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

阿尔伯塔油砂区油砂尾矿的回收是一个关键行业和加拿大的优先事项。拟议研究的行业合作伙伴Syncrude加拿大有限公司是世界上最大的油砂合成原油生产商，也是加拿大最大的单一来源，该公司正在积极开发创新策略来回收其尾矿。2012年，辛克鲁德委托Base Mine Lake （BML）对水盖尾砂技术（WCTT）作为尾砂处置手段进行评估。预计从长远来看，该湖将形成一个含氧表面带，有可能支持更高的营养水平。现有尾矿库的证据表明，尾矿层贡献的耗氧化合物（OCC）的微生物生物地球化学循环可能会减缓BML水顶氧化带的发育。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。拟议的为期三年的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)原位氧消耗率（OCR）和(3)OCC和涉及OCR的生物地球化学过程在空间、季节和年时间尺度上的特征。结果将确定影响BML氧区早期发育的重要微生物和化学成分，并确定其影响。因此，结果将为Syncrude的BML研究目标提供信息，以充分了解影响BML开发的过程，并最终将其纳入闭合景观，从而为未来的EPL应用提供充分的信息。通过改善环境管理，提高油砂活动的可持续性，以及对13名HQP进行前沿应用环境科学培训，这将使加拿大受益。这些HQP将培养加拿大未来油砂开采所需的尾矿回收的关键技能和经验

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