Translated by Sama Marwan,
Dr. Abbas Sharaki, a professor of geology and water resources at Cairo University, has warned about mining contaminants caused by floods in the Abu Hamad area of Sudan’s Nile River state, revealing the role of the High Dam in mitigating these pollutants.
In a post on his personal Facebook page, Dr. Sharaki stated that many regions in most Sudanese states have experienced floods for the first time in many years.
These rains extended northwards to southern Egypt, particularly affecting the Al-Alaqi Basin, the High Dam Lake, Abu Simbel, and the Al-Owainat region.
In Sudan, the floods hit northern Darfur and the Abu Hamad area in the Nile River state, leading to the collapse of thousands of homes and causing numerous casualties.
Contaminants in Major Mining Area in Sudan
Dr. Sharaki noted that Abu Hamad is one of the largest gold mining areas in Sudan.
The floods have washed away a significant amount of mining waste, where gold is chemically extracted (a gram or several grams) from each ton of crushed rock.
The remaining waste contains heavy metals like lead, zinc, copper, and sulfur, as well as chemicals used in the separation process, such as mercury.
This waste is piled into heaps reaching millions of tons near the mine. When it rains, much of this waste and its associated elements are carried towards water channels, farms, and some seep into groundwater, posing risks to humans and living organisms. According to some reports, there are already health issues among residents in this area.
Dr. Sharaki also pointed out that some of the floodwater from Abu Hamad flows into the Merowe Dam reservoir, which holds about 12 billion cubic meters.
Most of the sediments settle at the bottom of the reservoir, with the outflow water containing only a small amount of dissolved sediments.
The water then travels from the Merowe Dam gates to Lake Nasser, a journey of 1,000 kilometers, where more sediments and elements are deposited.
The remaining silt and sediments eventually settle at the bottom of Lake Nasser, which has a capacity of 162 billion cubic meters and covers an area of about 5,000 square kilometers.
This sediment removal process may continue for several years until the water exiting through the High Dam gates is free of contaminants, providing another benefit of the High Dam.
Dr. Sharaki concluded, “Once Sudan (hopefully soon) returns to normal, environmental regulations could be established, and measures taken towards mining companies to cover rocks after mineral extraction and reforest old spoil heaps to stabilize them.
I have witnessed the anger of miners in the United States and attended meetings with them regarding regulations mandated by the government, requiring mining companies to return rocks to the ground after extraction to prevent exposure to rain.
This has cost them significantly, forcing many to operate outside the U.S. in countries with less stringent environmental regulations, such as Mexico, South America, and African nations.”
