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Treatment methods for water pollution from coal mining in Moatize (Mozambique)

Pondja, Estevao LU (2013) In TVVR13/5008 VVR820 20131
Division of Water Resources Engineering
Abstract
Moatize district located in Tete province in the center of Mozambique has one of the largest unexploited coal deposits of the world with a capacity of 2.5 billions of tones. Recently many multinational coal mine companies started exploitation of coal in Moatize. Coal exploitation has economical, social and environmental impacts. The main environmental impact is generation of acid mine drainage (AMD) which can pollute surface and groundwater.
The aim of this work was to describe and assess the main impact of mining activities on water resource in Moatize and to describe treatment methods for polluted water.
The methodology used was literature review and visits realized in different institutions of Mozambique.
Different active and passive... (More)
Moatize district located in Tete province in the center of Mozambique has one of the largest unexploited coal deposits of the world with a capacity of 2.5 billions of tones. Recently many multinational coal mine companies started exploitation of coal in Moatize. Coal exploitation has economical, social and environmental impacts. The main environmental impact is generation of acid mine drainage (AMD) which can pollute surface and groundwater.
The aim of this work was to describe and assess the main impact of mining activities on water resource in Moatize and to describe treatment methods for polluted water.
The methodology used was literature review and visits realized in different institutions of Mozambique.
Different active and passive methods for AMD were described throughout the report.
It can be conclude that the impact of AMD in Moatize will not significantly affect the Zambezi river due to its big flow but it can be severe in small tributaries because some of them pass through the mining section. Water pollution can affect the population of Moatize negatively because they depend in agriculture and fishing to survive. There were not enough data to decide which treatment method can be applied for Moatize, but based on data from an old mine from Moatize it was possible to conclude that aerobic wetland and lime-limestone neutralization could be used.
It is recommended to collect extensive data from mining companies in Moatize to make more detailed investigation about different treatment methods. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Pondja, Estevao LU
supervisor
organization
course
VVR820 20131
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
passive and active treatment, open pit mining, Moatize, coal mines, Acid mine drainage
publication/series
TVVR13/5008
report number
13/5008
ISSN
1101-9824
language
English
additional info
Examiner: Magnus Persson
id
3809522
date added to LUP
2013-06-17 08:20:33
date last changed
2019-03-29 13:44:46
@misc{3809522,
  abstract     = {{Moatize district located in Tete province in the center of Mozambique has one of the largest unexploited coal deposits of the world with a capacity of 2.5 billions of tones. Recently many multinational coal mine companies started exploitation of coal in Moatize. Coal exploitation has economical, social and environmental impacts. The main environmental impact is generation of acid mine drainage (AMD) which can pollute surface and groundwater.
The aim of this work was to describe and assess the main impact of mining activities on water resource in Moatize and to describe treatment methods for polluted water.
The methodology used was literature review and visits realized in different institutions of Mozambique.
Different active and passive methods for AMD were described throughout the report.
It can be conclude that the impact of AMD in Moatize will not significantly affect the Zambezi river due to its big flow but it can be severe in small tributaries because some of them pass through the mining section. Water pollution can affect the population of Moatize negatively because they depend in agriculture and fishing to survive. There were not enough data to decide which treatment method can be applied for Moatize, but based on data from an old mine from Moatize it was possible to conclude that aerobic wetland and lime-limestone neutralization could be used.
It is recommended to collect extensive data from mining companies in Moatize to make more detailed investigation about different treatment methods.}},
  author       = {{Pondja, Estevao}},
  issn         = {{1101-9824}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{TVVR13/5008}},
  title        = {{Treatment methods for water pollution from coal mining in Moatize (Mozambique)}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}