New findings from a study led by ChemCentre’s Dr Kathryn Linge, working with scientists from CSIRO, inform our understanding of the chemical evolution of water quality in pit lakes at existing and former mine sites. The research will support better planning and environmental outcomes for mining in WA.
The study, supported by the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia, released today, details the first comprehensive dataset of mine pit lake water quality in Australia.
The results from the project are also being used to plan and develop further research to inform mine closure and pit lake management. In particular, ChemCentre is currently leading development of a national scale research project through CRC TiME that brings together researchers from ChemCentre, University of Western Australia, Flinders University, CSIRO, University of Queensland and Curtin University, with expertise in water and mine sustainability, stakeholder engagement, water quality, surface hydrology, pit lake and groundwater modelling.
This project will provide national guidance to support decisions on new mines and closure plans, including development of a nation-wide pit lake classification framework, stakeholder engagement to better understand aspirations for pit lake reuse, and guidance on the model complexity and data requirements for different mine risk profiles.
Read the full report on the MRIWA website.
