Skip to content
WSP WSP
WSP WSP
  • Who we are
    We are the home of ambitious, passionate, and innovative engineering experts, scientists and advisors.

    Who we are
    • Our story
    • Future Ready
    • Corporate responsibility
    • Local Leadership
    • Our impact
    Corporate responsibility
    • Communities
    • Corporate governance
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Ethics and Integrity
    • Health and Safety
    • Sustainability
    Featured content
    Thn-Web-Our-Impact
    Unlocking potential everywhere

    As Visioneers we see the potential everywhere, harnessing it to embrace the complex…

  • What we do
    We work together with clients to plan, design, create and deliver innovative projects that shape the world.


    View All

    • Sectors
    • Services
    • Projects
    What we do
    • Property & Buildings
    • Transportation & Infrastructure
    • Environment & Sustainability
    • Energy & Resources
    Featured content
    thn-net-zero
    How to Net Zero

    How WSP can help you decarbonize with confidence

  • Insights
    Our global experts offer compelling insights that provide new perspectives.

    Read inspiring articles that challenge the status quo by reframing current issues, sparking fresh conversations and finding new solutions.

    View all
    Insights
    • Climate
    • Mobility
    • Places
    • Resources
    • Society
    • Technology
    Featured content
    thn-Digital Project Delivery
    Pursuing Sustainability and Productivity Gains with Digital…

    WSP's Digital Project Delivery white paper explores how to enable projects to be…

  • Careers
    What if you could do the kind of work the world needs?

    With us, you can. Make your best impact with WSP, where the culture and people also make it the best work of your life.

    Find out more
    Careers
    • Job opportunities
    • Early career
    • Experienced professionals
    • Why join us?
    • Bursary
    Featured content
    Thn-Web-Careers-Why-Join-WSP
    Why join us?

    At WSP, you will find the space you need to think bigger and build a career…

  • Who we are
    • Our story
    • Future Ready
    • Corporate responsibility
      • Who we are
      • Accountable for Tomorrow
        • Communities
        • Corporate governance
        • Diversity and Inclusion
        • Ethics and Integrity
        • Health and Safety
        • Sustainability
    • Local Leadership
    • Our impact
  • What we do
    • Property & Buildings
    • Transportation & Infrastructure
    • Environment & Sustainability
    • Energy & Resources
  • Insights
    • Climate
    • Mobility
    • Places
    • Resources
    • Society
    • Technology
  • Careers
    • Job opportunities
    • Early career
    • Experienced professionals
    • Why join us?
    • Bursary
Select your language and location

We are locally dedicated with international scale.

International
  • Global
    English — Français
Americas
  • Brazil
    Português
  • Canada
    English — Français
  • Chile
    Español
  • Colombia
    Español
  • Mexico
    Español
  • Panama
    Español
  • Peru
    Español
  • United States
    English
Africa
  • South Africa
    English
Asia
  • China
    中文(简体) — English
  • Hong Kong
    English
  • India
    English
  • Indonesia
    English
  • Malaysia
    English
  • Philippines
    English
  • Singapore
    English
  • South Korea
    한국어(대한민국) — English
  • Thailand
    English
Europe
  • Denmark
    Dansk
  • Finland
    Suomi
  • France
    Français
  • Germany
    Deutsch
  • Hungary
    English
  • Italy
    Italiano
  • Netherlands
    Nederlands
  • Norway
    Norsk
  • Poland
    Polski
  • Romania
    English
  • Spain
    Español
  • Sweden
    Svenska
  • Switzerland
    Deutsch — Français
  • Turkey
    Turkish
  • United Kingdom
    English
Middle East
  • Kuwait
    English
  • Oman
    English
  • Qatar
    English
  • Saudi Arabia
    English
  • United Arab Emirates
    English
Oceania
  • Australia
    English
  • New Zealand
    English
Worldwide offices
    • Investors
      Discover our diverse business, financial results and strategic ambitions.

      We are committed to delivering sustainable value to our shareholders and exceptional professional services to our clients.

      Find out more
      Investors
      • Corporate governance
      • Press releases
      • Reports and filings
      • Stock information
      • Shareholder information
      • Presentations and events
      Corporate governance
      • Audit committee
      • Board of directors
      • Business Conduct Hotline
      • Constating documents
      • Governance documents
      • Governance ethics and compensation committee
      • Mandates
      Reports and filings
      • AIF
      • Annual
      • Information circular
      • Quarterly
      • SEDAR+ filings
      • Sustainability
      Stock information
      • Analyst coverage
      Shareholder information
      • Acquisitions
      • Dividends
      • FAQ
      Featured content
      Thn-Web-IR-2025-Q1-Results
      WSP's Q1 2025 Results

      We released our 2025 first quarter results on May 7, 2025 after market close.

