NSERC-UQAT Industrial Research Chair on mine site reclamation

在过去的20年左右，采矿业在发展中投入了大量资金， 改善废石和尾矿管理的工具和技术。不过尽管如此 虽然我们已取得进展，但仍有一些重要的范畴需要研究，特别是在填海方面， 含有可产生受污染矿井排水的活性矿物的矿井废物处置区。的 这项研究计划的长期目标是制定有效的复垦战略， 使用新方法或技术的环境影响和风险。研究内容包括五个 项目：1）与矿区复垦有关的理论问题; 2）尾矿储存设施的复垦; 3） 废石储存设施的填海; 4）工程矿井覆盖物的长期性能;以及5） 技术和知识转让。拟议的主席将采用各种调查办法， 包括实验室测试、物理模拟、现场测量和监测以及数值模型 开发和应用。这种工业椅将允许开发新技术和/或 改进现有的硬岩矿采矿废物处理区回收技术， 位于不同的气候条件下。填海策略的规划变得越来越重要， 即使在项目的早期阶段，当地社区必须确信， 不会成为环境问题。该主席的工作将通过培训以下人员进行： 高素质的人才，他们将成为急需的专家，帮助采矿业生产 同时减少对环境的影响。

Over the past twenty years or so, the mining industry has invested significant capital in the development of tools and technologies for improving the management of waste rocks and tailings. However, despite this progress, there are still important areas that need to be studied, particularly with respect to the reclamation of mine waste disposal areas containing reactive minerals that can generate contaminated mine drainages. The long-term objective of this research program is to develop efficient reclamation strategies that limit environmental impacts and risks using novel approaches or technologies. The proposed research includes five projects: 1) Theoretical aspects related to mine site reclamation; 2) Reclamation of tailings storage facilities; 3) Reclamation of waste rock storage facilities; 4) Long-term performance of engineered mine covers; and 5) Technology and knowledge transfer. The proposed Chair will use a combination of investigative approaches, including laboratory testing, physical modeling, in situ measurements and monitoring, and numerical model development and application. This industrial chair will allow for the development of new technologies and/or the improvement of existing technologies for reclaiming mine waste disposal areas at hard rock mines that are located in varied climatic conditions. The planning of reclamation strategies is becoming increasingly crucial, even during the early stages of a project in which local communities must be convinced that a proposed mine will not become an environmental problem. The work in this Chair will be performed through the training of highly qualified personnel who will become much-needed specialists that will help the mining industry produce metals while reducing their environmental impacts.