The absence of a precise and up-to-date mining cadastre in South Africa has posed significant challenges to accurately tracking and managing the country's active mining operations. Recognizing this gap, MandalaGIS undertook the task of re-mapping the locations of active mines across the region. The existing mine registry, maintained by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), has been found to be considerably flawed. Its inaccuracies stem from several issues, including duplication of records, poor geographic descriptions, and a general lack of detailed information about many mining operations. These deficiencies have resulted in an incomplete understanding of the spatial distribution and operational status of mines in South Africa, which complicates oversight, regulation, and economic planning.
In an effort to address these problems, the MandalaGIS re-mapping initiative aimed to develop a more reliable geodatabase for South Africa’s mining sector. The project involved the re-capture of 2004 mining sites, with a focus on enhancing the accuracy and completeness of the data. Each mine was carefully geo-referenced, and operations were systematically classified according to the commodity type being extracted. This classification is crucial because it allows for a clearer understanding of the types of minerals being mined.
One of the innovative features of this effort was the assignment of a confidence level to each captured record. Given the varying quality of available information, the confidence level serves as an indicator of the reliability and precision of the data associated with each mining site. This approach acknowledges the inherent uncertainties in re-mapping efforts and offers stakeholders a transparent way to assess the data's trustworthiness. Higher confidence levels indicate greater certainty in the accuracy of the location and operational status of a mine, while lower confidence levels suggest that further verification may be required.
Below is a summary of the confidence levels assigned to the captured mining sites, reflecting the rigorous validation process behind this initiative:
Confidence level | Done | Outstanding | Grand Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - High confidence | 1117 | 1117 | 55,74% | |
3 - Medium high confidence | 266 | 266 | 13,27% | |
4 - Medium confidence | 111 | 111 | 5,54% | |
5 - Low confidence Captured on farm description | 99 | 99 | 4,94% | |
6 - Could not locate | 44 | 44 | 2,20% | |
7 - Not done yet | 364 | 364 | 18,21% | |
8 - Already rehabilitated | 1 | 1 | 0,05% | |
Grand Total | 1640 | 364 | 2004 | 100,00% |
The only remaining category of mines yet to be fully captured is alluvial diamond mining. This category requires additional time and is currently in the process of being mapped and integrated into the database.
"unearth" Artwork
The theme of "unearth" highlights how mining disrupts the planet’s crust, releasing pollutants like mercury and cyanide into soil and waterways. Open-pit mines and tailings generate dust and hazardous particles, affecting local and distant environments.
You are welcome to use this artwork. It was created by compiling over a thousand photographs of various mining operations, tailings, heaps, and waste dumps across South Africa. To enrich the composition, an AI-generated depiction of an anonymous mineworker was included. These images were carefully mosaicked together, resulting in the final piece of artwork that reflects the diverse landscapes and human presence within South Africa’s mining industry. The artwork can be downloaded from here.
This is how a zoomed-in area of the artwork looks:
It will print in hi-resolution on a A2 canvas.
It's important to recognize that underground mining often extends beyond farm boundaries, and the point locations provided represent only the surface-level operations visible from aerial imagery. Subsurface activities may cover a much broader area.
This initiative will significantly enhance spatial planning efforts until the official mining cadastre, commissioned by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), is completed.
For assistance with spatial planning projects involving the location of mining activities in South Africa, feel free to contact Willem at willem@mandalagis.co.za.
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