A Study of Glacier Flow for an Open-Pit Mine: An Exercise in Applied Glaciology

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Colbeck, S. C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1974
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Greenland; glacier; Ice Sheet; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000023182; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000023182

As part of the feasibility study for the development of an open-pit mine at the edge of the Greenland ice sheet, a study is made of the ice flow toward the proposed pit. The flow is analyzed by considering the two-dimensional flow along seven cross-sections. The most favorable profile is determined for each cross-section and its flow calculated. The excavation necessary to expose the ore is 106 × 10 6 m 3 of ice. 66 × 10 6 m 3 of ice will have to be removed in order to establish favorable profiles and an additional 7.9 × 10 6 m 3 of ice will have to be removed each year in order to prevent the glacier from thickening and advancing into the mine. Many other glaciological problems must be considered, and field work continues in order to provide more information about the area.