The South African mining sector can play a significant role in saving water, says water treatment chemicals, equipment and services group AECI Water executive Dean Mulqueeny.

With about 200 mines consuming between 2% and 5% of South Africa’s available water, there is potential to leverage new water management principles and technologies to save water.

Currently, AECI Water is treating and reusing fissure water through desalination processes at a platinum mine in the North West province, and, at a deep-level gold mine, also in the North West, the company is treating and reusing process water through proprietary chemical technology.

This treated process water is being used in high-temperature cooling systems while safeguarding asset integrity.

“[About] 2.2-billion litres of water are being saved by two mines and we are just getting started,” Mulqueeny comments, pointing out that, if every mine saved one-billion litres of water, the resulting 200-billion litres of water would be enough to fill 88 000 Olympic-size swimming pools or supply 2.5-million South Africans with 237 ℓ/d of water for a year.

AECI Water – focused on taking the mining industry off the potable grid and inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 to ensure water and sanitation for all – is working on similar projects across Africa.

“There is always water on mines. Mines are either removing water or using it to reduce dust, move slurry or tailings or control fires. Pumps and wells are commonplace. Since mines know how to work with water, they can apply new water management principles and technologies more readily and reap the benefits more quickly.”

These can include recycling and reusing water; engineering closed-loop systems; finding alternative sources of sustainable water supply; improving discharged water quality; maximising the use of abundant and legacy water sources; and applying appropriate water qualities for specific applications.

AECI Water partners with the mining industry to improve the key performance indicators for the reduction of total water use and water intensity.

“The business develops integrated solutions for asset integrity, continuous improvement, process efficiency, product quality, reduced risk and regulatory compliance with a strong focus on minimising water usage and waste, while achieving Zero Harm,” Mulqueeny concludes.