A CRITICAL
REVIEW OF MEND STUDIES CONDUCTED TO 1991 ON SUBAQUEOUS DISPOSAL
OF TAILINGS
Mine Environment Neutral Drainage at CANMET-MMSL |
MEND Project 2.11.1d
July 1992
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
MEND (Mine
Environment Neutral Drainage) studies on the subaqueous disposal
of tailings material (outlined under MEND project 2.1 1. 1) were
subject to critical review by a group of experts, under the direction
of the Rawson Academy of Aquatic Science, Ottawa. The review had
two objectives. In summary, these were:
To provide
technical and scientific assessment of MEND studies on subaqueous
disposal of tailings (presented in Part I of this report).
To outline
additional requirements necessary for the MEND studies on subaqueous
disposal to maintain a credible scientific approach. (presented
in Part H of this report)
The following
key points were established during the review and subsequent discussions
between the scientific review team (SRI) and representatives of
MEND.
Technical
and Scientific Assessment
Subaqueous
disposal of tailings appears to offer physics-chemical advantages
over terrestrial disposal, particularly with respect to sulphur
oxidation and generation of acid waters.
The process
of tailings disposal is potentially highly disruptive of lake ecosystems
and normally it would take several decades (possibly centuries in
some lakes) before natural sedimentation provided sufficient cover
to insulate the lake ecosystem from the influence of the tailings
(both the metals flux and substrate effects). However, remedial
measures may be applied to reduce the extent of impact and accelerate
recovery.
The MEND literature
review of geochemical processes controlling metals release is excellent,
it is well written and comprehensive (at the time of completion).
The background
limnologies of the MEND case-study lakes (Anderson, Buttle and Mandy)
are suitable only for gross comparisons. They do not support clear
interpretation of cause and effect associated with tailings disposal.
Field studies
were designed to obtain limited information, specifically to assess
whether or not the reactivity of tailings disposed of underwater
(in the real environment) remained low. For this purpose the data
are sufficient; however, the data are neither useful to address
effects which occur during the process of disposal nor long term
ecosystem adjustments to the introductions of tailings. Limitations
inherent in chemical extraction techniques may restrict the extent
to which available data are used to address study objectives.
Additional
Requirements
Suggestions
have been made for more detailed field studies of (metals) fluxes
in the case-study lakes, rates of accumulation and for measurements
of whole lake ecological response and references are provided in
the report The reviewers' comments and recommendations, and further
documentation are available from the MEND Secretariat-
A more extensive
but selective literature review has been suggested to cover aspects
of toxic effects, particle behavior in response to in-lake hydrodynamic
conditions, improved field and analytical techniques and methods,
and biological indices of whole lake effects.
The general
view of a joint meeting between the SRT and representatives of MEND
was that sites pecific preferences for subaqueous disposal of tailings
would include:
- infilling
of a small headwater lake;
- disposal
in an artificial structure; and
- in-lake
disposal (in which tailings represent only a small part of the
total lake volume).
It was recognized
that in-lake disposal was not a usual practice and may not be acceptable.
To some extent, this view could modify future development of subaqueous
disposal studies under the MEND program.
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