Résumé - Abstract
Strategic mine-water management operations at the Faro Mine Complex, YT
Esteban Larrea, David W. Blowes, Jeff Bain, Robert Dickson
The Faro Mine Complex (FMC) is an abandoned zinc-lead mine in Yukon, Canada that requires extensive remediation efforts to manage the environmental liabilities. Active care and maintenance is necessary to manage surface and groundwater impacted by acid rock drainage (ARD) and metal leaching (ML). The Strategic Mine-Water Management Operations project combines a mass balance of contaminants at the FMC and the characterization metal removal during the treatment mine waters, to assess the overall mine load balance. Batch experiments will be conducted to understand the dissolved metals removal processes during treatment of mine-impacted waters. The water treatment work will be integrated with a numerical model of the mine load balance, therefore coupling the source and fate of contaminants. This study will increase the understanding of the necessary actions to efficiently remove contaminants from a mine with deteriorating water quality and changing operating conditions. Preliminary results show that the water quality and treatability of the Faro Pit is a determinant factor in the management of contaminated waters at the FMC. Changing geochemical conditions and additional load sources have the potential to change the contaminant distribution and effectiveness of treatment process.