3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Perspectives on the role of social impact assessments in solving acid mine drainage imposed socio-economic impacts in post-mining communities: a study of Carolina Catchment area X11B in Mpumalanga, South Africa(2019) Chidzungu, ThandiweAcid Mine Drainage (AMD) is the biggest problem mining communities in South Africa face. AMD has environmental, social and economic implications. In the context of Carolina in Mpumalanga, South Africa, the prevalence of AMD poses a threat to environmental, social and economic stability in the area. In view of this, extensive work has been done to address the physical elements overlooking the social and economic elements. This study was aimed at exploring the role of Social Impact Assessments as a tool in assessing and addressing the AMD imposed socio-economic impacts on mining communities. Data was gleaned from interviews, public dialogues, stakeholder consultative forums, community forums, questionnaires, focus group discussions, Integrated Development Plans (IDP), Stats SA Community Surveys, and Local Economic Development (LED). Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was used as the main methodological approach in conjunction with an ethnographic approach and the aforementioned data collection tools, to unpack the problem. A myriad of stakeholders within the Carolina community ranging from; ordinary community members, farmers, business people, Inkomati Usuthu Catchment Management Agency (IUCMA) officials, mining officials, municipality and LED officials from local government within Mpumalanga. Mining community activists from within Africa were also engaged as participants. The findings revealed that AMD has grossly impacted on the socio-economic wellbeing of the mining community. Notable is that, the affected communities have remained excluded from any planning and decision-making processes in mineral development. Public participation is still at its doldrums imbued with gender, racial disparities, coupled with human rights violations emanating from environmental injustices. The environmental injustices imposed by AMD pollution from mining activities have led to dire consequences on the community’s health, food security, employment and poverty intensity. A major premise of the thesis untangles opportunities for SIAs in reducing socio-economic and environmental impacts of AMD and feeds into local and national socio-economic development with a view to establish possible entry points to the regulatory policy. Moreover, it gives room for further debates on SIA to be used as a stand-alone environmental management tool that is conducted by Social Scientists to afford the socioeconomic impacts of mineral development more weightItem The influence of a chemical treatment plant and an existing wetland ecosystem on AMD pollution and water quality along the Blesbokspruit, South Africa(2019) Lourenco, MauroThe influence of the Eastern Basin Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) chemical treatment plant and the Blesbokspruit Wetland ecosystem in remediating AMD pollution has been determined. The research process involved making land use maps, using historical Rand Water quality data, and collecting water, sediment and soil samples along the Blesbokspruit. Being in operation since August 2016, the Eastern Basin chemical AMD treatment plant has had a major influence on water quality, and this influence is not entirely positive. The introduction of the treatment plant was completely necessary at the time due to the possible decant of AMD water from the abandoned Grootvlei mine into the Blesbokspruit wetland. However, phase one of treatment which makes use of chemical mechanisms to firstly neutralise the water with lime and thereafter remove the toxic metals that precipitate out of the solution has negatively influenced conductivity, magnesium, chloride and sulphate levels downstream. Over time, the concentrations of these parameters have increased to worse management level targets set out by the Blesbokspruit Forum. Conductivity and sulphate have reached unacceptable management target levels since the introduction of the chemical treatment plant. The reduction of iron, manganese, ammonium, nitrate and phosphate downstream of the AMD treatment plant is due dilution caused by increased discharge from the treatment plant and due to the wetland ecosystem removing these contaminants. The greater Blesbokspruit Wetland and the Marievale Wetland have a very low influence on improving water quality within the area. The wetlands do reduce nutrient levels according to Rand Water data, but the water quality in this study area is mainly influenced by what is occurring upstream of the wetlands at the AMD treatment plant. There are numerous environmental concerns within this study area which includes the Marievale Bird Sanctuary. Soil quality results suggest that the Blesbokspruit has a high influence on soil conductivity. River sediment heavy metal analysis results suggest that the river sediments collected from the eight sampling sites are highly polluted and have a low to moderate potential for ecotoxicity. Sediment trace metal concentrations are also highly concentrated near mine dumps and historical mine decant points. Increased soil conductivity and heavy metal contamination may have a negative impact on the waterfowl living at the Marievale Bird Sanctuary. Ground truth water sampling also identified that there is a seasonal signal of increased conductivity and sulphate during the dry winter months. The results of this research have highlighted the need for phase two of treatment (which would implement desalination infrastructure) to begin at the chemical AMD treatment plant as well as increased monitoring and protection of the wetland ecosystem within the study area.Item Influence of oxidation on leaf decomposition in acid mine water(2017) Mohasoa, Bongani PeterAcidification of freshwater systems by Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is a persistent risk to aquatic ecosystems in South Africa, particularly in Gauteng and Mpumalanga. From several studies that have been conducted, it is clear that AMD has profound effects on aquatic life and functionality of the ecosystem. One of the ecosystem processes affected by AMD is the decomposition process. It has been established that AMD-affected streams inhibit the decompositon process. 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