Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mine water, that is all forms of water associated with and affected by mining operations is probably the largest area of concern in the environmental geology of mining. This study looks at the inter-relationship between mine water geochemistry and mine water management. The objectives of this study are: 1. To examine major geochemical processes influencing mine water; 2. To apply new national water and environmental legislation to the mining industry and discover how mine water management will be regulated; 3. To examine the approach of Integrated Catchment Management, and discover how this approach can be applied to the mining industry; 4. To conduct two case studies, where environmental geochemistry, general geochemistry and multivariate analyses are used as tools to investigate groundwater contamination problems in mining areas, and therefore suggest mine water management interventions; and 5. To, considering mine water problems discovered in the case studies, develop a newly-patented chemical treatment method for possible application in the mining industry. The changing legal framework - principally the implementation of the National Water Act (Act No 36 of 1998) and the National Environmental Management Act (Act No 107 of 1998) - is leading to the responsibilities of a mine becoming substantially clearer, and responsibilities which in the past could have been ignored until public outcry will now be difficult to escape. Two case studies are investigated. In both cases, general geochemistry and hydrogeochemistry, coupled with factor analysis are used to determine the major signatures in groundwater chemistry and the major sources of contamination. On the basis of this, management interventions are suggested. In the first case study, Sishen Iron Ore Mine of the Northern Cape, three signatures are identified in the groundwater: a clean dolomitic water signature, and a contamination signature from the mine and one from agriculture. The extent of nitrate and diesel contamination is shown to be related to agriculture, the use of explosives and to mine workshops and depots. Surface water controls may help reduce these problems. In the second case study, West Driefontein Gold Mine of the Far West Rand, two signatures are identified in the groundwater: a clean dolomitic water signature and a signature relating to contamination from the mine. Cluster analysis is used to suggest three groundwater zones, the chemistry of one being fairly clean dolomitic aquifer, the chemistry of the second affected by the mine and the chemistry of the third affected by granites. Contamination is shown to be related to mining operations, especially the slimes dams, and agriculture. Rehabilitation of dams and dumps, as well as surface water controls may help reduce these problems. Considering mine water problems discovered in the case studies, a newly-patented chemical treatment method is examined and tested for possible application in the mining industry. It is shown to be extremely effective for the removal of calcium from water, but less effective for the removal of iron and manganese. More broadly, this study shows the inter-dependence between mine water geochemistry and mine water management, and the need to be multi-disciplinary in approach. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mynwater, dit is aile soorte water wat geaffekteer en geassosieer word met mynbou bedrywighede, is moontlik die grootste rede tot kommer in omgewingsgeologie van mynbou. Hierdie studie stel ondersoek in na die verhouding tussen mynwater geochemie en mynwater bestuur. Die doelwitte van die studie is soos volg: 1. Om die hoof geochemiese prosesse te ondersoek wat mynwater beinvloed: 2. Om die nuwe nasionale water- en omgewingswette toe te pas op die mynboubedryf en te ondersoek hoe die bestuur van mynwater gereguleer sal word; 3. Om die benadering van Gerntegreerde Opvangs Bestuur ("Integrated Catchment Managemement") te ondersoek, en te ondersoek hoe hierdie benadering op die mynbou industrie toegepas kan word' 4. Om twee gevallestudies te doen, waar omgewingsgeochemie, algemene geochemie en multivariant analise gebruik word as middels om grondwater besoedeling in mynbougebiede te ondersoek, en daarvolgens om mynwater bestuurswysigings voor te stel; en 5. Om, nemende in ag die mynwater probleme wat ontdek is in die gevallestudies, 'n nuutgepatenteerde chemiese behandelingsmetode, vir moontlike toepassing in die mynbou industrie, te ontwikkel. Die veranderende regtelike raamwerk - hoofsaaklik die implementering