Physical Limnology of Base Mine Lake

加拿大辛克鲁德有限公司承担的基础矿湖项目是油砂行业第一个商业规模的示范项目，将油砂液体细尾矿(泥)放置在已开采的矿坑中，并用水将这些尾矿覆盖起来，形成一个尾矿湖。随着尾矿的脱水和沉降，湖泊的深度将从目前的约10米逐渐增加。我们建议与加拿大辛克鲁德有限公司联合开展一个研究项目，以了解末端矿坑湖泊中水的物理动力学。我们将研究甲烷气泡、冰的形成和融化、层化、内波和秋季周转等过程。我们的目标是了解这些因素如何影响细粒尾矿在湖底的沉降和再悬浮，对湖水的浑浊和光线的穿透，以及对溶解氧的运输。我们还将研究湖泊在沉降时如何受到流体细粒尾矿(泥浆)释放出的咸水孔隙水的影响。我们建议使用基矿湖的现场观测、半解析和数值模型以及实验室实验来描述环流、输送和再悬浮等物理过程。我们将与加拿大辛克鲁德有限公司和其他研究人员合作，研究湖水和流体细粒尾矿的泥质湖底的化学和生物演化。我们拟议的工作将为加拿大油砂行业提供成功将这些湖泊纳入围垦封闭区景观所需的重要信息，从而使加拿大油砂行业受益。这项工作将为加拿大带来社会经济利益，不仅有助于更好地了解和管理末端坑湖，而且还有助于更好地管理其他人工和天然水体。

The Base Mine Lake program undertaken by Syncrude Canada Ltd. is the first commercial-scale demonstration in the oil sands industry of the placement of oil sands fluid fine tailings (mud) in a mined out pit, and the capping of these tailings with water to form an end pit lake. As the tailings dewater and settle, the depth of the lake will gradually increase from its present depth of about 10 meters.We propose a joint research project with Syncrude Canada Ltd. to understand the physical dynamics of the water in end pit lakes. We will examine processes such as methane bubbling, ice formation and thawing, stratification, internal waves, and fall turnover. Our goal is to understand how these impact the settling and re-suspension of fine tailings at the bottom of the lake, the turbidity and penetration of light into the lake, and the transport of dissolved oxygen. We will also examine how the lake is affected by saline pore water released from the fluid fine tailings (mud) as it settles. We propose using field observations from Base Mine Lake, semi-analytical and numerical models, and laboratory experiments to characterize physical processes such as circulation, transport and re-suspension. We will collaborate with Syncrude Canada Ltd. and other researchers examining the chemical and biological evolution of both the lake water and the muddy lake bottom of fluid fine tailings.Our proposed work will benefit the Canadian oil sands industry by providing important information requiredfor successful incorporation of such lakes into the reclaimed closure landscape. This work will be ofsocio-economic benefit to Canada by contributing to better understanding and management of not only end pit lakes, but also other man-made and natural water bodies.