Managing mine water

Managing mine water presents any number of challenges during a mine’s lifespan. Upon closure, however, the management of water often continues indefinitely. Managing water sustainably presents an entirely new conundrum: treating ongoing flows in extremely hard-to-reach locations.

Each year, mining companies spend millions of dollars on operations and maintenance costs to manage water from closed sites. Located in remote areas, without access to a robust workforce, housing, or transportation, managing water flows from closed sites routinely costs companies millions of dollars per year. Mining companies have made significant strides to reduce costs and environmental impact, while complying with legacy regulations, but these residual wastewater streams remain leaky faucets at closed or near-closed sites around the world.

Though the challenge remains, emerging technologies and research are reshaping what it means to close a mine. Between remote sensing technologies and automated treatment processes, nature-based solutions, and creative reuse strategies, there are several avenues companies can explore to put the lid on future spending.

Keith Benson and Phillip Crouse write in Global Mining Review about managing legacy mine water streams.