Thus, T&N avoided legal action, compensation claims from miners with asbestos related diseases, including their families, and the costs associated with cleaning up the mine site.

[7] As part of the decommissioning process, the underground workings were flooded, with water ingress occurring earlier than expected due to unusually heavy rainfall.

Bulembu is located within the Onverwacht Group of the Barberton Supergroup, a geological formation known for its ancient rocks, including some of the oldest greenstone belts on Earth.

These asbestos-bearing rocks, together with associated minerals such as talc, quartz and carbonate veins, have undergone extensive metamorphism and deformation, which is evident in both the surface and underground workings of the mine.

[10] The legacy of the Havelock Mine is characterized by its environmental and health impacts, particularly due to the large amounts of dust generated during its operating years and the challenges associated with the management of the asbestos tailings.

[11][12] The closure of the mine and subsequent flooding of the underground workings has generated a substantial volume of mining-influenced water (MIW), estimated at 8–11 million m³.