While State-owned electricity utility Eskom produces more than 34-million tons of coal ash a year, only 7% to 10% is beneficiated, with the remaining material accumulating in dumps scattered across Gauteng, the Free State and Mpumalanga, where it poses a significant environmental threat. The University of the Western Cape Department of Chemistry’s Professor Leslie Petrik has long worked on proving that the residue from coal combustion can be used cost effectively to treat acid mine drainage (AMD), manufacture geopolymer-based cement, roof tiles, bricks and paving stones, as well as lintels, fire-retardant panels and insulation material.