It’s not only in Australia that recent floods threaten to trigger the release of toxic heavy metals from flooded mines. Nor is Australia the only country where links have been drawn between the deluges and global greenhouse gas emissions. Rains, now striking South Africa’s Gauteng region, could compound much further what is already the worst environmental crisis facing the country. This is the potential overflow of millions of gallons of acid-laced waters from the province’s former gold mines. After declaring a state of disaster in 28 municipalities in seven provinces, a South African government minister is quoted as squarely blaming the “freak weather” on adverse climate change.
See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=10664.