Long-term water quality predictions are essential for innovative closure planning at mine sites. From years of experience, SRK has found that data from seepage monitoring programs can be a reliable indication of water quality when combined with careful characterisation of the wastes.
Regular seepage surveys can be easily incorporated into routine water quality monitoring programs. They are one of the many contributions that the site environmental staff can contribute to the closure planning process.
SRK has frequently made use of seepage data from sites where environmental staff have initiated sampling. Such opportunities have allowed us to fast-track projects and save money, without compromising the quality of the predictive modelling.
What Is Seepage Monitoring?
The main difference between seepage monitoring and routine water quality monitoring is often the proximity of the seeps to the source materials. Routine monitoring stations usually measure water quality changes from a large catchment area. Seeps instead reflect individual flow paths through the waste material and show local effects of rock type, age of deposition, and differences in flow conditions.
For an information sheet on implementing a seepage sampling program at your mine site contact Kelly Sexsmith in SRK’s Vancouver, Canada office.
