The CSIR Groundwater team is currently working on innovative ways of managing the impact of mine closure, in particular the decant of polluted mine water. The team is also studying the hydrogeological properties of mine dumps (waste rock is dumped at the surface as a slurry) in order to better understand the movement of water and pollutants through these dumps and find ways to reduce environmental damage. Keywords: Groundwater research, Mine closure strategies, Environmental degradation, Stockholm world water week, 13-17 August 2007.