The Significance of Groundwater Flow Modeling Study for Simulation of Opencast Mine Dewatering, Flooding, and the Environmental Impact

Simulations of open pit mines dewatering, their flooding, and environmental impact assessment are performed using groundwater flow models. They must take into consideration both regional groundwater conditions and the specificity of mine dewatering operations. This method has been used to a great ex...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water (Basel) 2019-04, Vol.11 (4), p.848
Main Author: Szczepiński, Jacek
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Aquifer systems
Aquifers
Boundary conditions
Climatic conditions
Dewatering
Environmental impact
Environmental impact analysis
Environmental impact assessment
Evaporation
Finite element analysis
Flooding
Floods
Geology
Germany
Groundwater
Groundwater flow
Hydrogeology
Hydrology
Land management
Mathematical models
Methods
Mine accidents
Mine drainage
Mines
Mines and mineral resources
Mining industry
Numerical analysis
Numerical models
Open pit mining
Poland
Schedules
Simulation
Simulation methods
Surface water
Water flow
Water, Underground
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Summary:Simulations of open pit mines dewatering, their flooding, and environmental impact assessment are performed using groundwater flow models. They must take into consideration both regional groundwater conditions and the specificity of mine dewatering operations. This method has been used to a great extent in Polish opencast mines since the 1970s. However, the use of numerical models in mining hydrogeology has certain limitations resulting from existing uncertainties as to the assumed hydrogeological parameters and boundary conditions. They include shortcomings in the identification of hydrogeological conditions, cyclic changes of precipitation and evaporation, changes resulting from land management due to mining activity, changes in mining work schedules, and post-mining void flooding. Even though groundwater flow models used in mining hydrogeology have numerous limitations, they still provide the most comprehensive information concerning the mine dewatering and flooding processes and their influence on the environment. However, they will always require periodical verification based on new information on the actual response of the aquifer system to the mine drainage and the actual climate conditions, as well as up-to-date schedules of deposit extraction and mine closure.
ISSN:2073-4441
2073-4441
DOI:10.3390/w11040848