Guidance for the Integrated Use of Hydrological, Geochemical, and Isotopic Tools in Mining Operations

Abstract

This paper summarizes international state-of-the-art applications and opportunities for employing and deploying hydrological, geochemical, and isotopic tools in an integrated manner for investigations of mining operations. It is intended to aid formulation of more integrated approaches for evaluating the overall sustainability of mining projects. The focus is particularly on mine waters, including: environmental water sources, mine water dynamics, and as a source and vector for pollution in the wider environment. The guidance is generic to mining projects and not just reflective of a particular extraction (e.g. coal, metalliferous, uranium) industry. A mine life cycle perspective has been adopted to highlight the potential for more integrated investigations at each stage of a mining operation. Three types of mines have been considered: new (i.e. those in the planning stage), active (i.e. working mines), and historical mines (i.e. inactive and abandoned mines). The practical usage of geochemical analyses and isotopic studies described here emphasise characterisation, dynamics, and process understanding for water quality considerations in tandem with water resource and environmental impact implications. Both environmental (i.e. ambient) and applied (i.e. injected) tracers are considered. This guide is written for scientists (including isotope specialists) who have limited or no mine water experience, environmental managers, planners, consultants, and regulators with key interests in planned, active, and legacy mining projects.

Mine Waste Rock: Insights for Sustainable Hydrogeochemical Management

“…To minimize detrimental environmental impacts from mine wastes, mine sites are required to abide by legislative environmental quality standards during the entire mining cycle, i.e., from exploration and development to decades past closure [12,13]. To this end, effective long-term waste management strategies need to be developed [14,15].…”

“…Prediction of drainage quantity and quality from mine wastes requires knowledge on the local geology and weathering climate, as well as the mine waste's mineralogy, geochemistry, hydrogeology, et cetera. While local weathering conditions and the geology at a mining site are typically well-known, the properties of waste materials relevant to environmental management are usually unknown at early mine development stages and can hardly be determined a priori from theoretical calculations or by extrapolation of laboratory test results [13]. There can be a significant lag time between waste placement and onset of ARD, the composition of waste varies from mine site to mine site and can be highly heterogeneous even within sites, especially in complex geological settings.…”

“…The geochemistry of acid mine drainage [2] Sustainable mining practices [50] Mine wastes: past, present, future [1] Hydrogeochemical processes governing the origin, transport, and fate of major and trace elements from mine wastes and mineralized rock to surface waters [51] Management of sulfide-bearing waste, a challenge for the mining industry [52] Acid mine drainage: challenges and opportunities [53] Waste-rock hydrogeology and geochemistry [16] Hydrogeochemistry and microbiology of mine drainage: an update [54] Geochemical and mineralogical aspects of sulfide mine tailings [17] Mine waste characterization, management, and remediation [14] The mine of the future-even more sustainable [55] Mining waste and its sustainable management: advances in worldwide research [56] Guidance for the integrated use of hydrological, geochemical, and isotopic tools in mining operations [13]…”

Dimensions of water management in the extractive industries

“…Commonly, mine site rehabilitation is also considered a mining activity, which includes the revitalization of mining areas after the extraction of raw materials. Technical measures for this are the groundwater rebound after switching off the pumps (mine flooding), the closure and dismantling of the mining facilities, the covering of heaps and tailings facilities and the reclamation of the land used for mining and their landscaping.Water management plays a substantial role in all phases of mining and in all types of mining activities (Grünewald, 2001;Tiwary, 2001;Wolkersdorfer et al, 2020). During the exploration phase, extensive hydrogeological studies must be carried out to allow comprehensive planning for…”

“…Water management plays a substantial role in all phases of mining and in all types of mining activities (Grünewald, 2001;Tiwary, 2001;Wolkersdorfer et al, 2020). During the exploration phase, extensive hydrogeological studies must be carried out to allow comprehensive planning for…”