Abstract
The Osamu Utsumi mine was the first to economically mine uranium ore in Brazil. During its operation, a river valley was buried for the construction of the waste rock pile. The original stream was diverted to the northwest side of the pile and has since flowed into a diversion channel devoid of basal waterproofing, while an acid mine drainage (AMD) source flows at the base of this waste rock pile. This research aims to evaluate the possible relationship between water infiltration of the diversion channel and the AMD resurgence at the base of the pile using electrical resistivity tomography and induced polarization. 2D inversion models and pseudo-3D maps allowed the recognition of low resistivity zones (< 100 Ω·m) with high chargeability areas (10 mV/V). Some of these low-resistivity areas have been interpreted as infiltration zones in segments of the diversion channel into the pile, and in one of them, the flow intercepts a high chargeability area interpreted as a sulfide-rich zone that is expected to contribute to AMD at the base of the pile. Understanding the hydrogeochemical process will help select effective actions to mitigate the generation of AMD at the mine, which is currently in the decommissioning phase.
Zusammenfassung
Der Bergbau Osamu Utsumi war die erste, in dem Uranerz in Brasilien wirtschaftlich abgebaut wurde. Während des Betriebs wurde ein Flusstal für den Bau der Halde verkippt. Der ursprüngliche Fluss wurde auf die nordwestliche Seite der Halde umgeleitet und fließt seitdem in einen Umleitungskanal ohne Basisabdichtung, während am Fuß der Halde saure Grubenwässer (AMD) austreten. Ziel dieser Untersuchung ist es, den möglichen Zusammenhang zwischen der Versickerung im Umleitungskanal und dem Wiederauftreten von AMD am Fuß der Halde mit Hilfe der Widerstandstomographie und der induzierten Polarisation zu bewerten. 2D-Inversionsmodelle und Pseudo-3D-Karten ermöglichten die Erkennung von Zonen mit niedrigem spezifischen Widerstand (< 100 Ωm) und Bereichen mit hoher Aufladbarkeit (>10 mV/V). Einige dieser Bereiche mit niedrigem Widerstand wurden als Versickerungszonen aus Abschnitten des Umleitungskanals in die Halde interpretiert. In einem dieser Bereiche durchschneidet der Fluss einen Bereich mit hoher Wiederaufladbarkeit, der als sulfidreiche Zone interpretiert wird, von der angenommen wird, dass sie zur AMD am Fuß der Halde beiträgt. Das Verständnis des hydrogeochemischen Prozesses wird dazu beitragen, wirksame Maßnahmen zur Minimierung der Entstehung von AMD im Bergbau, der sich derzeit in der Stilllegungsphase befindet, auszuwählen.
Resumen
La mina de Osamu Utsumi fue la primera en explotar económicamente el mineral de uranio en Brasil. Durante su explotación, se enterró un valle fluvial para la construcción de la pila de roca estéril. El arroyo original fue desviado hacia el lado noroeste de la pila y desde entonces fluye hacia un canal de desviación desprovisto de impermeabilización basal, mientras que una fuente de drenaje ácido de mina (DAM) fluye en la base de esta pila de roca residual. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo evaluar la posible relación entre la infiltración de agua del canal de desvío y el resurgimiento de DAM en la base de la pila utilizando la tomografía de resistividad eléctrica y la polarización inducida. Los modelos de inversión 2D y los mapas pseudo-3D permitieron reconocer zonas de baja resistividad (< 100 Ω-m) con zonas de alta cargabilidad (10 mV/V). Algunas de estas zonas de baja resistividad se han interpretado como zonas de infiltración en segmentos del canal de desviación hacia la pila, y en uno de ellos, el flujo intercepta una zona de alta cargabilidad interpretada como una zona rica en sulfuro que se espera que contribuya a la DAM en la base de la pila. La comprensión del proceso hidrogeoquímico ayudará a seleccionar acciones eficaces para mitigar la generación de AMD en la mina, que actualmente se encuentra en fase de desmantelamiento.
抽象的
Osamu Utsumi矿是巴西第一个实现铀矿经济开采的铀矿。铀矿生产期间, 废石堆填埋了一条河谷。虽然原河谷溪流已被改道至废石堆西北侧, 流向了无基底防渗的分流河道, 但是废石堆底却有一个酸性矿山废水 (AMD) 排放源。研究旨在用电阻率层析成像法和诱发极化法分析分流河道水入渗和废石堆底部酸性矿山废水 (AMD) 释放的关系。由二维反演模型和拟三维图形识别出了低电阻率区 (< 100 Ω·m) 与高荷电率区 (10 mV/V) 。一些低电阻率区被解释为分流河道河水渗入废石堆的入渗区; 而且, 其中一个低阻区的水流截断了解译的产生酸性矿山废水 (AMD) 的富硫化物高荷电率区。水文地球化学过程的了解将有助于采取有效措施, 减少目前闭坑矿山产生酸性矿山废水 (AMD) 的产生。
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) for funding the project “Sustainable decommissioning: analysis of hydrogeological behaviour in rock massifs and their influence on geotechnical stability in open pit mine slopes and acid mine drainage generation” (2020/14647-0), the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for financial support, and the INB for collaborating and allowing the fieldwork, with technical support and access to data and the study area.
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do Nascimento, M.M.P.F., Moreira, C.A., Duz, B.G. et al. Geophysical Diagnosis of Diversion Channel Infiltration in a Uranium Waste Rock Pile. Mine Water Environ 41, 704–720 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-022-00878-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-022-00878-3