In situ evaluation of the elevated water table technique combined with a monolayer cover on reactive tailings: monitoring strategy and preliminary results

Marie-Pier Ethier, Bruno Bussière, Abdelkabir Maqsoud, Isabelle Demers, Michel Aubertin, Robert Lacroix

In the proceedings of: GeoMontréal 2013: 66th Canadian Geotechnical Conference; 11th joint with IAH-CNC

Session: Mine Site Remediation

ABSTRACT: The abandoned Manitou mine site has produced acid mine drainage (AMD) for decades. In 2009, a reclamation scenario was applied on a portion of the tailings storage facility (TSF2) by installing a monolayer cover, 1 to 2 m thick, made of non acid-generating fine-grained tailings. The objective of the reclamation plan is to control oxygen availability by raising the water table into the Manitou tailings and by creating a nearly saturated cover. This article focuses on the strategy used to evaluate the performance of this reclamation scenario. A total of 13 instrumented stations were installed at site TSF2. At different depths, the equipment measures matric suction, volumetric water content, gaseous oxygen pore concentration and temperature. The pore water pressure is also monitored continuously in wellpoints to assess the position of the water table. These measurement data will be used to evaluate the hydrogeological behaviour of the cover at TSF2. Results from the first year of monitoring are presented and discussed here.

RÉSUMÉ: Le site minier abandonné Manitou produit du drainage minier acide (DMA) depuis plusieurs dizaines appliqué sur une partie du parc à résidus (Parc 2). Ce scénario e ôler la disponibilité de l en montant le niveau phréatique dans les résidus Manitou et en maintenant le recouvrement le plus près possible de la saturation. Cet article se penche sur la stratégie utilisée pour évaluer la performance de ce scénario de restauration. Un total de 13 stations instrumentées a été installé sur le Parc 2. Lt mesure à différentes profondeurs et la température. La pression interstitielle est aussi enregistrée en continu dans des pointes filtrantes afin du niveau phréatique. Ces données seront utilisées pour évaluer le comportement hydrogéologique du recouvrement installé au Parc 2. Les premiers résultats de ce suivi sont présentés et discutés dans cet article.

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Cite this article:
Marie-Pier Ethier; Bruno Bussière; Abdelkabir Maqsoud; Isabelle Demers; Michel Aubertin; Robert Lacroix (2013) In situ evaluation of the elevated water table technique combined with a monolayer cover on reactive tailings: monitoring strategy and preliminary results in GEO2013. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{GeoMon2013Paper301,author = Marie-Pier Ethier; Bruno Bussière; Abdelkabir Maqsoud; Isabelle Demers; Michel Aubertin; Robert Lacroix,title = In situ evaluation of the elevated water table technique combined with a monolayer cover on reactive tailings: monitoring strategy and preliminary results,year = 2013}