International Mine Water Association


The International Mine Water Association is the first scientific-technical association worldwide dedicated to mine water related topics. Its peer-reviewed journal is Mine Water and the Environment.

History

IMWA was founded in 1979 in Granada, Spain, due to the steadily increasing problems related to water in the mining sector. Back then, the main focus of the association was on safety issues of water in mining. Over the years the focal point changed to more environmental issues. Since its conception, IMWA aimed to promote contacts between researchers, mine operators, consultants, and students. For this purpose, IMWA organizes congresses every three years and, in the years in between, symposia are held. In 2014, about 250 delegates from 40 nations attended the 12th IMWA Congress in Xuzhou, China.

Publications

Since 1982, the IMWA has published the Journal of the International Mine Water Association which was later renamed Mine Water and the Environment. Today, the Journal is available electronically and in printed form from Springer-Nature,. Since 2010, it is listed in the Science Citation Index Expanded and is dispatched quarterly to more than 1,000 subscribers worldwide. Its electronic articles are requested several thousands of times per month.
Furthermore, the book series Mining and the Environment was launched in 2008 with the first volume being devoted to mine water management and tracer tests and the second volume focusing on acidic pit lakes.

Congresses and symposia

Since its formation, IMWA has held 14 congresses and a number of symposia, all of which were organized by the respective local IMWA host:
In 2013 the International Mine Water Association records 851 individual including 66 corporate members from 40 Nations with two local groups in Europe and North America, respectively. Since 1997 membership of the association grew steadily from 70 members to today's numbers; mainly based on the increasing importance of water and its environmental aspects in mining. Most members of IMWA are registered in North America, followed by Europe, South Africa and Australia.