International Mine Water Association Symposium 2010

This conference will enable persons from around the world who have an interest in mine water management.
05/09/2010 - 09/09/2010 Ámbito: América

Lugar de celebración: Canada

Cape Breton Island is on the Atlantic coast of Canada. As one of the earliest North American areas to be settled it is rich in new world culture – you will find vibrant First Nations, French, English, and Celtic communities throughout the Island.

Furthermore, it is the location of the first coal mine in the North Americas. The national parks and breathtaking natural beauty of the island have been recognized by premier travel experts,

Conde Nast, as they have rated Cape Breton Island as one of the best island destinations in the world.

Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the coastline offers spectacular vistas, world class sailing and beautiful beaches – we have earned the title of Canada’s Ocean Playground. Scientific research has a long history here in Cape Breton. It is here that inventors Alexander Graham Bell and Guglielmo Marconi did much of their research.

Coal mining was once the life blood for people living in Cape Breton. Most of the large undersea coal beds are no longer active and remediation efforts are underway for the former Cape Breton Development Corporation’s legacy mines. However, coal mining on Cape Breton Island might come to a peak as once again Xstrata Coal is developing a new, modern undersea coal mine near Donkin, Nova Scotia.

What will you get?
The IMWA 2010 Symposium is jointly hosted by the International Mine Water Association (IMWA) and Cape Breton University. This conference will enable persons from around the world who have an interest in mine water management to learn first hand how 21st century mine water challenges are being tackled. Delegates will enjoy a first-class technical program that will address pertinent and exciting information in the field of mine water management and as always, there will be ample opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices with colleagues from around the world.

Who are we?
The International Mine Water Association is a multidisciplinary organization comprised of experts from various branches of natural sciences and technology. It was founded in 1979 in Granada/Spain as a result of interest shown in the increasing problems associated with water management in the mining industry. With growing emphasis on the environmental and economic ramifications of water management, IMWA has become recognized as a pre-eminent forum for international discussion, exploration of issues, and exchange of expertise in the field of mine water management and remediation techniques. Currently, IMWA has 480 individual members from all continents and 30 corporate members.

“The IMWA 2010 Organizing Committee is working to create a memorable and enjoyable experience for conference delegates and accompanying persons.”

Conference Themes
1 Mine Water Issues & Innovative Mining Methods
Speakers in this session will present existing or evolving methodologies that prevent the pollution of mine water during operations, produce a smaller water footprint and limit impacts on surrounding ecosystems.

2 Mine Water Engineering
Papers given under this topic will deal with engineering infrastructure, such as pumps, dams, groundwater diversions, and pipes which direct mine water through or around the mining operation to treatment and finally to receiving water bodies with minimal impact. It will also include innovative solutions for design of on-going and final reclamation schemes which will be of benefit to local communities.

3 Mine Water Treatment – Active Systems
If mine water becomes polluted, treatment is necessary before it is either discharged into receiving water bodies or used for other purposes, such as cooling, fire suppression, cleaning equipment, or as drinking water. This session will deal with the techniques used in active mine water treatment.

4 Mine Water Treatment – Passive Systems
Passive treatment is an environmentally friendly technology to treat mine water. Under normal operating conditions no chemicals are used and the only energy sources are natural: sun light, potential energy or ‘biological’ energy from plants or microorganism, wetlands for final polishing, limestone for natural buffering, or forest buffers for noise and dust suppression. Passive systems can also utilize “natural” chemical reactions between carbonate rich rocks and acidic waters.

5 Mine Water Uses – Geothermal, Geochemistry, Biochemistry
Mine water can be used in several ways: as geothermal energy, as cooling liquid, in agriculture, for recreation, as drinking water, or enhancing stream flow. Papers presented in this session will focus on those mine water uses.


6 Analysis of Mine Water and its Chemistry
Mine water chemistry usually differs significantly from the chemistry of ground and surface water. In this session the problems encountered with developing appropriate field sampling protocols, selection and deployment of real time monitors, laboratory analysis techniques and selection of tracers will be explored. It will also include modelling the results and consideration of legal and funding issues associated with long term monitoring after operations cease. The session also covers general aspects of mine water.

7 Coal Mining – Underground Mining, Surface Mining
Coal is one of the most important solid fuels for electricity production and heating. Consequently, mine water issues for both, surface and underground coal mines are an important part of operational management, consultancy, and research. Speakers for this session will focus on mine water issues related to coal mining, such as acid mine drainage, pumping, prevention of pollution, geochemical aspects of coal mine drainage, encountering deep saline groundwaters, subsea mining, multi-seam mining, insitu gasification, and CO2 sequestration.


8 Mine Closure – Coal, Metal
Mine closure has become an important environmental issue worldwide. To ensure that mines are closed in a way that long term pollution of receiving water courses is minimized, special techniques have been developed in recent years. This session will address mine closure strategies in the view of mine water and related aspects of subsidence, reclamation bonding, long term monitoring, meeting a changing regulatory framework, public perception issues and impact of a changing climate.

9 Legal and Social Aspects of Mine Water
Use of mine water and discharges of mine water into receiving water courses need special legal consideration in most countries of the world. One of the many examples covering discharges is the European Water Framework Directive. Talks in Section 9 will focus on legal and social questions concerning mine water, impact on surface landowners, ISO accreditation, due diligence, and environmental impact assessments.

10 Mine Tailings
Mine tailings and their associated emanating waters need experienced operators, consultants and researchers to ensure proper handling and treatment. This theme will be the platform for presentations dealing with water flowing through or emanating from mine tailings and coarse waste rock piles, as well as long term groundwater contamination plumes resulting from these and demolition of facilities.

11 The ‘Cape Breton Development Corporation’ Legacy
In 1672, the French Nicholas Denys, for the first time ever described the occurrence of coal seams on Cape Breton Island. Since then, coal was mined on the Island to a greater or lesser extent. On December 31, 2009, ‘Cape Breton Development Corporation’ – the endmost large scale mining operator in the Sydney Coal Field – will cease as an entity and will amalgamate into ‘Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation’. Papers presented in this section will deal with the mine water issues of four decades of coal mining on Cape Breton Island by the Corporation and more than three centuries of coal mining on the Island.

12 Discussing the concept of a ‘Zero Waste Mine’
Most mining operations produce large amounts of unwanted material that can't be readily sold to market. Such materials can be overburden, waste rock, mine water, sludges, or tailings. In most cases the mine operator must dispose of these substances. Commonly these unwanted substances are referred to as Mining Waste. This moderated discussion theme will investigate the potential for a Zero Waste Mine, and discuss the techniques and research that is needed to operate a mine as a Zero Waste Mine.


13 Fracture Flow to Mines (Special Session)
The aim of this Special Session is to look at how fractured rock is characterised and how data are used to assess dewatering and depressurisation in design of large pit slopes or underground mines, water inflow volume or rates, and site water monitoring and management during mining. Questions should be addressed to Michael Royle This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . more ...