The long term objective of this project is to develop methods of revegetating mine tailings sites (in this case, a very large tailing mound in northern Quebec) using natural vegetation, and without transporting soil long distances. The specific objective of this project over the next year is to (i) conduct field trials to determine the causes of mortality of transplanted tree saplings using our method and (ii) to identify easily-measured traits of naturally growing plant species that increase the likelihood of such species surviving in these harsh environment.

NORAM Engineering and Constructors have a technology called salt splitting. This technology is used to produce caustic soda and sulfuric acid. However, the presence of fluoride in this technology can cause the breakdown of the coating on the titanium anode, which can cause premature anode failure. As replacing these titanium anodes can incur significant costs, purification in this technology to reduce its fluoride concentration is imperative.

Minerals industry has a considerable responsibility to implement effective dust management plans, thereby controlling the mine dust emissions. In dust management plans, the monitoring of dust emissions is an indispensable part in both mine sites and process plants. However, mine sites cover a wide range of locations where conventional monitoring instruments cannot be all installed. These locations are still under interests, but there is a lack of technology to monitor their dust emissions to the environment.

Large deformation problems represent a new issue in the current Canadian engineering practice since the current numerical methods cannot adequately address these problems. Material point method (MPM) is a modern numerical technique with many potentials for applications in large deformation problems in geotechnical engineering. The main benefit of addressing large deformation problems is the estimation of risk since as an example this methodology provides the opportunity to know the run-out distance in dam failures.

Conventional mining activities are composed of four distinct operation coming together. These operations are called; drilling, blasting, loading and hauling. As being the first step in this chain of operations, drilling quality and preciseness is very vital for the success and effectiveness of remaining components. Accurate drilling not only saves time to the company but also saves from costs and resources. In this sense, mining machinery manufacturing leaders have been working on the best technology available to better drilling accuracy with sophisticated tools and expertise.

Arsenic (As) is a toxic metalloid that is widespread in the environment. Anthropogenic mining activities result in As being released from rock via mining activities in mine tailings, waste rock and process waters. ORANO has a proposed mine site expected to produce waste rock containing As and other metals/metalloids. This waste rock needs to be stored appropriately and the release of it’s As into groundwater must be limited to minimize environmental impacts.

After identifying elevated metal concentrations in two seepages from a waste rock pile at Mount Polley Mine, an investigation was launched to determine the potential source as well as the implications for potential treatment. Evidence points to a previously unidentified source of acid mobilizing metals from the waste rock pile and being neutralized along the way, before daylighting at the base of the pile. The most likely source that was identified was a sulphur pile, which was stockpiled on site as a source of acid for leach pad research.

The Decar Nickel District is located in British Columbia. With more than 2 million tonnes of Ni, the district represents a significant resource. The nickel occurs in an uncommon mineral awaruite which is an alloy of nickel and iron. Due to its strong ferro-magnetic properties and high density (SG 8.0) it should be easily recoverable using magnetic separation followed by gravity concentration. However, the presence of significant amounts of magnetite which as similar physical properties makes it difficult to separate the awaruite from the magnetite.