Research done by North-West University has found high levels of uranium in groundwater and water used for cattle in the Wonderfonteinspruit area, in the North West.

The research suggests that this is the result of pollution from acid mine drainage (AMD) caused by derelict gold mines in the area.

“The information suggests that the uranium concentration in samples taken from an expe- rimental group of cattle was 126.75 times higher in the liver, 4 350 times higher in the kidney, 47.75 times higher in the spleen, 31.6 times higher in the muscle tissue, 60 times higher in the bone and 129 times higher in the hair, compared with cattle samples in surrounding areas from Randfontein, in Gauteng, to Potchefstroom, in the North West,” says Democratic Alliance Gauteng agriculture and rural development spokesperson Thomas Walters.

Walters says the study has identified that the lead content is 17.3 times higher than what it should be.

“There are health and safety standards in the food industry, along with existing quality controls, so I am not currently concerned with uranium-contaminated meat on the market; however, it is a possibility,” he says.

The research also shows that the uranium found in the cattle is not harmful to humans if they consume less than 0.38 kg of contaminated meat per day, which strongly suggests that there is no risk to the human food chain.

Walters highlights that the livelihoods of the farming and rural communities in that area, who regularly use uranium-contaminated groundwater for personal consumption and the irrigation of their crops, need to be taken into consideration.

“If people in that area can no longer sell their produce, owing to uranium contamination of the water, it will result in job losses, which is currently my main concern,” notes Walters, adding that health issues linked with uranium contamination from groundwater cannot be ignored.

“Uranium has been linked to cancer in humans and animals, as it affects the cell structure of a body. It is a harmful substance, and the by-products of uranium are radio- active,” he says.

Acid Mine Drainage

Walters reveals that, according to the report, the uranium contamination of drinking water for cattle and groundwater in the area is related to the ongoing AMD issue.

“The rising water in abandoned mines is polluted with heavy metals and is highly acidic. It is also leaking into the groundwater in the area. We need to establish how many people in the Wonderfonteinspruit area are dependent on groundwater and whether they are consuming toxic levels of uranium through the water,” he says.

Walters notes that the current solution to the contamination of AMD is only temporary.

“State-owned entity the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority has been tasked with developing a treatment plant on the West Rand that pumps lime into abandoned mine water to absorb the acidity.

“This does not, however, remove heavy metals and other pollutants, such as uranium, from the water, so it is not entirely efficient,” he says.

He notes that a long-term solution, such as a proper water purification system, needs to be considered.

“It is more expensive, but it is needed. It will purify the water to reach drinking-quality standards or grey water standards, which can be used for industrial purposes. A long-term solution is needed to stop further uranium contamination in the area,” he concludes.