    • Investors
      • Corporate governance
        • Investors
        • Corporate Governance
          • Audit committee
          • Board of directors
          • Business Conduct Hotline
          • Constating documents
          • Governance documents
          • Governance ethics and compensation committee
          • Mandates
      • Press releases
      • Reports and filings
        • Investors
        • REPORTS & FILINGS
          • AIF
          • Annual
          • Information circular
          • Quarterly
          • SEDAR+ filings
          • Sustainability
      • Stock information
        • Investors
        • Stock Information
          • Analyst coverage
      • Shareholder information
        • Investors
        • Shareholder Information
          • Acquisitions
          • Dividends
          • Drip
          • FAQ
      • Presentations and events
    • News
      Progress happens quickly.

      Stay up to date with our latest global news, events, awards and more.

      News
      • Latest news
      • Events and webinars
    • Contact us
      We are dedicated to our local communities and driven by global talent.

      Contact us to find out how our diversified offering, world-class expertise and geographical reach can assist you in achieving your vision.

      Contact Us

      Follow us

      Contact us
      • Request a proposal
      • Send a message
      • Find an expert
      • Offices
      Featured content
      Our Offices

      With offices throughout the world, you can connect with one close to you.

    • Investors
      Discover our diverse business, financial results and strategic ambitions.

      We are committed to delivering sustainable value to our shareholders and exceptional professional services to our clients.

      Find out more
      Investors
      • Corporate governance
      • Press releases
      • Reports and filings
      • Stock information
      • Shareholder information
      • Presentations and events
      Corporate governance
      • Audit committee
      • Board of directors
      • Business Conduct Hotline
      • Constating documents
      • Governance documents
      • Governance ethics and compensation committee
      • Mandates
      Reports and filings
      • AIF
      • Annual
      • Information circular
      • Quarterly
      • SEDAR+ filings
      • Sustainability
      Stock information
      • Analyst coverage
      Shareholder information
      • Acquisitions
      • Dividends
      • FAQ
      Featured content
      Thn-Web-IR-2025-Q1-Results
      WSP's Q1 2025 Results

      We released our 2025 first quarter results on May 7, 2025 after market close.

    • Investors
      • Corporate governance
        • Investors
        • Corporate Governance
          • Audit committee
          • Board of directors
          • Business Conduct Hotline
          • Constating documents
          • Governance documents
          • Governance ethics and compensation committee
          • Mandates
      • Press releases
      • Reports and filings
        • Investors
        • REPORTS & FILINGS
          • AIF
          • Annual
          • Information circular
          • Quarterly
          • SEDAR+ filings
          • Sustainability
      • Stock information
        • Investors
        • Stock Information
          • Analyst coverage
      • Shareholder information
        • Investors
        • Shareholder Information
          • Acquisitions
          • Dividends
          • Drip
          • FAQ
      • Presentations and events
    • News
      • Latest news
      • Events and webinars
    • Contact us
      • Request a proposal
      • Send a message
      • Find an expert
      • Offices
  1. We are WSP
  2. Insights
  3. Water-related planning for mines

Water-related planning essential for mines

As mining operations are extremely water-intensive and -dependent, it is important to have a good understanding of water sources, movement and discharge at the mine, and the funding to treat and transfer water is equally important.

map marker South Africa | Monday, 18 May 2020
Reading Time : 2 minutes

“Maintaining an accurate process flow diagram and water balance are key to mine water planning,” says WSP senior hydrology associate Karen King.

The accurate measurement of the volumes and qualities of water sources, water movement and storage within, and water discharged from the mine site are significantly important. Moreover, conditions associated with mine-water treatment during the construction and operational phases of a mine will need to be specified in the application for the mine’s water-use licence (WUL).

“This licence needs to be issued before a new mine can be commissioned,” adds King.

She explains that these conditions, as stipulated by a mine’s WUL, will include details pertaining to water quality standards for storage and discharge.

A mine also needs a closure plan, which includes details about the funds that need to be allocated to closure, including funding for any water treatment, before it can be commissioned. These funds are kept in an interest-bearing account that the mine owners and managers cannot access until mine closure begins.

“A lot of the water-quality problems facing mine-affected regions, especially those involving acid mine drainage (AMD), were generated decades before mines were required to have WULs or closure plans. Finding the funding to treat these problems is difficult, as many of those who benefited from the existence of these mines have died or are no longer traceable”.

King adds that there are not enough large mining companies that are currently operational in the AMD-affected Witwatersrand areas to pay for water treatment.

