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Numerical Modelling of Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport at the Myra Falls Mine Site

Tailings and Mine Waste Conference (2019 : Vancouver, B.C.); University of British Columbia. Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering

This paper describes a numerical groundwater flow and transport model developed using the software MODFLOW/MT3D to simulate the movement of groundwater and the transport of zinc (Zn) in the Myra Valley Aquifer (MVA). The groundwater model is a numerical representation of a hydrogeological conceptual site model described in a companion paper by Ferguson et al. (2019). Groundwater conditions in the MVA during low flow and high flow periods are reproduced very well by the groundwater model. Key sources of Zn, and other constituents, are the Lynx TDF berm, sources in the Mill area, and WRDs #1 and #6. The calibrated Zn plume is reasonably representative of conditions prior to the operation of the Lynx Seepage Interception System (SIS) and suggests most impacted groundwater that reports to Myra Creek originates near the Lynx Tailings Disposal Facility (TDF) and in the Upper Old TDF reach. Operating the Phase I Lynx SIS is predicted to substantially reduce Zn concentrations in groundwater and Zn load to the Old TDF under-drains. The Zn load to Myra Creek from groundwater is predicted to decrease by two orders-of-magnitude within 6 to 12 months. The Zn load intercepted by the Old TDF underdrains is predicted to decline more gradually and may reach new steady-state conditions within 2 to 5 years due to the larger travel distance.

Text

2024-02-15

Attribution-NonCommercialNoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/87438

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/