Water management in mining is the comprehensive, strategic, and operational framework through which mining companies plan, monitor, control, and report on the use, quality, and conservation of water resources associated with all phases of a mine's life, from exploration through operation to closure and post-closure monitoring. Effective water management integrates technical systems — including water balance modelling, infrastructure design, treatment plant operation, and real-time monitoring — with governance structures, regulatory compliance, community engagement, and risk management. In bauxite mining, water management encompasses overburden stripping impacts on local drainage, ore washing water use, refinery process liquor management, and red mud facility seepage control. Gold mine water management is dominated by the risks associated with cyanide-bearing tailings water, acid mine drainage, and the potential for catastrophic tailings storage facility failures that release contaminated water into downstream environments. Iron ore mine water management addresses the impacts of large-scale pit dewatering on regional groundwater levels, management of fine tailings slurries, and stormwater quality. Diamond mine water management includes pit dewatering, marine sediment plume control in offshore alluvial diamond operations, and security-zoned process water handling. Integrated water management plans include water allocation strategies, source water risk assessments, infrastructure maintenance schedules, emergency response plans, and stakeholder communication strategies to ensure that water resources are managed responsibly throughout the mine's operational life.
