NSERC Industrial Research Chair In Mine Site Reclamation

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One of the most serious environmental issues related to the mining industry in Canada and elsewhere, is the pollution from mine waste disposal areas. When these wastes contain sulphide minerals, they can oxidize and generate contaminants in the water drainage, a phenomenon called acid mine drainage (AMD) when the leachate is acidic and contaminated neutral drainage (CND) in near-neutral conditions. The long term objective of the proposed research consists of developing efficient reclamation strategies that limit environmental impacts and risks using different technologies. More specifically, the program is divided in five projects: 1) Reactivity, hydrogeological properties, and modelling; 2) Reclamation of AMD generating tailings storage areas with engineered covers; 3) Reclamation of AMD generating waste rock piles; 4) Reclamation of CND generating mine wastes; 5) Technology transfer and reclamation costs estimates. The proposed Chair is using a combination of different investigative approaches that include lab testing, physical modelling, in situ measurements and monitoring, and numerical model development and applications. This industrial chair will allow developing new technologies or improving existing technologies to reclaim mine waste disposal areas from hard rock mines that are located in different climatic conditions. This aspect is becoming more and more crucial even at the initial stage of a project where the close by communities need to be convinced that the proposed mine will not become an environmental problem at the end of the mine life. The work will be performed through Highly Qualified Personnel training, who will become the much needed specialists that will help the industry produce metals while reducing their environmental impacts.