2022 Jagersfontein dam collapse

The 2022 Jagersfontein Tailings Dam Collapse was a structural failure of a mine tailings dam near Jagersfontein, located in the Free State province of South Africa, resulting in a mudslide.^{[3][4][1][2][5]}

2022 Jagersfontein dam collapse

2022 Jagersfontein dam collapse (South Africa) Show map of South Africa 2022 Jagersfontein dam collapse (Free State (South African province)) Show map of Free State (South African province)
Date	11 September 2022
Time	06:00 (SAST)
Location	Jagersfontein, Free State, South Africa
Coordinates	29°46′30″S 25°25′39″E / 29.77500°S 25.42750°E / -29.77500; 25.42750
Cause	Structural failure
Deaths	3 ^[1]^[2]
Non-fatal injuries	Over 300 ^[1]^[2]
Missing	Over 9 ^[1]^[2]
Property damage	Over 100 Houses, Road and Rail Infrastructure, Water and Electricity Distribution Networks^[1]^[2]
Displaced	Over 1000 People ^[1]^[2]

Background

The Jagersfontein Mine is currently the deepest hand-excavated hole in the world and is known for:

• the 972 carat (194.4 g) Excelsior Diamond of 1893 and
• the 637 carat (127.4 g) Reitz Diamond of 1895.^[6]

For the duration of the mine's operational history, it was run by De Beers up to 1972, when it was deproclaimed. De Beers did however retain prospecting rights on the property until 2002.

Limited remining operations at the mine were eventually started in September 2010 by a company named Son Op before it changed its name to Jagersfontein Development. Reinet Investments of Luxembourg became involved around 2011, but eventually sold out to Stargems Group around early 2022.^[7]

A court case, De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd v Ataqua Mining (Pty) Ltd, related to historic dumps were found not subject to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act. All standard National Environmental Management Act processes however still applied.^[8]

Tailings Dam Collapse

On 11 September 2022, the dam wall collapsed due to a structural failure.^[9][10][11] About nine houses were swept away by the mudslide and more than 20 damaged.^[12] Three bodies have been found buried under mud with up to 40 people been taken to hospital after sustaining injuries,^[13] with four people have been confirmed to be missing.^[14][12][15]

At 6:00am on 12 September 2022, Eskom was able to restore power to the town.^[5]

On 12 September 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa made a special visit to the town.^[16][11]

On the 28th September 2022, it was reported that a further collapse had occurred.^[17][18]

 

The Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 acquired the image on 10 September 2022, the day before the dam collapse.

 

Almost one month after the collapse, satellite images show that the landscape remains altered by the coating of sludge. The Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9 acquired this image on 4 October 2022.

Related Links

• Merriespruit tailings dam disaster
• Piezometer Monitoring
• Tailings dam

References

1. "'Assessment warned of dam failure, but no steps were taken to protect community'". CapeTalk. from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
2. "South Africa mine dam collapse kills three, injures over 40". The Star. from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
3. Njini, Felix (11 September 2022). "Dam Collapse at Abandoned South African Diamond Mine Kills Three". Bloomberg. from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
4. "'Assessment warned of dam failure, but no steps were taken to protect community'". 702. from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
5. "Eskom hopes to return power to Jagersfontein by Tuesday | eNCA". www.enca.com. from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
6. Streeter, Edwin (1898). Precious Stones and Gems - Their History, Sources and Characteristics. George Bell & Sons. p. 105. from the original on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
7. "IOL: Free State town forgotten in history". from the original on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
8. "De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd v Ataqua Mining (Pty) Ltd and Others (3215/06) [2007] ZAFSHC 74 (13 December 2007)". from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
9. Makhaza, Xanderleigh Dookey. "Jagersfontein mine dam collapse: What we know so far". from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
10. Njilo, Nonkululeko (11 September 2022). "JAGERSFONTEIN TRAGEDY: Free State mine dam burst floods kill three; four people critically injured". Daily Maverick. from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
11. Petersen, Tammy. "Free State dam disaster: Compensation for damage the responsibility of company that owns it - Mantashe". News24. from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
12. "Dam collapse at massive abandoned mine in South Africa leads to flash flood that sweeps away 9 houses, kills at least 3 – Fortune". from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
13. Bega, Sheree (12 September 2022). "Jagersfontein: How mine dams collapse". The Mail & Guardian. from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
14. "DEVELOPING | Jagersfontein floods: Mantashe to visit area on Tuesday as Ramaphosa confirms govt probe". News24. from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
15. "Ramaphosa visits Jagersfontein to assess damage after mine dam collapse". SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader. 12 September 2022. from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
16. Staff Writer (12 September 2022). "Jagersfontein mine owner Stargems says tailings facility was 'safe and secure'". Miningmx. from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
17. "Residents urged 'not to panic' after Jagersfontein hit by another dam wall collapse".
18. "Another dam wall collapse in Jagersfontein | eNCA".