Thermo-hydrogeological behaviour of mine waste storage facilities in continuous permafrost regions

与加拿大北极采矿项目相关的工程、环境和社会可接受性挑战不计其数。当必须在地表储存大量固体矿山废物，如矿山尾矿和废石时，这些挑战尤其重要。为了在连续多年冻土区设计和制定有效和具有成本效益的废物管理和回收战略，必须充分评估矿山废物储存设施的热和水文地质行为。然而，尽管对废物管理和回收战略有重大影响，但管理尾矿和废石储存设施的热和水文地质行为的过程尚未得到充分评估。这项研究计划的长期目标是更好地了解支配位于连续多年冻土区的矿山废物储存设施行为的热和水文地质过程。这项为期五年的研究计划的第一个主题是评估位于连续多年冻土区的尾矿储存设施的热水文地质行为。本研究的主要短期目标是：(1)评估连续多年冻土区常规和过滤尾矿储存设施的现场热水文地质行为；(2)评估连续多年冻土区尾矿储存设施的长期热行为及其对复垦策略的影响。该研究计划的第二个主题旨在评估位于连续多年冻土区的废石储存设施的热水文地质行为。第二个主题的主要短期研究目标是：(1)在实验室尺度上评估冻结废岩中的水分入渗和储存；(2)利用数值模拟评估冻结废岩中的水分运动。所提出的实验方法结合了尖端测量技术、独特的现场结果和独创的数值模拟。这项研究的结果将提高我们为位于北极地区的矿场设计高质量和可持续的复垦战略的能力。此外，它还将帮助加拿大采矿业更好地管理其矿山废物，减少其对环境的影响，并保护加拿大北极脆弱的生态系统。拟议的研究计划将涉及培养三名本科生、两名硕士和一名博士生。

There are numerous engineering, environmental, and social acceptability challenges associated with mining projects in the Canadian Arctic. These challenges are especially important when large volumes of solid mine wastes, such as mine tailings and waste rocks, must be stored at the surface. In order to design and develop efficient and cost-effective waste management and reclamation strategies in continuous permafrost regions, it is essential to adequately assess the thermal and hydrogeological behavior of mine waste storage facilities. However, despite having significant impacts on waste management reclamation strategies, the processes governing the thermal and hydrogeological behavior of tailings and waste rocks storage facilities have not yet been fully assessed. The long-term goal of this research program is to better understand the thermal and hydrogeological processes governing the behavior of mine waste storage facilities located in continuous permafrost regions. The first theme of this five-year research program aims to assess the thermo-hydrogeological behavior of tailings storage facilities located in continuous permafrost regions. The main short-term objectives of this research theme are to: (1) assess the in situ thermo-hydrogeological behavior of conventional and filtered tailings storage facilities in continuous permafrost regions, and (2) assess the long-term thermal behavior of tailings storage facilities and its impact on reclamation strategies in continuous permafrost regions. The second theme of this research program aims to assess the thermo-hydrogeological behavior of waste rock storage facilities located in continuous permafrost regions. The main short-term research objectives of the second theme are to: (1) assess water infiltration and storage in frozen waste rocks at the laboratory scale, and (2) assess water movement in frozen waste rocks using numerical modeling. The proposed experimental approaches combine cutting-edge measurement techniques with unique in situ results and original numerical modeling. The results of this study will improve our ability to design high-quality and sustainable reclamation strategies for mine sites located in Arctic regions. In addition, it will help the Canadian mining industry to better manage their mine wastes, reduce their environmental impacts, and protect the fragile ecosystems of the Canadian Arctic. The proposed research plan will involve the training of three undergraduate students, two master's students, and one doctoral student.