Abstract
Parent geology, mining operation, construction practice and weathering processes govern the hydrogeological behaviour of waste rock piles. Variable heterogeneity in such earth structures requires site specific correlations. Based on field investigation and laboratory characterization, this paper developed a physical model for the unsaturated East Pile at the Golden Sunlight Mine in Montana, USA. Results indicate that the pile had interfingered dip** beds characterized by a matrix-supported structure in the fine grained layers and a clast-supported structure in the coarse grained layers. Waste rock with at least 45% sand retained water (ψ a = 2–4 kPa, ψ r = 20–40 kPa, k sat = 3.5 × 10−3 cm/s, k unsat = 2–3 orders of magnitude lower at 100 kPa) whereas materials with less than 45% sand drained rapidly (ψ a < 1 kPa, ψ r < 10 kPa, k sat = 1 × 10−1 cm/s, k unsat > 6 orders of magnitude lower at 10 kPa).
Résumé
Le contexte géologique, les opérations minières, le mode de mise en place des stériles et les processus d’altération régissent le comportement hydrogéologique des verses à stériles. La forte hétérogénéité de ce type de structure demande des investigations détaillées. Sur la base de travaux de terrain et de caractérisations au laboratoire, l’article présente un modèle physique pour milieux non saturés, développé pour le stockage Est de la mine de Golden Sunlight au Montana (USA). Les résultats montrent que la verse à stérile est constituée de lits différents interstratifiés suivant un certain pendage, les niveaux à grains fins présentant une structure à matrice portante, les niveaux à grains grossiers présentant une structure à éléments grossiers jointifs. Les stériles avec au moins 45% de sable retiennent l’eau (ψ a = 2–4 kPa, ψ r = 20–40 kPa, k sat = 3.5 × 10−3 cm/s, k unsat = 2–3 ordres de grandeur inférieur au cas saturé, avec une succion de 100 kPa), tandis que les matériaux avec moins de 45% de sable se drainent très rapidement (ψ a < 1 kPa, ψ r < 10 kPa, k sat = 1 × 10−1 cm/s, k unsat > 6 ordres de grandeur inférieur au cas saturé, avec une succion de 10 kPa).
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Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by Placer Dome Inc. and Golden Sunlight Mine. Thanks to Dr. Bruno Bussière of the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada for reviewing the manuscript.
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Azam, S., Wilson, G.W., Herasymuik, G. et al. Hydrogeological behaviour of an unsaturated waste rock pile: a case study at the Golden Sunlight Mine, Montana, USA. Bull Eng Geol Environ 66, 259–268 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-006-0077-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-006-0077-7