From 11 to 23 March 2025, the WaMiSAR team conducted its second field campaign at two contrasting mining sites in Namibia. The team—led by Dr. Karl Richter and Phillip Rinkel (Aquantec), together with Prof. Dr. Stefan Norra, Rosa Sengl, and Sanja Russ (University of Potsdam)—was supported by Paulina Nangombe and Kamundu Kamuiiua, partners from local mining industries at Rosh Pinah and Tsumeb.
During the campaign, soil sensors were installed, and additional soil, plants and groundwater samples were collected (Fig. 1) for analysis of nutrients, trace elements, soil permeability, mineralogy, and trace element uptake by plants. This data will support a deeper understanding of local hydrogeochemical processes and the potentials of spontaneous colonisation of mine residue deposits by different plant species. A parallel vegetation mapping survey documented native flora and their adaptation strategies to harsh conditions, providing an important foundation for future revegetation planning in post-mining landscapes.
The next campaign is planned for September/October 2025.
Strengthening Capacity Building Partnerships
As part of WaMiSAR’s commitment to capacity building, Kamundu Kamuiiua (Sinomine) visited multiple consortium partners—KIT, UP, TZW, Sensatec, Aquantec, and Hydroisotop—from 16 to 30 May 2025. Through on-site visits and seminars (e.g., Fig. 2), she helped deepen institutional collaboration and developed her PhD research plan, having now enrolled at KIT. We are excited to see her progress and anticipate further student involvement in the coming months.
Publications and Press releases
Scientific Contributions at the AquaConSoil 2025
WaMiSAR was well-represented at the AquaConSoil 2025 Conference in Liège (16–20 June). Prof. Andreas Tiehm and Dr. Lara Stelmaszyk (Fig. 3) presented a poster and spotlight talk on: “Micro- and molecular biological studies on the remediation of water resources affected by mining activities in southern African regions” The presentation showcased the use of molecular methods to monitor sulfate-reducing and arsenic-oxidizing bacteria in groundwater, based on findings from the October 2024 campaign. The work attracted strong interest and prompted lively discussions with the scientific community.
Scientific Contributions at the 2nd Workshop on Soil Degradation Control, Reclamation and Remediation.
Prof. Stefan Norra (Potsdam University) gave a presentation on “Soil development and spontaneous vegetation growth on mine residue deposits at different climates in Namibia and South Africa”. This workshop took place from 9th to 11th in Sofia, Bulgaria (Fig. 4), and was co-organized by Stefan Norra, Chair of the Commission 3.5 “Soil Degradation Control, Reclamation and Remediation” of the International Union of Soil Science, together with Irena Atanassova from the Nikola Poushkarov Institute of Soil Science, Agrotechnology and Plant Protection. During the workshop a visit to the mine residue deposits of the Assarel Copper Mine near Sofia was organized (Fig. 4).
Upcoming Events and Webinars
As part of the MiWaEduNET webinar series, WaMiSAR has hosted two well-attended sessions:
- “Water-Soil-Plant Transfer of Inorganic Pollutants” (Se and As focus) – by Elisabeth Eiche, KIT
- “Man-Made Soils: The Technosol” – by Stefan Norra, UP
The next webinar, hosted by TZW, will take place on 31 July 2025 on the topic: “Monitoring Strategies of Microbial Groundwater Processes”. Additionally, the next in-person consortium meeting is scheduled for mid-October 2025 in Potsdam, accompanied by new capacity-building site visits.
Kind regards,
The WaMiSAR Team
Authors:
Prof. Dr. Stefan Norra, Teba Gil Diaz
For more information and details, please visit the WaMiSAR project website.
More information on all seven projects can be found here and in the programme publication.
