Abstract
M.Sc.
This thesis evaluates and interprets the quality of surface (Horn and Ngagane Rivers) and
groundwater in the vicinity of a coal mine. The research takes place at the Ballengeich coal mine,
15 km south of Newcastle, in Kwazulu-Natal. This study is important because coal mining
operations have been seen by environmentalists and conservationists alike, as contributing to
the degradation of the aquatic environment. Moreover, mining activities such as the extraction of
coal, its subsequent preparation, and disposal of mine waste as spoil dumps, interact with natural
water in the vicinity of the mine. This interaction reduces the biological, physical and chemical
quality of the water. Undoubtedly, the operations of coal producers have caused varying
degrees of environmental damage in mining areas, which are often located in remote regions
near water sources.
Water pollution, as a result of coal mining, does not only influence the local area, but
communities are also affected downstream of the source. In order to assess the extent of water
pollution attributed to the coal mining activities, as well as to ascertain the relationship between
water quality parameter concentrations and river flow at sampling points, two analyses have been
employed. The chemical analysis determines whether the water quality parameter concentration
is within the Target Water Quality Range (TWQR) as stipulated by Department of Water Affairs and
Forestry (DWAF) for various uses, whilst a regression analysis determines the relationship
between the water quality parameter concentration and the flow of the specific river at the time of
sampling. These analyses give an indication of the potential liability of the coal mine as far as the
degradation of the local water quality is concerned.
The present study proved that previous coal mining activities and the current state of the mined
area are influencing the local water quality. There is an urgent need for mitigatory and
management measures in order to rehabilitate the local water quality in the area. Certain
parameters are within the acceptable norm, as stipulated by DWAF, however, some have been
found to be influenced by the change in river flow as a result of seasonal changes and man-
made structures such as the Chelmsford Dam upstream of the Ngagane River. It is therefore
concluded that the local water quality has been degraded and the relationship between river flow
and certain water quality parameters can be predicted, but not for others owing to the debilitating
nature of coal mining on the local water quality.