Abstract
The key to success of new technology development and application of source control strategies is rooted in our fundamental understanding of how the interaction between mine waste, water, and the selected technology evolve over time. Given the relative infancy of certain source control strategies, our ability to use field scale examples over time is limited, and the prediction of long-term source control performance is required to provide context around technology risks and successes. But what we predict – and how we choose to predict it – is entirely dependent on the specific technology goals and objectives. This paper provides an overview of lower technology readiness level source control strategies being evaluated in the industry, common source control goals and objectives, and provides hypothetical examples to illustrate the relationship between meeting objectives (success) and understanding long term risks. The objective of this paper is to highlight the importance of upfront technical work in framing decision making for source control, and the importance of ongoing risk management.