MMSD: AN OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT OF MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING OPERATIONS ON WATER RESOURCES AND WATER QUALITY IN THE ZAMBEZI, LIMPOPO AND OLIFANTS CATCHMENTS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

The original Terms of Reference for this study (Research Topic 4) were extremely broad and required an overview of all mining impacts on the biophysical environment throughout southern Africa. Though this objective was desirable, and would provide an excellent background for management strategies in each of the SADC countries, it was unrealistic in view of the time and budget constraints. Therefore, the main focus of this research topic was restricted to water resources, in particular water quality, and attention confined to three key river basins, namely the Zambezi, Limpopo and Olifants basins. Whilst the revised Terms of Reference remain challenging, they represent a compromise that enabled a useful body of work to be produced.