South African Mine Water Atlas

The South African Mine Water Atlas is a detailed reference on the vulnerability of water resources to mining in South Africa. It uses multi-layered maps to illustrate the relationship between mining activities and water resources across all mineral provinces. The Atlas helps stakeholders, including mining companies, investors, and government departments, understand mining’s impact on water and guides mitigation efforts, such as water treatment, to protect the environment and public health.

The Atlas aims to consolidate fragmented data on mineralogy, water quality, flow, and ecological and hydrogeological conditions to offer a national overview. Its goal is to help water resource managers across sectors identify vulnerabilities and improve coordinated decision-making. The Atlas is meant to be:

• An educational resource for water users – incl. legislators and the public
• A tool to facilitate decision-making and the setting of key questions both for investors and developers, and for regulators and water management planners.

Abstract based on original source.