Mining throughout the world has entered a new phase. Larger mines, higher production rates and mining significantly below the water table have dramatically increased the importance of groundwater management. Deposits once passed over due to groundwater concerns are now being brought into production. Coupled with this are increased competition for groundwater resources in arid regions, growing environmental and social concerns and increasingly stringent regulatory requirements. This presentation looks at the roles groundwater plays in a mining operation and presents the various ways in which it can affect the economics, both readily apparent and hidden.
