Mining, Vol. 6, Pages 6: Water Wastage Management in Deep-Level Gold Mines: The Need for Adaptive Pressure Control

Mining doi: 10.3390/mining6010006

Authors:
Waldo T. Gerber
Corne S. L. Schutte
Andries G. S. Gous
Jean H. van Laar

Water wastage management (WWM) in deep-level mines remains a critical challenge, as wastage increases operational costs and threatens sustainability. This study presents a systematic state-of-the-art review of WWM in deep-level mines. Relevant literature was critically assessed to establish current practices, identify limitations, and explore emerging solutions. Five principal approaches were identified: leak detection and repair, pressure control with fixed schedules, network optimisation, accountability measures, and smart management. While each provides benefits, significant challenges persist. Particularly, current pressure control techniques, essential for limiting leakage, rely on static demand profiles that cannot accommodate the stochastic nature of service water demand, often resulting in over- or under-supply. Smart management systems, which have proven effective for managing stochastic utilities in other industries, present a promising alternative. Enabling technologies such as sensors, automated valves, and tracking systems are already widely deployed in mining, underscoring the technical feasibility of such systems. However, no studies have yet examined their development for WWM in deep-level mines. This study recommends a framework for smart water management tailored to mining conditions and highlights three opportunities: developing real-time demand approximation methods, leveraging occupancy data for demand estimation, and integrating these models with mine water supply control infrastructure for implementation and evaluation.

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Waldo T. Gerber www.mdpi.com