Many Southern African mining operations produce mine water which is beneficially and productively utilised on the mine sites and to support other water uses. Mine water treatment typically takes place within the context of integrated mine water management involving pollution prevention, waste minimisation, recycling and reuse as well as river discharges._x000D_
Development of new and improved mine water treatment has focused on the neutralisation of metals removal, desalination of high sulfate waters and passive treatment. Mine water neutralisation processes now incorporate a combination of natural limestone and lime treatment, as well as features to maximise gypsum precipitation. The South African CSIR developed a suite of limestone-based neutralisation processes, which include reuse of CO2 and CaCO3 generated in the process._x000D_
Desalination of high sulfate mine water is typically done using one of the following technologies: biological sulfate removal with different approaches to the handling of the sulfide generated in the process, and ultrafiltration (UF)/reverse osmosis (RO) treatment with different approaches to the handling and disposal of the brine._x000D_
The current research and development focus is the separation and recovery of saleable products from the treatment residues and brine streams._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:van Niekerk, A M, Wurster, A and Cohen, D, 2006._x000D_
Technology advances in mine water treatment in Southern Africa over 20 years, in Proceedings Water in Mining 2006, pp 373-378 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).