetshumo ya migodi ya malasha o vha i si khou u shuma kha u vhulunga vhupo. Kha u khwaṱhisedza furemiweke, tshigwada tsho sedzwaho khatsho tsho bveledza uri zwishumiswa (ngona) dzi ḓo thusa kha ndivho sa zwo sumbedzwaho kha furemiweke na uri furemiweke yo tea kha nḓowetshumo ya mugodi wa malasha. Hu na thendelano nyangaredzi uri zwiteṅwa zwa ndaulo zwi nga ya kule u langula masiandaitwa kha vhupo, tenda hezwi zwa shumiswa kha nḓowetshumo dzoṱhe, hu si fhedzi kha nḓowetshumo ya migodi ya malasha. Muhumbulo u bva kha tshigwada tsho sedzwaho khatsho wo thusa kha u khwinisa furemiweke nga u linga vhuṱumani na vhushaka. Themendelo khulwane dzo sumbedzisa uri khamphani dza migodi ya malasha dzi fanela u dzhenisa vhuḓifhinduleli ha vhupo kha tsheo dzayo dza bindu; hu fanela u farwa vhugudisi na pfunzo kha khamphani dzoṱhe dza migodi ya malasha uri khamphani idzi dzi ḓivhe lushaka lwa mafhungo ane vha tea u a shumisa kha u topola malaṱwa. Ṱhoḓisiso dza tshifhingani tshiḓaho dzi nga katela ngudo i fanaho ya nḓila ya zwitatisiṱika ine ya ḓo linga furemiweke ya u dzhia tsheo yo bveledziswaho kha ngudo iyi. Hezwi zwi do katela u ya kha khamphani dza migodi ya malasha u ita tsedzuluso ya furemiweke kha nyimele ya vhukuma. / Steenkool word langer as honderd jaar ononderbroke om Emalahleni in Mpumalanga ontgin. As gevolg hiervan raak grond steriel weens ondergrondse brande, word water besoedel, sak die grondoppervlak in en versuur die bogrond. In die literatuur kon die navorser kon geen besluitnemingsraamwerk waarvolgens Suid-Afrikaanse steenkoolmaatskappye die omgewing en natuurlike hulpbronne bewaar, vind nie. Navorsingsdoelwitte is gestel, en navorsingsvrae en ʼn voorlopige raamwerk is opgestel. ʼn Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gevolg en persoonlike onderhoude is by Suid-Afrikaanse steenkoolmaatskappye gevoer om die primêre data te versamel. Die geldigheid van die besluitnemingsraamwerk is met ʼn fokusgroep getoets. Uit die persoonlike onderhoude het geblyk dat die meeste deelnemers onbekend was met omgewingsbestuuraanspreeklikheid (OBA) en dat hulle nie geweet het dat hulpmiddels soos ISO, ʼn lewensikluskosteberekening (LSK) en ʼn groen strategie waarde tot die steenkoolbedryf kan toevoeg nie. Afgesien hiervan is omgewingsregulasies nie eenvormig toegepas en nagekom nie. Deelnemers het eweneens laat blyk dat die steenkoolbedryf se huidige prosesse gemik op omgewingsbewaring oneffektief is. Die fokusgroep het vasgestel dat die hulpmiddels (metodologieë) die oogmerk van die raamwerk verwesenlik, en die raamwerk dus geldig en van groot nut vir die steenkoolbedryf kan wees. Daar was eenstemmigheid dat die regulerende aspekte die nadelige uitwerking van mynbouwerksaamhede op die omgewing kon beheer, op voorwaarde dat dit nie alleen in die steenkoolbedryf nie, maar in alle bedrywe toegepas word. Die raamwerk is aan die hand van die fokusgroep se insette verfyn deur die verbande en skakels te toets. Die belangrikste aanbevelings behels dat omgewingsaanspreeklikheid deel van steenkoolmaatskappye se besluitneming moet uitmaak, en dat alle steenkoolmaatskappye opgelei moet word in die soort inligting waarvolgens bepaal word wat afval is. In die toekoms kan ʼn soortgelyke statistiese studie onderneem word om die besluitnemingsraamwerk wat in hierdie studie ontwikkel is, te toets. Dit sal behels dat die raamwerk in lewensegte omstandighede by steenkoolmaatskappye ondersoek word. / Business Management / D. B. L.