Date and Time
- UTC+2Location
Online
Join the fourth edition of the WASA Webinar Series, hosted by MAMDIWAS, to discover the latest developments in membrane-based technologies and strategies for sustainable mining water treatment.
Mining‑influenced waters pose a significant risk to water resources, especially in regions with high water stress and intensive mining activity, such as South Africa, where scarce freshwater reserves are further burdened by legacy contamination from past and present operations. Adequate treatment, however, also creates opportunities for various reuse options, both for water and for the recovery of minerals.
The first talk will provide an industry‑oriented overview of state‑of‑the‑art concepts for managing and treating mining‑influenced waters, while the second talk will present recent research results that address critical bottlenecks – such as calcium sulfate scaling – through innovative membrane‑based strategies, including advanced nanofiltration approaches, seeded precipitation processes, and early detection of scaling and fouling.
Agenda
- Welcome & speaker introductions
- Private sector perspective: “Mine Water Treatment: Sybane-Stillwater’s Membrane Solutions for Reuse and Resource Recovery” | Quinton Paulse, Unit Manager, Strategic Water Projects at Sibanye Stillwater, South Africa
- Academic presentation: “Novel Membrane-Based Concepts for Mining Water Treatment: Insights from the MAMDIWAS Project” | Martin Futterlieb, Head of Membrane Technology Research Group, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
- Moderated Q&A & discussion
- Wrap-up & announcement of next webinar
Speakers
Quinton Paulse
Unit Manager, Strategic Water Projects at Sibanye-Stillwater, South Africa
Quinton Paulse is a Mine Water Specialist with over a decade of experience driving technical excellence across diverse mining sectors. As a professionally trained chemical engineer, his background is rooted in the full project lifecycle. He specialises in applying technical innovations to optimise water use and reduce freshwater intake for both underground and surface applications. In his current role as Unit Manager for Strategic Water Projects at Sibanye-Stillwater, he leverages his expertise in water stewardship, environmental management, and technical-commercial feasibility studies to lead high-impact sustainability initiatives across Southern African operations. His career is defined by an international perspective, having successfully delivered projects and expanded market footprints across Africa, Central Asia, and Europe.
Martin Futterlieb
Head of Membrane Technology Research Group, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
Martin Futterlieb is a German environmental engineer whose work focuses on water and wastewater treatment. His research centers on membrane‑based solutions for emerging and complex water challenges, including inland brine management, the mitigation of membrane fouling and scaling, water reuse, resource recovery, and organic micropollutant removal. Since 2024, he has been heading the Membrane Technology research group at the University of Duisburg-Essen as part of the Chair of Mechanical Process Engineering – Water Technology, led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Panglisch.
Participation
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/373896052881360?p=3WXjMNyxmb4mXoImS5
Meeting ID: 373 896 052 881 360
Passcode: vD7he2aV
The WASA Webinar Series unites academia, industry, and policy through a dynamic two-part format including a technical or academic presentation from a WASA project partner, followed by a public or private sector perspective on the relevance and application of the technology within Sub-Saharan Africa’s water sector.
About MAMDIWAS
MAMDIWAS is one of seven cooperation projects of the Water Security in Africa (WASA) research programme. Learn more about the objectives, current activities, its private sector partners, and connect with the project team here.