Open Collections

Underground Mine Rehabilitation for Closure : A Uranium Case Study

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

Historical mine sites pose multiple challenges for final closure. Environmental legacies are a common area of concern, but physical stability of the site is equally important for a long-term, walk away solution. This paper will discuss the status of the underground workings of a decommissioned uranium mine and the paste backfill solution that was developed and implemented. Specifically, the physical hazards that are being addressed are near surface hazards e.g. empty underground stopes with thin crown pillars and surface openings to the underground e.g. glory holes and raises. The consequence of not addressing these hazards is potential long-term failure e.g. surface collapse, cracking and subsidence which could have an impact on flora and fauna in the area as well as the nearby local population. Additionally, the impact on the closure of the overall site and the lessons learned during the construction program will be discussed.

Text

2024-02-15

Attribution-NonCommercialNoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/87441

Unreviewed

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