Review of the groundwater documemtation related to the proposed Yzermyn Colliery

The report reviews groundwater documentation for the proposed Yzermyn Colliery, concluding that previous assessments underestimated the risks to wetlands and groundwater-dependent ecosystems. The author highlights contradictions in wetland sensitivity reports, disputes the limited drawdown predictions in the amended EIAR, and warns that the mine is likely to decant acidic, sulphate-rich water post-closure.

• The author disputes claims in the amended EIAR that the cone of depression in the shallow aquifer will be lowered by at most 8 m, stating that a maximum 9 m drop is significant for wetlands and is similar to the 10 m predicted in the WSP report.
• The author concludes that the proposed mine is likely to decant, with decanting water expected to have sulphate values of 1000 mg/L. Because 67% of Yzermyn coal samples are classified as potentially acid generating, the decanting water may be acidic and require treatment.
• The review of the SAS 2014 report identifies several deficiencies, including a failure to assess the impacts of the 'best environment option' (which changed the surface layout), a heavy reliance on the NFEPA database, and a lack of quantification regarding the impacts of mine dewatering on sensitive ecosystems and wetlands.
• The author identifies contradictions in a SAS wetland delineation letter dated 9 December 2014. While the letter describes hillslope seeps as 'highly marginal' with 'extremely limited' conservation importance, the SAS 2014 report assigned these and a channeled valley bottom wetland the highest Ecological Importance and Sensitivity (EIS) score of A.
• Comparing the Delta H and WSP modelling reports, the author notes that while the reports differ in their specific drawdown predictions (Delta H predicts 9 m and 50 m; WSP predicts 10 m and 55 m for shallow and deep aquifers respectively), the actual dewatering cones are similar and will affect protected areas, wetlands, and springs.
• The review of the Delta H report notes that while it follows international ASTM guidelines, it has limited scenarios and fails to quantify potential impacts on wetlands, baseflow, and springs for various mining stages, nor does it address pollution plumes from the mine void.
• The author criticizes the EcoPartners report as 'poorly written and motivated,' noting that it relies on an outdated WARMS database, fails to mention reliance on springs, and incorrectly assumes that a surface watershed acts as a groundwater divide.

APA

Dennis, I. (2016). Review of the groundwater documemtation related to the proposed Yzermyn Colliery. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Annexure-G-Dennis-Review.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Dennis, Ingrid. Review of the groundwater documemtation related to the proposed Yzermyn Colliery. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2016. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Annexure-G-Dennis-Review.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dennis |first1=Ingrid |title=Review of the groundwater documemtation related to the proposed Yzermyn Colliery |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=August 2016 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Annexure-G-Dennis-Review.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dennis2016review, author = {Dennis, Ingrid}, title = {{Review of the groundwater documemtation related to the proposed Yzermyn Colliery}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2016}, month = aug, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Annexure-G-Dennis-Review.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }