Analysis - For 140 years, gold mines in Johannesburg, South Africa have been leaking wastewater contaminated with heavy metals. The acid mine drainage from Johannesburg's estimated 278 abandoned mines and 200 mine dumps includes uranium (a radioactive metal), toxic arsenic, copper, cobalt, nickel, lead and zinc.
can pollute land and water sources up to 20 kilometres away from a mine unless it is remediated by mining companies. The contaminationOur research found
Mining companies are supposed to keep money aside to rehabilitate the environment after they close, and can only close down once government has grantedThe authorities, both government and mining companies, should appreciate the seriousness of the situation so that they can do something about it. Strategies could includeWe took samples from river sediment, river water, borehole water, and cultivated and uncultivated soil in vegetable gardens all along the Klip River.
In the last 20 years, government has offered some incentives to mining companies to pump away the acid mine drainage so that it is not continuously leaking into Soweto's rivers and streams. This means that farmers will need to irrigate with tap or borehole water, rather than river water. This is costly and less convenient for small farmers living along the river.People who live along the Klip River are also at risk of being exposed to heavy metals. We also found that the rest of Soweto's residents are very vulnerable to heavy metal dust that is blown around during strong winds.
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