Delineation of Groundwater Capture Zone for the Grum Pit, Faro Mine Complex, Yukon Territory

• Main Author: Yungyoo, Thiyapa
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: Faro; Yukon
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/23819

The groundwater flow system of the Grum waste rock dump was modeled using Visual MODFLOW. By modeling groundwater flow and conducting particle tracking of in the vicinity of the pit area, the Grum pit’s capture zone was delineated. Through desktop studies of previous technical reports conducted on the study area, boundary conditions and parameters were established and incorporated into the numerical model. The model was then calibrated through a number of simulated cases of different hydraulic conductivity distribution conditions. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to investigate the governing factors that may influence the capture zone geometry. The analyses conducted showed that the capture zone encompasses an area of approximately 14 km2, and extends throughout the depth of the pit, where no deep regional flows were observed to bypass the pit. No flows from the opposite side of the Vangorda creek, where the Vangorda pit was located, crossed over to the Grum pit area. Analyses also showed that the capture zone geometry of the pit was largely governed by the hydraulic conductivity distributions and annual recharge rate. Science, Faculty of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of Unreviewed Undergraduate