Abstract:

An active mine site located in Northern Canada is transitioning from open pit to underground operations, and from tailings deposition in a designated tailings storage facility to in-pit tailings deposition. The changes in mining operations are anticipated to have a substantial effect on current water management practices. As the underground operations expand, an increase water demand will be required above the current site permit to take water. The groundwater seepage within the underground has high salinity and will require additional water management considerations through life of mine.

This presentation will discuss potential risks associated with the expanding underground operations and change in water management at the site. An assessment of potential water management and reuse options to support the increasing water demands for underground operations were explored. The potential implications of managing the saline groundwater seepage were also considered. An options analysis was completed to determine several potential preferred options for water supply and saline water management. A water balance and water quality modelling supported assessment of the preferred water management options to consider the process water demand and potential water quality impacts of recycling of the underground mine water discharge within the current site water management infrastructure. Based on the results of the modelling, a preferred option for process water supply and overall site water management was selected to provide sufficient process water of an acceptable water quality to limit infrastructure maintenance long-term.

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Ms. Heather R. Townsend