Environmental Assessment of Acid Mine Drainage in Ngwenya, Swaziland

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a worldwide pollution concern. It is rife in abandoned mines though it can also occur in live ones. It was found that AMD from the old Ngwenya mine pits and mine dumps deteriorates the quality of water in its vicinity. Acidic waters may be a result of AMD pollution and are devoid of life. Water and sediment samples were collected for investigation from surface water bodies surrounding the iron ore mine in Swaziland. It was found that the sampled water bodies were polluted with the studied heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn Pb, Cd) in varying degrees. It was also established, by the BCR-sequential extraction procedure, that all the heavy metals under investigation are labile enough to contaminate the environment. Statistical tools were used to analyse the data obtained from the study (K-S test for normality, Student t-test, PCA, CA). The findings of this work are intended to be used as a general guide for the mining industry, regulators, environmental advocacy groups and other stakeholders like scholars who wish to undertake studies on AMD.