| Summary: | The Database for Acid Rock Drainage (DBARD) and a detailed study of the tailings
impoundment at Gibraltar - McLeese Operations, British Columbia have provided the basis for
this study evaluating the ability of Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) prediction data to indicate on-site
water quality.
Analysis of the database has shown that sites with similar geologic or geographic settings
cannot be compared directly, although experience from previous work at other sites can aid new
sites in developing waste characterization programs. The static prediction data is dependent on
geochemistry of the sample and the prediction method and procedure. Improved methods of data
interpretation can account for these factors. Identification of 'indicator" elements can be used to
calculate acid generating and neutralization potentials from site specific correlations and be
included in kinetic tests and on-site monitoring programs to characterize oxidation and dissolution
reactions. The water quality and oxidation/neutralization rates for the DBARD kinetic tests are
not predicted by the static test data due to the short time frame of the tests, the time lag to ARD
and/or the inaccurate values of the static test data. Kinetic tests need to be initiated as early as
possible to allow stable conditions to be established and the maximum amount of time for
leaching. Various methods proposed to calculate neutralization depletion rates were shown to
provide similar rates. With longer term kinetic tests, the assumption that calculated
oxidation/neutralization rates can be extrapolated into the future needs to be verified through
additional test work. === Applied Science, Faculty of === Mining Engineering, Keevil Institute of === Graduate
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