Soil Pollution with Heavy Metals in Mine Environments, Impact Areas of Mine Dumps Particularly of Gold- and Copper Mining Industries in Southern Africa

Waste products of the mining industry are very important factors in the field of environmental pollution, soil pollution particularly. In the following case studies soil pollution with heavy metals in the surroundings of tailings dumps from gold- and copper mining industries, was investigated. In order to enhance knowledge about mine dumps and to provide relevant institutions in the region with identification methods, a GIS approach has been developed. The results of the studies made it possible to identify such surface soils of tailings dumps as had been severely polluted by heavy metals. This is demonstrated in two study areas in the SADC region.