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Tailings and Mine Waste Conference

Diavik waste rock project : unsaturated water flow Fretz, Nathan; Momeyer, Steven; Neuner, Matthew; Smith, Leslie; Blowes, David; Sego, Dave; Amos, Richard

Abstract

A field study is on-going at the Diavik Diamond Mine, NT, Canada, to examine at several spatial scales the hydrologic, geochemical, microbiologic, gas transport, and heat transport mechanisms that control drainage water quality. Data sets on volumetric moisture content within a 15 m high waste rock pile (test pile), estimated using time domain reflectrometry (TDR), and discharge at the base of the test pile are presented to characterize the seasonal wetting of the test pile, freeze-thaw cycles within the test pile, and the discharge cycle at the base of an uncovered test pile. Differences in the dielectric properties of ice and water enable the propagation of freezethaw fronts to be recorded via TDR. A spatially uniform initial wetting of the matrix material throughout the test pile was recorded. Moisture contents following the initial wetting phase suggest that the matrix fraction has saturation values exceeding 0.8. Outflow from the test pile follows an annual cycle that is controlled by snowmelt infiltration on the batters, and the movement of thaw front into the core of the test pile.[All papers were considered for technical and language appropriateness by the organizing committee.]

Item Metadata

Title
Diavik waste rock project : unsaturated water flow
Creator
Fretz, Nathan; Momeyer, Steven; Neuner, Matthew; Smith, Leslie; Blowes, David; Sego, Dave; Amos, Richard
Contributor
Tailings and Mine Waste Conference (2011 : Vancouver, B.C.); University of British Columbia. Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering
Date Issued
2011-11
Description
A field study is on-going at the Diavik Diamond Mine, NT, Canada, to examine at several spatial scales the hydrologic, geochemical, microbiologic, gas transport, and heat transport mechanisms that control drainage water quality. Data sets on volumetric moisture content within a 15 m high waste rock pile (test pile), estimated using time domain reflectrometry (TDR), and discharge at the base of the test pile are presented to characterize the seasonal wetting of the test pile, freeze-thaw cycles within the test pile, and the discharge cycle at the base of an uncovered test pile. Differences in the dielectric properties of ice and water enable the propagation of freezethaw fronts to be recorded via TDR. A spatially uniform initial wetting of the matrix material throughout the test pile was recorded. Moisture contents following the initial wetting phase suggest that the matrix fraction has saturation values exceeding 0.8. Outflow from the test pile follows an annual cycle that is controlled by snowmelt infiltration on the batters, and the movement of thaw front into the core of the test pile.[All papers were considered for technical and language appropriateness by the organizing committee.]
Genre
Conference Paper
Type
Text
Language
eng
Date Available
2011-10-19
Provider
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
DOI
10.14288/1.0107722
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2429/38058
Affiliation
Non UBC
Peer Review Status
Unreviewed
Scholarly Level
Other
Rights URI
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International