van die Nasionale Waterwet (Wet No. 36 van 1998) en die Nasionale Omgewingsbestuur Wet (Wet No.1 07 van 1998) - lei daartoe dat 'n myn verantwoordelik moet wees om opmerklik skoner te word, verantwoordelikhede wat in die verlede maklik gergnoreer kon word maar wat nou te moeilik is om te ignoreer as gevolg van publieke uitroepe. Twee gevalle is ondersoek. In be ide studies word algemene geochemie en hidrogechemie, saam met faktoranalise, gebruik om die hoof kenmerke te bepaal in grondwaterchemie en die hoof bronne van besoedeling. Deur dit as basis te gebruik word bestuurswysigings voorgestel. In die eerste gevallestudie, Sishen Ystererts Myn in die Noordkaap, is drie kenmerkende samestellings qeidentitiseer in die grondwater: 'n skoon dolomitiese samestelling, en een elk van 'n myn en landbou gekontamineerde samestelling. Die omvang van nitraat en diesel kontaminasie word aangedui as geassosieerd met landbou, die gebruik van plofstowwe, mynwerkswinkels en depots. Oppervlak waterbeheer mag help om hierdie probleme te beheer. In die tweede gevallestudie, Wes Driefontein Goudmyn in die Ver Wesrand, is twee kenmerkende samestellings in die grondwater gerdentifiseer: 'n skoon dolomitiese samestelling en 'n samestelling geassosieer met kontaminasie van die myn. "Cluster" analise is gebruik om drie grondwatersones te identifiseer, die eerste een se chemie stem redelik ooreen met 'n skoon akwifer, die tweede een se chemie is bernvloed deur die myn en die derde se chernie is deur granite bemvloed. Kontaminasie word aangedui as geassosieer met mynboubedrywighede, veral die slikdamme, en landbou. Rehabilitasie van damme en afvalhope, asook oppervlak waterbeheer mag help om die probleem te verminder. Deur die mynwater probleme wat in die gevallestudies ontdek is in ag te neem, word 'n nuutgepatenteerde chemiese behandeling ondersoek en getoets vir moontlike toepassing in die mynboubedryf. Dit word aangewys as uiters effektief vir die verwydering van kalsium, maar minder effektief in die verwydering van yster en mangaan. In die algemeen, wys hierdie studie inter-afhanklikheid tussen mynwater geochemie en mynwater bestuur, en 'n behoefte aan 'n rnultidissiplinere benadering.

Orientador: Bernardino Ribeiro Figueiredo / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociencias / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-15T19:07:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Mendonca_TehraGomes_M.pdf: 4795508 bytes, checksum: 12cdea97adda9326b7736d2c53c27907 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: O presente estudo foi realizado em uma região de floresta higrófila, no entorno da Mata Santa Genebra, localizada no Município de Campinas, SP. A área apresenta um histórico uso de agroquímicos em vários tipos de culturas, incluindo cana-de-açúcar, implantação de indústrias e acelerado processo de urbanização de modo que alterações químicas do solo e das águas naturais são esperadas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi averiguar os prováveis impactos causados pela agricultura e urbanização em água superficial e solo dos fragmentos de floresta higrófila da Mata Santa Genebra. Nos mesmos locais pesquisados foram coletadas amostras de taboa (Typha dominguensis Pers), uma espécie vegetal nativa desse ambiente, com o intuito de observar atuação dessa espécie como bioindicadora e fitoacumuladora de metais de origem natural ou antrópica. Os parâmetros de qualidade de água foram medidos in situ e a sua composição química determinada por cromatografia iônica e ICP-MS. As amostras de solo foram analisadas por fluorescência de raios X e as plantas por ICP-MS. A água superficial apresentou pH no intervalo 5,1-6,4 e Eh variando de 79 a 462 mV exibindo baixas concentrações de OD. A maioria das amostras foi classificada como água bicarbonatada sódicopotássica e apenas as concentrações PO4 3- (até 2 mg/L), Fe (até 5,1 mg/L) e Mn (184 µg/L) mostraram-se superiores aos limites regulamentados. As amostras de solo apresentaram pH ácido (4,5-5,5), teor de MO no intervalo 4 a 17% e concentrações excessivas de Ba (95 a 317 mg/kg), Cu (189 a 416 mg/kg) e V (184 a 381 mg/kg) quando comparadas aos valores de referência localmente aceitos. As concentrações da maioria dos elementos-traço em água e solo devem representar teores de fundo geoquímico que podem ser usados na avaliação de qualidade ambiental na região. Os metais que apresentaram as concentrações mais altas em planta foram Ba, Sr, Zn, Mn, Cu, V e Pb, especialmente nas raízes, exceto o Mn com acumulação maior nas folhas. Com base nos valores de enriquecimento dos