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MINE DRAINAGE SUBMENU
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Researchers: James Pope & Dave Craw
Data relating to mine drainage chemistry, stream chemistry and rock geochemistry for the West Coast and Southland have been digitised and compiled into a GIS database. Analysis of the dataset indicated that many streams with poor water quality had been identified in previous studies, but few thorough analyses of mine drainage chemistry had been made. This meant that relationships between rock geochemistry, mining and water quality were poorly understood.
A sampling programme of mine drainages where downstream water quality problems had been identified was conducted in 2005. In some areas samples were also collected downstream and upstream of mining to improve understanding of attenuation processes and baseline stream chemistry, respectively. These additional datasets have been correlated with rock geochemical data, field observations and mine history/activity to identify factors that influence water quality downstream of mining.
On the West Coast, water quality problems relating to gold mining and coal mining are fundamentally different and interpretation of the dataset has been split to reflect these differences. Water quality problems that can occur in association with coal mining relate to pH reduction and elevated concentration of dissolved Iron (Fe), Aluminium (Al) and trace elements. In contrast, possible water quality issues from hard rock gold mining relate to elevated concentrations Arsenic (As) and sometimes Antimony (Sb).
Analysis of coal mine drainage chemistry and rock geochemistry indicates that there are several risk factors that influence water quality downstream of mines including:
- regional geology
- mine type
- hydrogeology
- local geology
Similarly there are several factors that influence water quality downstream of gold mines, including:
- ore rock mineralogy
- ore processing method
- hydrogeology
- presence of As adsorption substrate (FeIII oxide/hydroxide minerals)
Outputs
2009
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Fact Sheet 2: Coal mine drainage (PDF 282KB)
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2008
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Craw, D., Mulliner, T., Haffert, L., Paulsen, H.K., Peake, B. & Pope, J. (2008). Stratigraphic controls on water quality at coal mines in southern New Zealand. In: New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, v. 51, p. 59-72.
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Pope, J., Trumm, D., Harding, J., Rait, R., Niyogi D., Champeau O., Cavanagh, J., Clemens, A., Buxton, R., Haffert L. & Craw, D. (2008). West Coast and Southland Mine Drainage Workshop II. July 2008. p32 Christchurch: CRL Energy
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2007
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Hughes, J. Craw, D., Peake, B., Lindsay, P. & Weber, P. (2007). Environmental characterisation of coal mine waste rock in the field: an example from New Zealand. In: Environmental Geology. 52, 8, pp. 1501-1509. Springer Berlin / Heidelberg.
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Craw, D., Rufaut, C., Haffert, L. & Paterson, L. (2007). Plant colonization and arsenic uptake on high arsenic mine wastes, New Zealand. In: Water, Air and Soil Pollution 179, 1, pp. 351-364. Springer Netherlands.
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2006
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Pope, J., Newman, N. & Craw, D. (2006). Controls on acid mine drainage chemistry. In: Geosciences '06 Our Planet, Our Future. Palmerston North:Geological Society of New Zealand, Abstract.
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Pope, J., Newman, N. & Craw, D. (2006). Coal mine drainage geochemistry, West Coast,
South Island
- a preliminary water quality hazard model. AUSIMM Annual Conference, p. 12. Waihi:AUSIMM.
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Mulliner, T., Craw, D., Pope, J. & Peake, B. (2006). Pit lake water quality in Southland's coal deposits. AUSIMM Annual Conference, p. 10. Waihi:AUSIMM.
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Haffert, L., Craw, D. & Pope, J. (2006). Quantification and controls on As distribution in Westland, New Zealand. AUSIMM Annual Conference, p. 10. Waihi:AUSIMM.
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Pope, J., Trumm, D., Harding, J., O'Halloran, K., Cavanagh, J., Clemens, A., Buxton, R., & Craw, D. (2006). West Coast Coal and Gold Mine Drainage Workshop, p. 23. Christchurch: CRL Energy Ltd.
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2005
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Pope, J., Singh, B. & Thomas, D. (2005). Mining related environmental database for West Coast and Southland: Data structure and preliminary geochemical results, AUSIMM 2005, p. 7. Auckland: AUSIMM.
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Haffert, L. & Craw, D. (2005). Dissolution and attenuation of arsenic at an historic quartz vein-hosted gold mine, Waiuta, New Zealand. New Zealand Geochemical Group: Orakeikorako Geothermal Resort, Abstract.
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Selected Presentations
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Haffert, L., Craw, D., & Pope, J. (2008). Arsenic discharge from an historic gold mine site, Waiuta, Westland. Powerpoint presentation. West Coast and Southland Mine Drainage Workshop II. July 2008
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Pope, J., Craw, D. (2008). Prediction of Water Quality Downstream of Mines:West Coast and Southland, New Zealand. Powerpoint presentation. West Coast and Southland Mine Drainage Workshop II. July 2008
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Pope, J., Craw, D. & Mulliner, T. (2008). Mine drainage in Southland. Powerpoint presentation. West Coast and Southland Mine Drainage Workshop II. July 2008
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Pope, J. (2006). Objective 1 Summary. Environment Southland Information Meeting, Invercargill, November 2006.
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Related Publications
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Moore, T., Black, A., Centeno, J., Harding, J. & Trumm, D. (Eds.). (2005). Metal contaminants in New Zealand: Sources, treatments, and effects on ecology and human health, p. 490. Christchurch, New Zealand: Rezolutionz Press.
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