Rentel, U & Rentel, M 2009, 'Determining the rehabilitation success of the old tailings storage facility of Navachab Gold Mine, Karibib, Namibia', in AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2009: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 109-121, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/908_6
(https://papers.acg.uwa.edu.au/p/908_6_Rentel/)
Abstract: Biodiversity and ecosystems are negatively affected by mining. Restoration is an important practice that can 
facilitate the rehabilitation of an area when mining has ceased. This ensures that the ecosystem is restored to 
the best capability as before transformation. The purpose of the study was to determine whether 
rehabilitation on an old tailing storage facility (TSF), Navachab Gold Mine, Karibib, Namibia, was 
successful. This is important as it will provide an indication if more rehabilitation is still required. Four 
different sites: one year (rehabilitated 2007); three years (rehabilitated 2005); five years (rehabilitated 
2003); and an undisturbed reference site were selected on the old TSF. Twelve 5 × 5 m quadrants (three on 
each of the four sites) were randomly distributed on the different sites. On these sites all fauna and flora 
species were recorded using various techniques during December 2008 and January 2009. The results show 
that a great diversity of plants, insects and larger mammals can be found on the old TSF, indicating a stable 
environment. Unfortunately, many species only occur on one of the sites and not on all sites, especially in 
terms of plants and insects. It is thus recommended that rehabilitation should continue and that more plant 
species should be planted to increase the presence of endemic species on the old TSF.