Professor Jannie Maree was honoured during the 16^th annual NSTF-BHP Billiton Awards to celebrate outstanding contributions to science, engineering, technology and innovation.

As Rand Water chair in Water Utilisation, and the team leader of the Treatment Group at the Tswane University of Technology, Prof. Maree, in conjunction with its industrial partner on the project, Key Structure Holdings, focused on developing a cost effective solution for the treatment of acid water and brines.

The Western, Central and Eastern Basin of the Witwatersrand produce 200 million litres of acid mine water, which often contain valuable deposits for re-use. During the desalination process, large brine streams are also produced. In addition, the fertiliser industry produces 15 000 tonnes per day of waste gypsum as sulphuric acid used for the processing of phosphate rock acid.