“The South African government did prioritise this spending at one point, but sufficient treatment was not carried through,” she notes.

Depending on the mine closure plan, excess water on mines that have reached their end-of-life can be pumped, treated and discharged. It can also be used for irrigation, depending on the quality of the water.

King adds that there is a new approach to drive efficiencies in water use at mine sites, with mine operations aiming for “zero-water” or “dry-mining” operations.

“Waterless mining describes a situation in which technologies are used to source, use and discharge as little water as possible, and reuse as much water as possible,” she explains.

There are a range of options where water may be reclaimed and reused in the mining water cycle, depending on factors such as the age of the mine and finances.

“Some water-reducing options are cleaning that involves pressurised air instead of water, using dust-reduction or -supressing agents instead of water and adopting dryer methods for the transport of slurry. Additionally, reusing water instead of discharging water is key,” concludes King.

This article first appeared in Mining Weekly.


More on this subject

solar-panel-solar-energy-field_thumbnail

May 2025 | 3 minutes

Determining the likely tracking choices of utility-scale photovoltaic power plants

South Africa
svg-icon Blog
Resources , Technology , Energy Transition
Water scarcity_thumbnail

May 2025 | 4 minutes

Running dry: The ripple effects of water shortages on South African properties and businesses

South Africa
svg-icon Blog
Resources
AAM-2-Article-Thumbnail

April 2025

Adopting Advanced Air Mobility

Global
svg-icon White Paper
Energy Transition , Mobility , Resilience , Resources , Technology
Img-Planning-Paradox-Thumb

March 2025

Navigating the Built Environment Planning Paradox

Global
svg-icon Feature
Climate , Decarbonization , Energy Transition , Mobility , Places , Resilience , Resources , Society , Technology
thn-website-insights-from-the-ground-up

January 2025 | 8 minutes

From the Ground Up: Building Nature into Transport Design

Global
svg-icon Feature
Climate , Resources
thn-Strategic Project Management

January 2025 | 6 minutes

Strategic Project Management: Navigating Regulatory Compliance and Stakeholder Expectations for Success

Global
svg-icon Feature
Resources
Thn-Energy-transition-insights

December 2024 | 7 minutes

The energy question to which we already have (most of) the answers

Global
svg-icon Feature
Energy Transition , Resources
thn-Water Conservation in Food Processing

December 2024

Doing More with Less: Water Conservation in Food Processing

Canada
svg-icon Blog
Climate , Resilience , Resources
thn-hydrogen-hubs

November 2024 | 13 minutes

Hydrogen's Pragmatic Turn: A balanced path to building a sustainable hydrogen economy

Global
svg-icon Feature
Energy Transition , Resources
Electro-oxidation commercial solution destroying PFAS in liquid -Thumbnail

October 2024 | 5 Minutes

Electro-oxidation proven commercial solution for destroying PFAS in liquid

Global
Resources
Water-Project-Delivery-Thumbnail

September 2024

Increasing the Benefits of Alternative Delivery Methods in the Water Sector

Global
svg-icon White Paper
Decarbonization , Resources , Technology
The world is facing Thumbnail

August 2024 | 8 minutes

The world is facing a water crisis Here is how the built environment can help

Global
svg-icon Feature
Resilience , Resources

Author

our-people-karen-king
Karen King
Senior Associate
South Africa

Share this page

  • Share on Facebook - Warning, this link will open a new tab.
  • Share on Linkedin - Warning, this link will open a new tab.
  • Share on Twitter - Warning, this link will open a new tab.
  • Share on Skype - Warning, this link will open your Skype application.

Related themes and tags

  • Resources (95)


  • Environment (159)
  • Water (91)
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  • Who We Are
  • Our story
  • Future Ready
  • Local Leadership
  • Our offices
  • What We Do
  • Sectors
  • Services
  • Projects
  • Insights
  • Climate
  • Mobility
  • Places
  • Society
  • Resources
  • Technology
  • Careers
  • Join our team
  • Bursary
  • Early career
  • Experienced professionals
  • Why join us?
  • Corporate
  • Sustainability
  • Health and safety
  • Investors
  • Business Conduct Hotline
  • News
  • Corporate governance
  • Ethics and integrity
    ©2025 WSP
    • The WSP Logo
    • PAIA Manual
    • Privacy Policy
    • Anti-Spam Commitment
    • Cookie Notice
    • Terms of Use
    ©2025 WSP
    Exiting our Website

    You are about to leave WSP.com and are being redirected to a job opportunity at Louis Berger, which has been recently acquired by WSP in the US.