South Africa Probes Tailings Dam Failure at Dikwena Chrome Mine

According to DWS, the failure occurred at Compartment 1B when its northern wall collapsed, allowing almost all of the tailings, also known as slimes, stored within the compartment to escape.

South African water authorities are investigating the failure of a tailings storage facility at Samancor's Dikwena Chrome mine near Brits in the North West after a wall collapsed and released almost all the mining waste stored inside one of its compartments.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and Limpopo-Olifants Catchment Management Agency (LOCMA) were notified of the breach at around 5:30pm on August 13, 2026. Engineers from the department's Dam Safety Regulation specialist unit and LOCMA officials were sent to the site, where they joined the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources for an assessment of the damage and possible environmental effects.

Collapsed Wall Releases Tailings From Mine Facility

According to DWS, the failure occurred at Compartment 1B when its northern wall collapsed, allowing almost all of the tailings, also known as slimes, stored within the compartment to escape. The incident caused damage to mine infrastructure, a railway line and Eskom powerlines, while an unnamed tributary was also polluted.

No casualties were reported, providing some relief after a failure involving a large volume of mine waste. The released material was prevented from reaching the R566 provincial road by a railway embankment and berms located at the neighbouring Eland Mine, according to Water and Sanitation spokesperson Wisane Mavasa.

The barriers limited the direction of the flow, though authorities are still working to establish the wider consequences of the breach and the condition of the affected infrastructure.

Water Samples Collected as Environmental Impact Is Assessed

Officials have taken water samples from the affected watercourse to determine the nature and extent of contamination, with laboratory results still pending. Those findings are expected to provide a clearer picture of the possible impact on water quality and help authorities determine what remedial action may be required.

LOCMA's involvement reflects its responsibility for managing water resources across the Limpopo-Olifants Water Management Area. The agency was established under Section 78 of South Africa's National Water Act 36 of 1998 and covers the area where the Dikwena Chrome mine incident occurred.

DWS has also verbally directed the mine to stop depositing tailings into any of its tailings dams while the investigation continues, a precaution intended to reduce further risks until authorities have a better understanding of what caused the failure.

Minister Calls for Registration of Mine Tailings Dams

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina used the incident to renew her call for mining companies to register tailings dams that meet the legal requirements for classification as dams with a safety risk under the National Water Act. Registration allows the department to carry out its regulatory and oversight responsibilities, an important consideration because failures at tailings facilities can create risks extending beyond mine boundaries to water resources, public infrastructure and nearby communities.

The investigation at Dikwena Chrome mine will now focus on the circumstances behind the collapse and its environmental consequences, while laboratory testing will help establish the scale of pollution in the affected tributary. Mining companies seeking information about the registration requirements for tailings dams have been advised to contact the Department of Water and Sanitation's Dam Safety Office.