HR: 1340h
AN: H53F-1501 [Abstracts]
TI: Variably-saturated Flow Through Mine Waste Rock in a Permafrost Environment
AU: * Neuner, M
EM: mneuner@eos.ubc.ca
AF: University of British Columbia, Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, 6339 Stores Rd.,
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
AU: Gupton, M
EM: mgupton@eos.ubc.ca
AF: University of British Columbia, Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, 6339 Stores Rd.,
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
AU: Smith, L
EM: Lianna.Smith@diavik.com
AF: University of Waterloo, Department of Earth Sciences, 200 University Avenue West,
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
AU: Smith, L
EM: lsmith@eos.ubc.ca
AF: University of British Columbia, Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, 6339 Stores Rd.,
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
AU: Blowes, D
EM: blowes@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca
AF: University of Waterloo, Department of Earth Sciences, 200 University Avenue West,
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
AU: Sego, D
EM: dave.sego@ualberta.ca
AF: University of Alberta, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, 3-074 Markin/CNRL
Natural Resources, Edmonton, AB T6G 2W2, Canada
AB:
Mining in northern Canada creates waste rock piles with the potential of generating acid rock drainage (ARD).
Test piles fifteen meters high and smaller-scale collection lysimeters have been constructed to investigate
infiltration and variably-saturated water flow through heterogeneous material in a region of continuous
permafrost. Data collection includes time domain and frequency domain reflectrometry, lysimetry, tensiometers,
electrical conductivity sensors, and flow gauges. Capillarity-driven flow travels slower than seasonal frost and
thaw propagation, resulting in wetting fronts that freeze and are remobilized in the following summer period. In
addition, highly permeable zones of waste rock can transmit water at rates as high as meters per hour, under
certain conditions. Results from the research may be incorporated into mine closure strategies to minimize
contaminant loading in cold climates.
DE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects (4802, 4902)
DE: 1823 Frozen ground
DE: 1829 Groundwater hydrology
DE: 1838 Infiltration
DE: 1875 Vadose zone
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting