The role of redox biogeochemistry in oxic zone development in the oil sands first reclamation end pit lake, Syncrude Canada's Base Mine Lake.

在阿尔伯塔油砂地区，油砂尾矿的回收是一个关键行业，也是加拿大的优先事项。拟议研究的行业合作伙伴Syncrude Canada Ltd.作为世界上最大的油砂合成原油生产商和加拿大最大的单一来源，埃克森美孚正在积极开发创新战略，以回收其尾矿。2012年，Syncrude委托Base Mine Lake（BML）评估水覆盖尾矿技术（WCTT）作为尾矿处置手段。预计从长远来看，该湖将形成一个有潜力支持更高营养水平的含氧表层区。根据现有尾矿池的证据，有证据表明，来自尾矿层的耗氧化合物（OCC）的微生物生态地球化学循环可能会减少BML水帽氧化带的发展。然而，由于这是油砂中第一个商业规模的端坑湖（EPL），BML的发展轨迹和结果尚不确定。拟议的三年实地研究将直接解决这一重要的知识差距。它将描述（1）BML水帽深度依赖的氧浓度，（2）原位耗氧率（OCR）和（3）OCC和OCR涉及的地球化学过程在空间，季节和年度时间尺度。研究结果将确定重要的微生物和化学成分影响好氧区早期发展BML，并确定其影响。因此，结果将告知Syncrude的BML研究目标，以充分了解影响BML的发展和最终纳入封闭景观的过程，以便未来的EPL应用程序得到充分的信息。它将通过改善环境管理和提高油砂活动的可持续性以及在前沿应用环境科学方面培训13名HQP而使加拿大受益。这些HQP将发展尾矿回收的关键技能和经验，这将是加拿大油砂未来所需的。

Reclamation of oil sands tailings in the Alberta Oil Sands Region is a key industry and Canadian priority. The industry partner in the proposed research, Syncrude Canada Ltd., ranked as the world's largest producer of synthetic crude from oil sands and the biggest single source in Canada, is actively developing innovative strategies to reclaim their tailings. In 2012, Syncrude commissioned Base Mine Lake (BML) to assess water capped tailings technology (WCTT) as a means of tailings disposal. It is expected that in the long term, the lake will develop an oxygenated surface zone with the potential to support higher trophic levels. Based on evidence from existing tailings ponds, there is evidence that microbial biogeochemical cycling of oxygen consuming compounds (OCC) contributed from the tailings layer may reduce BML water cap oxic zone development. However, as this is the first commercial-scale end pit lake (EPL) in the oil sands, the developmental trajectory and outcome in BML are uncertain. The proposed three-year, field-based research will directly address this important knowledge gap. It will characterize (1) BML water cap depth dependent oxygen concentrations, (2) in situ oxygen consumption rates (OCR) and (3) the OCC and biogeochemical processes involved in OCR over spatial, seasonal and annual time scales. The results will identify important microbial and chemical constituents affecting oxic zone early development in BML and determine their impact. Results will thus inform Syncrude's BML research goal to sufficiently understand processes affecting BML's development and ultimate incorporation in the closure landscape such that future EPL applications are well informed. It will benefit Canada through improved environmental management and increased sustainability of oil sands activities and the training of 13 HQP in leading edge, applied environmental sciences. These HQP will develop the critical skills and experience in tailings reclamation that will needed for the future of the oil sands in Canada**********