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High elevation native species island model for mine reclamation, Quintette Operating Corporation

British Columbia Mine Reclamation Symposium; University of British Columbia. Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering

The Mesa/Wolverine open pit coal mine at Quintette Operating Corporation is located at 1500 to 1850 metres (m) A.S.L at latitude 55°03'42" north. At this location, the chosen mining method was top down mining, with its coincident high vertical height waste dumps. To accommodate final reclamation permit requirements for land capability, the reduction of long uninterrupted slope lengths is desired (such as wraparound dumping and reclamation earthwork) however, large scale resloping is not envisaged. To meet or exceed pre-mining land capability on these waste dumps, a management model of high elevation native species colonization is employed at Quintette. To obtain their reclamation goals, Quintette applies many non-traditional revegetation materials and application methods. These ecological measures (versus agricultural) are required to ensure an outcome which fulfills end land use objectives. Statistical projections of high elevation post-reclamation land capability under a native species island model regime, indicates equivalency with pre-mining land capability. This paper will illustrate the earthwork and native species island modeling utilized to achieve pre-mining land capability at the high elevation Mesa/Wolverine mine.

Conference Paper

application/pdf

2009-06-30

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/9866

Unreviewed

British Columbia Technical and Research Committee on Reclamation

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