Mine water and mine waste management - Assignment Example

ocess of applications: 1) that water is sliced off from a natural resource to become part of the working process in mining operations, and to also provide fresh water to the crew; and 2) that natural water resources must be diverted away from the area in order to continue providing clean and environmentally safe resources to surrounding towns and to the natural habitat (Watson & Furey, 2013). Diversion channels assist above ground to moving stream and lake waters away from mining operations. At the same time, channel infrastructures must also be designed to isolate water at the mine from one process to the next one, whether the water is to be cleaned or else mixed with waste (rock and tailings), or used in another part of the mining process.

This chapter reviews the components of mine water and mine waste as part of the waste management infrastructure. The following image shows the management design layout for the separations of solid waste on the one side, and mine water drainage on the other side, particular to a copper mine operation (Mining Profile, 2012). In the mining industry, the term “waste,” as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976, is based on the specific circumstances of causation and in what part of the management process.

In some cases, “waste” is not really a waste, based on the RCRA, such as when considering mine water or process wastewater, which is controlled by permit through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) (Mining Profile, 2012). Mine water, therefore, does not fall under the RCRA regulations. 1.1.a. Waste Rock refers to both “overburden” and mine development rock which is removed from underground mines in order to access the bodies of ore located underneath. There is none, or very little of, recoverable mineral value in either type.

As waste rock is susceptible to air and water, once hauled to disposal dumps, potentially, there will be oxygen and sulphide minerals