Hydrogeological Data Collection at Canadian Arctic Mines in Permafrost

• Main Authors: Robert C. Dickin, Ryan Mills, Rina Freed
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arctic; Nunavut; Northwest Territories; permafrost
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.601.920; http://www.imwa.info/docs/imwa_2008/IMWA2008_012_Dickin.pdf

Groundwater quantity and quality data collection issues at existing and proposed mines in the Precambrian Shield rocks of the Canadian Arctic (Nunavut and Northwest Territories) are discussed based on literature review and recent hydrogeological testing at proposed mine sites. The Canadian Environmental Assessment process requires the collection of data on baseline groundwater conditions and predictions of mine inflow quantities and any potential impacts on groundwater quality and quantity during the construction, operations and closure phases of the mine. This portion of the Precambrian Shield is a continuous permafrost zone. The presence of permafrost tends to reduce the potential for groundwater inflows into mines but presents a number of technical issues for: a) collection of hydrogeological data, b) interpretation of ground water flow systems, c) prediction of mine inflow volumes, and d) assessment of potential groundwater quantity/quality impacts on local water resources.