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OVERVIEW            LOCATION  & LECTURER               REGISTRATION

GEOCHEMISTRY AND HYDROLOGY

OF

TAILINGS AND WASTE ROCKS

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The extractive mining industry is producing yearly enormous quantities of tailings and waste rock. The quantities are increasing as lower and lower grade ores are mined.  The environmental affect of this waste material can be enormous, yet manageable, and to the untrained eye, can appear much worse, than it really is.   In light of changing regulations in Europe and a high focus on tailings and waste rocks in USA, we have designed this class to improve the understanding of the physical and chemical processes taking place within these materials for decision makers and those professionals dealing with characterization and remediation/reclamation of tailings and waste rocks. 
 

COURSE OVERVIEW

During the four day course, we will be discussing geochemical weathering of waste rocks under different conditions with different material and how this may affect the stability of a waste rock pile and the surrounding environment.  These discussions will cover matrix-macro flow, weathering reaction rates, water-gas-mineral interactions, climate etc.  We will then discuss element transport and cycling in tailings. Discussions will take into account bacteriologic effects on mineral dissolution and formation, oxygen transport, sulfide oxidation rates etc.

COURSE CONTENT

Mineral Reaction Rates

Mineral Solubility and Metal Transport

Microbial effect on Mineral Stabilities

ARD Prediction Methods

Infiltration rates

Hydrology of Matrix - Macro Systems

Geochemistry of Matrix - Macro Flow

Geochemical Weathering

Mineral Reaction Processes

Sampling and Instrumentation

Oxidation Front Movement

Tailings Hydrology

Element Cycling in Tailings

Cover Design

Waste Rock Mixing

Water Treatment

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Last modified: 05/04/04