The EGU utilises experience in a number of scientific disciplines to better understand and develop solution to geo-environmental problems. The skills of the EGU staff include general geology, mining and environmental geology, engineering geology, environmental management, geophysics, geochemistry, general chemistry, analytical chemistry, numerical modelling and date interpretation.

The majority of the unit’s work is focused on providing management and mitigation advice and scientific solutions to environmental impacts emanating from the legacies of the South African mining industry. The unit also conducts research on naturally occurring hazardous elements and anthropogenic contamination of groundwater, surface water and wetlands.

Our aim at the Environmental Geoscience unit is to conduct research in order to provide information, solutions and technologies for mitigation, management and policy decision making in the environmental geosciences field.

Focus areas include:  

• Mining related environmental impacts
• Medical geology
• Wetland research
• Geohazards
• Geo-environmental modelling
• Environmental geochemistry laboratory services
• Environmental due diligence
• Pollution investigations (air, water, soil and sediment)
• Environmental risk assessments
• Ecotoxicology

Current 2008/09 projects:

• Assessment of the impact of biofuel production on the environment in South Africa - a literature view
• Inventory of metals in the hot springs of southern Africa
• Application of ecotoxicology in environmental mapping
• Towards a strategy for the management of gold tailings dams at Giyani
• Continuous monitoring of natural attenuation processes in the Western Basin, Witwatersrand Goldfield
• Geochemical functioning of wetlands
• Bio-accumulation of heavy metals in two populations of the same animal species in the Krugersdorp Game Reserve
• Geo-environmental models of South Africa mineral deposits
• Development and construction of a pilot permeable reactive barrier for remediation of mine water

• AMD (Acid Mine Drainage) solutions in the Western Basin - Nicolene Van Wyk
• Wetland research - Jaco Venter

Environmental laboratory

The unit also operates an environmental laboratory that undertakes laboratory-based investigations of natural and anthropogenic contamination. The laboratory has the capability to evaluate the behaviour of wastes and other materials in the environment by simulating different environmental processes.  Test methods currently available include:

• Paste pH and EC
• Batch leaching
• Metal availability testing
• Column leaching
• Humidity cell testing

Current 2008/09 projects:

• Development of the EGU laboratory in terms of: environmental metal speciation, biochemistry and ecotoxicology.

 

Click HERE for contact details of personnel in the Environmental Geosciences unit.