Mine Water Management

Context

Cape Breton contains 3,200 kilometres of underground mines that are either flooded or in the process of flooding. That’s roughly the distance between Halifax and Calgary.

These flooded mine workings contain about 250 billion litres of anoxic water, contaminated with sulphuric acid, high levels of dissolved iron and other heavy metals.

As they flood, the mines discharge this water, potentially contaminating groundwater, drinking water, surface water, or the ocean.

Opportunity

CSEE is one of only a handful of expert mine water centres in the world.

The Cape Breton Development Corporation’s (DEVCO) partnership with CSEE has created an Industrial Research Chair to gather and develop best practices on all aspects of mine water management.

CSEE is examining options around the natural, passive discharge of flooded mine water – offering the potential to greatly reduce future management costs in Cape Breton and other mining sites around the world.

This area has the additional commercial potential to use the mine water as a geothermal renewable energy source.

Research Focus

CSEE is committed to finding solutions to ongoing mine water management issues. Possible research topics include:

• Mine water discharge remediation
• Natural, passive discharge of flooded mines
• Reduction of maintenance requirements

  
Research Chair  

Dr. Habil. Christian Wolkersdorfer, Industrial Research Chair in Mine Water Remediation and Management