Geosynthetic liners for sustainable development of Arctic mineral resources

用于北极矿产资源可持续开发的土工合成衬垫

• 批准号: 521237-2018
• 负责人: Rowe, RKerry
• 金额: $ 14.02万
• 依托单位: Queen's University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Strategic Projects - Group
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=696755
• 关键词: Geosynthetic; liners; sustainable; development; Arctic

Extraction of mineral resources contributed $56 billion to Canada's economy in 2015. More than $8 billion in new mineral resource development is anticipated in the next decade alone in the Canadian Arctic. These activities involve generation of contaminated water that needs to be managed in a sustainable manner to maintain and help grow this vital economic activity while protecting surface and ground water supplies, and the sensitive Arctic ecosystem. These waters include runoff through acid generating waste rock piles and end of process wastes from mining called tailings, which largely consist of soil size particles, soluble salts and water. Large piles or impoundments are commonly used to contain these wastes. To minimize ground and surface water contamination they need to be contained in a safe but economically feasible manner. Geomembranes (plastic sheets typically 1-2.5 mm thick) and geosynthetic clay liners (a 5-7 mm thick layer of clay encapsulated between two layers of textile) are being considered as liners on top of waste rock piles (i.e., as an engineered cover to limit the movement of water and air through the waste to a negligible level) and on the bottom of tailings impoundments (i.e., as an engineered barrier to reduce the quantity of contaminants from escaping into the surrounding environment). These geosynthetic liners have been used to significantly enhance environmental protection at municipal landfills. However, there is little specific data to permit their rational design and long-term assessment in Arctic conditions, especially considering the effects of global climate change. Research is needed to allow an assessment of how much fluid may be expected to leak through the liner and how long the liner will last when exposed to the chemicals and physical stresses in Arctic applications. The aim of this partnership between university researchers, engineering consultants, and geosynthetic manufacturers is to establish a scientifically sound technical basis for the design of geosynthetic liners to enable the sustainable development of Arctic mineral resources. The research will provide specialized training for six highly qualified personnel in an area of economic and environmental importance for Canada.

矿产资源的提取在2015年为加拿大的经济贡献了560亿加元。仅在未来十年中，新的矿产资源开发将超过80亿加元。这些活动涉及生成受污染的水，需要以可持续的方式管理，以维持和帮助发展这一重要的经济活动，同时保护地面和地下水供应以及敏感的北极生态系统。这些水包括通过酸产生废岩堆的径流以及称为尾矿的采矿中的过程终止，其中大部分由土壤大小的颗粒，可溶性盐和水组成。大型桩或蓄水池通常用于包含这些废物。为了最大程度地减少地面和地表水污染，需要以安全但经济上可行的方式包含。地质膜（塑料片通常为1-2.5毫米）和地质粘土衬里（5-7毫米厚的粘土层封装在两层纺织品之间）被视为废岩石桩的衬里（即，作为工程式的水和空气的范围，是底层的范围，是底层的范围，是底层的范围，是底层的范围。从逃脱到周围环境中减少污染物的数量）。这些土工合成衬里已被用来显着增强市政垃圾填埋场的环境保护。但是，很少有具体数据可以允许其在北极条件下的理性设计和长期评估，尤其是考虑到全球气候变化的影响。需要进行研究，以评估预期通过衬里泄漏的液体以及衬里在暴露于北极应用中的化学物质和物理应力时持续多长时间。大学研究人员，工程顾问和土工合成制造商之间这种合作伙伴关系的目的是为设计地质合成衬里的设计建立一个科学的技术基础，以使北极矿产资源的可持续发展。这项研究将为加拿大经济和环境重要性领域的六名高素质人员提供专门的培训。