Designing Effective Store-release Covers for the Long-Term Containment of Mine Waste - The Role of Vegetation

Determination of the Reasons for the Deterioration of the Rum Jungle
Waste Rock Dump Cover

National Survey of Extent of Acid Mine Drainage and Potential Future Liability

Management of Sulfidic Mine Wastes (Stage 1)

Designing Effective Store-release Covers for the Long-Term Containment of Mine Waste - The Role of Vegetation (Stage 1)

Background	A critical gap in the knowledge required to design dry covers for the long-term containment of sulfidic and other wastes is the water usage by different vegetation types. This gap was identified in Stage 1 of the Management of Sulfidic Mine Wastes Project and by the Operating Committee of the International Network for Acid Prevention (INAP) at its meeting during the Fourth Australian Acid Mine Drainage Workshop. At subsequent INAP meetings in 2003 and 2004, the need for this information was again highlighted.
Objective	To review the existing information on water use by major plant communities (and component species) for use in the design of dry covers for mine wastes.
Outcomes	Provision of current quantitative water use data for native plant species for dry cover design models; and Identification of gaps in information on water use by plants required to design sustainable cover systems.
Methodology	The Stage 1 project, involved the review of existing information on the water use by grass, shrub and tree species and communities that have been, or are likely to be, used for revegetation of waste dumps and tailings storage facilities across Australia. A workshop was conducted in August 2004 to identify gaps in information identified by the Review and further research required on water use by vegetation (Stage 2).
Project Team	The review of literature was conducted by Assoc. Prof David Doley , Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, University of Queensland.
Project Duration	Stage 1, 5 Months (2004)
Project Sponsors	International Network for Acid Prevention (INAP), Kagara Zinc Limited, Newcrest Mining Limited (Cadia Valley Operations), Newmont Australia Limited, Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Zinifex Century Mine
Project Summary	On completion
More Information	info@acmer.uq.edu.au

Determination of the Reasons for the Deterioration of the Rum Jungle
Waste Rock Dump Cover

Background	Sulfidic mine wastes (waste rock, tailings, low grade ore) are commonly covered with benign material (rock, soil, clay, organic waste etc.) to reduce the ingress of oxygen and water as a means of controlling acid mine drainage (AMD). These cover materials also provide a substrate for vegetation to reduce erosion, reduce water infiltration and improve the aesthetics. Sulfidic mine wastes at Rum Jungle in the Northern Territory were covered some 15 years ago and have been extensively monitored throughout this period. Rehabilitation specifications required that the covers reduced water infiltration to less than 5% of incident rainfall. This was achieved for the first 10 years. Monitoring suggests that their performance has deteriorated, with approximately 9.5% of rainfall infiltrating the dumps over the past few years. Because of the availability of detailed rehabilitation specifications and long term monitoring, Rum Jungle provides an ideal laboratory to assess why the covers have apparently failed. This information is vital for the future design of covers to prevent AMD and provide regulatory authorities with the necessary information for authorising close-out both in Australia and overseas.
Objective	To assess why the performance of the covers on waste rock dumps at Rum Jungle has declined.
Outcomes	Provide information about the future design of covers to prevent AMD; and Provide regulatory authorities with the necessary information for authorising close-out both in Australia and overseas.
Methodology	Field and laboratory techniques were used to determine the present physical, chemical, mineralogical, biological and hydrological characteristics of the two waste rock dumps at Rum Jungle and their covers. The data generated has been compared with the technical specifications used during construction of the covers and monitoring data to determine the reasons for the apparent deterioration of the covers.
Project Duration	21 October 2002 to 28 February 2003
Project Team	The project is being jointly supervised by Dr John Bennett (ANSTO) and Dr Graham Taylor (CSIRO).
Project Sponsors	International Network for Acid Prevention (INAP) Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM) Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Project Summary	Report available on website at: ../publications/attachments/RumJungleReportJuly2003.pdf
More Information	info@acmer.uq.edu.au

National Survey of Extent of Acid Mine Drainage and Potential Future Liability
This study, initiated by the Supervising Scientist Group (Environment Australia) and the Centre, and supported in principle by the Minerals Council of Australia, was commenced in January 1996 by Dr J. Harries of ANSTO. The objectives of the study were:

• to quantify and characterise the generation of contaminated drainage by sulfidic oxidation from historic and current mining activities in Australia;
• to develop a classification scheme to characterise the potential for off-site impacts from sulfidic oxidation in mine wastes;
• to compare the national cost of managing sulfidic oxidation and contaminated drainage from mining with the national cost of managing acidity from other sources; and
• to make recommendations on the long-term research needs and technology transfer strategy to improve the understanding and management of acid mine drainage in Australia.

The national survey was carried out by visits to mine sites, by discussions with company environmental officers, State Chambers of Mines, officers from State Departments responsible for mining and environmental issues, and by distribution of questionnaires to mine sites. The final report entitled "Acid Mine Drainage in Australia - Its Extent and Potential Future Liability" by John Harries was published in July 1997 with recommendations covering four main issues, viz. rehabilitation technologies, mine planning, waste characterisation and technical awareness of acid drainage issues.

Project Sponsor:

Environment Australia

The following publication arising from the project is available from Environment Australia:

Acid Mine Drainage in Australia: Its Extent and Future Liability (Harries 1997).

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Management of Sulfidic Mine Wastes (Stage 1)
This project followed a 1-year project by the Centre in conjunction with the Supervising Scientist Group (Environment Australia) in which Dr John Harries (ANSTO) produced a report on "Acid Mine Drainage in Australia - Its Extent and Future Liability".

The recommendations of this report were the drivers for a subsequent project with the objectives of:

• reviewing current knowledge, industry practice and site-specific research;
• facilitating industry awareness and technology transfer; and
• development of a strategic plan for management of sulfidic wastes in the long term.

These objectives were addressed through the appointment of an ACMER Fellow, Dr Steve Dobos, and an Industry Liaison Officer, Mr Marshall Lee.

Additional objectives of this project involved:

• the development of a manual of recommended methods (Coordinators - Dr Graham Taylor (CSIRO) and Dr Andrew Garvie (ANSTO)); and
• the comparison of field- and laboratory-measured oxidation rates (Coordinators - Dr John Bennett (ANSTO) and Dr John Jeffrey (EGI)).
  

The following publications arising from the project are available for purchase from ACMER, which had 8 industry sponsors and Environment Australia:

Handbook 1
Risk Assessment Framework for the Management of Sulfidic Mine Wastes (Lee 1999).

Handbook 2
Management of Sulfidic Mine Wastes and Acid Drainage (Lee 1999).

Manual of Techniques to Quantify Processes Associated with Polluted Effluent from Sulfidic Mine Wastes (Garvie and Taylor 2000).
Manual and CD-Rom available for purchase.

Comparison of Oxidation Rates of Sulfidic Mine Wastes Measured in the Laboratory and Field (Bennett et al. 2000).
Click here to download a copy of the report

Project Sponsors:

Aberfoyle Ltd, BHP Minerals, Pasminco Century Mine Limited, MIM Holdings Limited, Newmont Australia Limited, Placer Dome Asia Pacific Limited, RGC Limited, Rio Tinto Limited and the Supervising Scientist Group (Environment Australia).

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