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THE FARO MINE LEGACY: 70 MILLION TONNES OF TAILINGS AND 320 MILLION TONNES OF WASTE ROCK
Bowie, A.
2018 Federal Contaminated Sites National Workshop, June 13-15, Toronto, Ontario. 13 slides, 2018

The Faro Mine footprint, which spans ~2,500 ha, includes an estimated 70 million tonnes of tailings and 320 million tonnes of waste rock. A significant amount of the waste has an acid generating potential that exceeds its acid neutralization capability. Uncertainties related to geochemical weathering and reactive transport of weathering products present challenges for long-term site management. The proposed stabilize-in-place approach will rely on diverting clean water; collecting and treating contaminated water; reducing seepage through acid-generating material by stabilizing and covering waste rock and tailings; and adaptively managing unacceptable levels of contamination in the downstream environment. A seepage interception system will form a last line of defense for protecting the receiving environment. All aspects of the closure will consider complex cold regions phenomena, including seasonally and permanently frozen ground, ground freezing and ground ice formation, ground thawing and associated settlement, and freeze/thaw cycling. Implementation of the closure plan is expected to start in 2022 and take ~15 years to complete. Slides: http://rpic-ibic.ca/images/2018_FCSW_/Presentations/5_-_128_-_Bowie_ENG_FNL_ajb.pdf



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