Groundwater modelling at the mine sites involves assumptions from the geological model, mining stages, parametrization, and fractures, among others. Modelling work mainly focuses on calibrating against historical measurements before operations (pre-mining) or afterwards (transient calibration). Calibration is carried out mainly with gradient-based algorithms. However, the majorlimitation is the number of model runs, since the number of parameters can easily reach hundreds or more. PEST has become the common tool for parameter estimation.

Water resources, including groundwater, are under threat globally from abstraction and pollution, making studies of water flows ever more urgent. South Africa has a growing population, a relatively dry climate and abundant mining activity, all of which increase the importance of water management. Mooiplaas Dolomite Quarry, southeast of Pretoria, has been mining metallurgical grade dolomite since 1969 and is located in the productive karst aquifers of the Malmani Subgroup, Transvaal Supergroup.

Historically Finsch Diamond Mine has experienced groundwater inflow in the underground workings of the mine. The inflow results in unsafe and undesirable working conditions. Sampling was conducted over a three month period in order to determine the source of the groundwater inflow. The sampling consisted of various underground samples, monitoring borehole samples as well as surficial water body samples. The samples were analysed for major and minor chemical constituents as well as O18 and H2 isotopes.