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THE HYDROCHEMICAL BEHAVIOR OF THE ALDERMAC ABANDONED MINE SITE AFTER ITS REHABILITATION
Session: Contamined Sites and Remediation / Sités contaminés et réhabilitation
abdelkabir maqsoud, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Institut de recherche en mines et en environnement (Canada)
Mamert Mbonimpa, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Institut de recherche en mines et en environnement (Canada)
Bruno bussiere, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Institut de recherche en mines et en environnement (Canada)
Mostafa Benzaazoua, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Institut de recherche en mines et en environnement (Canada)
Jean Dionne, MERN – Direction de la Restauration des sites miniers (Canada)
Before its reclamation Aldermac was considered as one of the most problematic abandoned mine site in Quebec due to the high production rate of acid mine drainage (AMD) by sulphidic mine tailings. This site was reclaimed between 2008 and 2009 to control tailings oxidation, and future production of AMD. For that purpose, the site was reclaimed using a monolayer cover combined with an elevated water table for the north zone and using low saturated hydraulic conductivity HDPE geomembrane cover for the south zone. The reclamation of the mine tailings impoundment should gradually improve the groundwater quality at the site. To evaluate this aspect, sampling campaigns from 2011 to 2013 were performed on site to assess the evolution of groundwater quality of the reclaimed Aldermac mine site. Hydrochemical results were interpreted with principal components analysis. Results show that the groundwater quality is improving and that the reclamation is helping to reduce groundwater contamination at the site.
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