Quarry Southern Africa July 2018 | Page 33

WATER It is no surprise, then, that integrated water management has become the basis for applying best practice in most of the mining sector, and the quarrying segment is also seeing the value of this approach as it pursues its efforts to achieve greater water efficiency. ■ Safety becomes a factor when pits deepen and the quarry highwalls become steeper, as water pressure from behind the wall can be a destabilising factor. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ismail Mahomed, partner and hydrogeologist at SRK Consulting. Ismail Mohamed is partner and hydrogeologist at SRK Consulting. SRK is an independent, global network of consulting practices in over 45 countries on six continents. Its experienced engineers and scientists work with clients in multidisciplinary teams to deliver integrated, sustainable solutions across a range of sectors: water, mining, environment, infrastructure, and energy. QUARRY SA | JULY/AUGUST 2018 _ 31