metais em planta em relação ao solo e água foi possível comprovar a eficiência da Typha dominguensis Pers. como bioindicadora para esses metais, mesmo em ambiente com baixas concentrações. Estes resultados esclarecem também o papel dessa espécie na reciclagem de elementos-traço no ecossistema onde se insere / Abstract: This study was conducted in an area of swamp forest in the vicinity of Reserve Santa Genebra, located in Campinas, SP. The area has a history of deployment of industries, fast urbanization process and of usage of chemicals in different kinds of crops including sugar cane, thus changes in the soil and natural waters are expected. The objective of this study was to evaluate the likely impacts caused by agriculture and urbanization on surface water and soil fragments of swamp forest of the Mata Santa Genebra. In the same areas surveyed samples of Taboa (Typha dominguensis Pers.), a native plant species of that environment, were collected in order to observe the performance of this species as a metal bioindicator and phitoaccumulator. The water quality parameters were measured in situ and the chemical compositions were etermined by ion chromatography and ICP-MS. In addition, the chemical composition of soil samples were determined by XRF and the plant roots and leaves were analyzed by ICP-MS. Surface water resented very low DO, pH 5.1 to 6.4 and Eh in the interval between 79-462 mV. Most samples were classified as Na-K bicarbonate water and their chemical compositions can be considered normal except for PO4 3- (up to 2.1 mg/L), Fe (up to 5.1 mg/L) and Mn (up to 184 µg/L) contents that exceeded regulative values. Topsoil is acid (pH 4.5-5.5) and contains up to 17% organic matter. Chemical analyses of soil showed excessive Ba (95-317 mg/kg), Cu (189-416 mg/kg) and V (184-381 mg/kg) contents in comparison to local accepted reference values. The other trace-element concentrations in water and soil may represent geochemical background that can be used for environmental assessment studies in the region. The highest trace-element concentrations found in plant were Ba, Sr, Zn, Mn, Cu, V and Pb, especially in the roots with the exception of Mn that mostly accumulated in the leaves. On the basis of the values of enrichment obtained for trace-element in plant in relation to soil and water are suggestive of Typha dominguensis Pers. efficiency bioindicator for metals even in those environments with low metal concentrations. The present results clearly highlight the role of that species in recycling of trace-elements within the ecosystem it belongs to / Mestrado / Geologia e Recursos Naturais / Mestre em Geociências

[From introduction] Exploration geochemistry is an indirect method of detecting mineral deposits by measuring the abundance and distribution of ore elements and elements closely associated with ore in natural materials at or near the earth's surface. The method relies on the assumption that a mineral deposit is reflected by unusual element abundances or distribution patterns (geochemical halos), and that these indications of mineralization can be detected by geochemical surveys involving the collection and analysis of natural materials. The interpretation of geochemical surveys in mineral exploration involves: 1) The use of geological and statistical inference, based on a knowledge of the normal behaviour and distribution of indicator elements in the exploration area, to recognize apparent geochemical anomalies in field and analytical data and to predict the type of geochemical halo reflected by the anomalies. 11) The use of geological inference, based on a knowledge of the characteristics of geochemical halos and their relationship to mineral deposits, to predict the presence and probable location of an ore body. The interpretation process is, however, complicated by the absence of a simple universal formula that relates the abundance and distribution of elements in natural materials to the presence or absence of a mineral deposit. The interpretation of a geochemical survey must, thus, be based on an empirical approach which avaluates each survey as an individual problem. The objective of this dissertation is to illustrate the factors affecting the "nuts and bolts" approach to the interpretation of geochemical surveys in mineral exploration. The discussion is aimed at providing field geologists responsible -for the planning and execution of geochemical surveys with some basic guidelines for interpreting the surveys. I hope that the contents of this dissertation will help field geologists to "look in the last place first".