V.E. COGHO1 AND A.M. van NIEKERK2

Optimum Coal Mine comprises numerous defunct, active and future mining sections. The mine is primarily a large opencast coal mine. Opencast and underground mining activities have a significant impact on surface and groundwater resources. To ensure that the mine will be able to continue with their mining operation in the catchment, the extent of this impact requires that substantial intervention and mitigation measures are implemented to ensure the environmental integrity and economic use of the catchments ’ water resources. Developing a long-term mine water management strategy, numerous scenarios had to be analysed. The various scenarios are a combination of numerous water management activities. The main components of the mines ’ integrated water management strategy include: • Management of water recharge by rehabilitation of disturbed land; • Beneficial reuse of impacted mine water for coal plant process water, irrigation, mining operations and • Reclamation and desalination of remaining excess impacted mine water to potable standard. From the mine’s water balance, it is evident that the continued implementation of numerous water management actions is required to mitigate the water resources impact in a sustainable manner. In addition the installation of a water reclamation plant at Optimum Coal Mine (15Mℓ/day) is a key step for the mine to achieve a zero impact target