Introduction

This course discusses the principles and practice of surface water management at mines. It describes best management practices for surface water management at a mine in order to achieve the following objectives:

• Control surface water in order to prevent pollution of on-site and off-site water resources.
• Divert excess runoff that may otherwise flood or interfere with mine workings.
• Limit infiltration to mine waste disposal facilities to control potential pollution of surface water and underground waters resulting from excessive infiltration.
• Control erosion of the site to limit sediment runoff that may negatively affect receiving waters.
• Control erosion that may otherwise cause excessive damage to mine closure works.

Objectives

All mines disturb the surface. All mines change the features of the mine site that affect precipitation runoff, evaporation, streamflow, and erosion. All mines involve grading of the site, diversion of runoff, and placement of wastes that increase or decrease infiltration of surface water to the groundwater. Inevitably at a mine it is necessary to capture and control sediments and other pollutants in surface water, and build and operate the works needed to comply with regulations regarding off-site impact by surface waters running from the mine.

Accordingly, this course is intended for all those people at a mine or associated with a mine who may be involved with or responsible for the hydrologic, hydraulic, environmental, civil, and mining engineering works required to manage surface water at a mine. 

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify the basic principles of site characterization for surface water management and apply these to typical mine facilities.
2. Apply the principles of channel design, stream and reservoir routing, erosion control, infiltration control and runoff control to surface water management at a mine site.
3. Evaluate practical engineering methods to control surface water flow to make mining safer, more cost-effective, and more environmentally friendly.

Duration: 12 Hours

Category: Geotechnics

Level: Intermediate