KLM Consulting Services Knowledge Base
< All Topics
Technical note: Mud rushes and water inflows in underground mines. A call to arms to save lives (2026)
Posted
K.L. Morton
KLM Consulting Services Pty Ltd, 22 Central Road, Sunrella AH, South Africa
Abstract
This technical note reviews the status quo of mud rushes and flooding, which have claimed the lives of many people in underground mines in South Africa and globally. Given that the causes are well known and can be managed, the note calls for the development of a national and global standard on flood and mud rush prevention in order to save lives.
Citation: K.L. Morton. 2026. Technical note: Mud rushes and water inflows in underground mines. A call to arms to save lives. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, vol. 126, no. 3, pp. 141–142
-
Publications
- A four-phased approach to mine dewatering design and implementation for surface and underground mines - 2026
- Technical note: Mud rushes and water inflows in underground mines. A call to arms to save lives (2026)
- Catoca Diamond Mine – implementation of an advanced monitoring network for a Tailings Storage Facility (2025)
- Advances in integrated performance monitoring of Tailings Storage Facilities (2025)
- Advances in mine dewatering design and monitoring at Tharisa chrome mine Rustenburg South Africa (2025)
- A phased approach to mine dewatering – updated from IMWA 1993 (2024)
- What lies beneath – the use of thermal imagery and satellite data to observe tailings seepage and water risk and pre-empt failures (2023)
- Advanced monitoring of Tailings Storage Facilities and dams to prevent failure (2023)
- Structural logging and modelling for use in simulation of inflows in underground hard rock mines (2023)
- The use of groundwater monitoring and underground pressure release tests to benefit block caving (2022)
- The use of mineral exploration drilling to kickstart hydrogeology data collection for pre-feasibility mining studies and beyond (2021)
- The Use of Accurate Pore Pressure Monitoring for Risk Reduction in Tailings Dams (2021)
- Advances in tailings monitoring, a hydrogeologists perspective (2021)
- A historical perspective of diamond mine dewatering design and guidelines for modern diamond mine (2021)
- The Zone of Relaxation: Advanced Mine Dewatering Strategy for Finsch Mine, South Africa (2020)
- WIN WIN: A women-driven initiative for the cleanup of mine dump residue (2020)
- Tailings dam risk reduction using accurate pore pressure monitoring (2020)
- Tailings dam risk reduction using accurate pore pressure monitoring (2020)
- The Anatomy And Circulation Of Mine Water In Carbonatite Mines, Specifically Diamond Mines (2018)
- Alternate solutions for acid mine drainage - making profit from waste (2017)
- The business case for accurate mine water management (2017)
- Beating the recession through accurate mine water control (2016)
- Comparison of Designs for the Dewatering of Coal, Gold and Diamond Mines in Southern Africa (2009)
- Block cave dewatering: A case history from Finsch diamond mine, Northern Cape (2007)
- Hydrogeology of Venetia diamond mine, South Africa (2003)
- Back to basics - the quest for good hydrogeological data (2002)
- Mine Dewatering (2002)
- The use of thermal imagery in groundwater studies (2000)
- Data collection and aquifer structure of Finsch Mine (2000)
- Impact of groundwater on mining at Finsch Diamond Mine (1994)
- Mine drainage control and environment protection by using grouting technology and the hydrogeological approach (1994)
- A phased approach to mine dewatering (1993)
- Evaluation of a fractured rock aquifer (1993)
- Mine and quarry dewatering (1992)
- The prediction of minewater inflows (1988)
- Calculation of Mine Water Inflow using Interactively a Groundwater Model and an Inflow Model (1987)
- The optimisation of conjunctive use for water supply: A case study (1987)
- The Influence of underground coal mining on Ground water (1984)
- Show Remaining Articles (23) Collapse Articles
-
Theses & Dissertations:
-
Books (Published & In Preparation)
-
KLMCS Legal