ii a 1 paul younger keynote address - abandoned …...avoca copper mines, wicklow, ireland tourism...
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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Orphaned and Abandoned Mines:in pursuit of best practicein pursuit of best practice
Paul L YoungerC.Geol. C.Eng. FIChemE FCIWEM FIMMM
HSBC Professor of Energy & Environment
Hydrogeochemical Engineering Research & Outreach (HERO) Institute for Research on Environment & Sustainability (IRES)
Newcastle University, UK. ([email protected])
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Orphaned and Abandoned Mines
= O&AM

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Scope of talk …• Dimensions of the issue• Priority setting – policies, perspectives,
pragmatism• Community engagement – who, what and
why?• Partnership approaches – panacea or
pain-in-the-rear?• Towards best practices
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Dimensions of the issue• Orphaned / abandoned mines:
– A lethal legacy?: long-term environmental impacts
– A precious patrimony?: community memory and the heritage ‘industry’
– both of the above? (in Europe –often yes; elsewhere … ?)
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Environmental impacts of O&AM: pathways
• Air: dust-blown emissions: ingestion• Soil: direct ingestion / arable /
pastoral use; land stability• Water: rivers (dissolved phase and
sediments), aquifers, ecosystems, drinking water
Effects generally highly localised
Effects downstream: ≤ 100s of kmDimensions of
the issue
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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Dust and Land Stability Issues
Miami, Oklahoma (Tar Creek Superfund Site) Miami, Oklahoma (Tar Creek Superfund Site) –– PbPb/Zn /Zn orefieldorefield
Dune Dune bedformsbedforms on windswept, on windswept, finefine--grained mine wastesgrained mine wastes
Crown hole over deep Crown hole over deep mine roof collapsemine roof collapse
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
O&AM land instability: Impacts on Essential Infrastructure
DolphingstoneDolphingstone, Edinburgh, East Coast Main Railway Line, Edinburgh, East Coast Main Railway Line
CrownCrown--hole above ancient mine hole above ancient mine voids subject to recent change in voids subject to recent change in
water table positionwater table position
Dimensions of the issue
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
O&AM Stability Issues objectively dangerous
AberfanAberfan, , South South Wales, Wales,
2121--1010--1966, 1966, 144 people 144 people killed (116 killed (116 of them of them school school
children)children)
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Environmental impacts of O&AM: frequency
• Air: an issue only with Pb, As, Hg, Cd etc• Soil: areal impact of pollution dependent
on markets (e.g. dairy herds etc)• Water: BY FAR THE MOST COMMON RECEPTOR AND VECTOR OF O&AM POLLUTION
Dimensions of the issue
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Impacts of O&AM on water environment: surface waters
• Iron: most common pollutant (Mn, Zn, As often also mobile at pH ≈ 7)
• Acidity, low pH: an issue where weathering is near-surface:- spoil heaps, old tailings, shallow workings
• Other pollutants: e.g. SO4 – an issue where drinking water is abstracted downstream
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Typical iron-rich (‘ferruginous’) mine water discharges
Ynysarwed, South Wales, UK - marginally acidic deep coal mine discharge, 250 mg/l Fe
Skinningrove, Cleveland, UK -two strongly alkaline ironstone mine discharges, both with 17 mg/l Fe
Dimensions of the issue
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Major acidic discharge:Wheal Jane, Cornwall (UK), Jan 1992 (et seq.)
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Acidic mine waters in a dry environment:Brugspruit, Witbank Coalfield, S Africa
Dimensions of the issue
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Impacts of O&AM on water environment: ground waters
• Remarkably few recorded cases of pollution of major (i.e. potable supply) aquifers:– Major early example: Sth. Durham UK– Several other cases now pending in
Europe– Under-reporting to date: does it reflect
slow onset of obvious aquifer pollution after mine abandonment (decades)?
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Water abstraction boreholes
Discharge into the sea
Evapo-transpirationInfiltrating
rainwater
Major recharge area
Mine water upflow
Runoff
Diminished recharge over glacial drift
Infiltrating rainwater
Piezometricsurface
(confined)
Permian: Magnesian Limestone Aquifer and minor basal units
Glacial drift (Quaternary)
Coal Measures (Upper Carboniferous)
Sea or river
General groundwater flow direction
Water table / piezometric surface
KEY
Water table (unconfined)
Level of shallowest mine
workings
Water abstraction boreholes
Discharge into the sea
Evapo-transpirationInfiltrating
rainwater
Major recharge area
Mine water upflow
Runoff
Diminished recharge over glacial drift
Infiltrating rainwater
Piezometricsurface
(confined)
Permian: Magnesian Limestone Aquifer and minor basal units
Glacial drift (Quaternary)
Coal Measures (Upper Carboniferous)
Sea or river
General groundwater flow direction
Water table / piezometric surface
KEY
Water table (unconfined)
Level of shallowest mine
workings
South Durham (UK): Aquifer Pollution From Underlying
Abandoned MinesDimensions of
the issue
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Spennymoor
Bishop Auckland
Shildon
Darlington
Stockton-on-Tees
¤ ¤
¤ ¤
¤¤¤
¤¤
¤¤
¤¤ ¤
¤ ¤ ¤
¤¤
¤
¤ ¤
Middlesbrough
Billingham
Hartlepool
Sedgefield
Ferryhill
¤ ¤ ¤Newton Aycliffe
30.0010.00
100.00
100.00
300.00
¤
SO42- concentration contour (mg/L)
Water supply boreholes
Observation boreholes
Extent of the study area
Extent of the mine workings
Major settlements
100.00
Spennymoor
Bishop Auckland
Shildon
Darlington
Stockton-on-Tees
¤ ¤
¤ ¤
¤¤¤
¤¤
¤¤
¤¤ ¤
¤ ¤ ¤
¤¤
¤
¤ ¤
Middlesbrough
Billingham
Hartlepool
Sedgefield
Ferryhill
¤ ¤ ¤Newton Aycliffe
30.0010.00
100.00
100.00
300.00
¤
SO42- concentration contour (mg/L)
Water supply boreholes
Observation boreholes
Extent of the study area
Extent of the mine workings
Major settlements
100.00
Predicted plume migration to 2010
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Predictions of the calendar years in which specific public supply wells will exceed drinking
water limit (250 mg/l SO4) for first time
2019Hope House
2057Waterloo Plantation
2038Great Stainton
2029Stillington
2024Hopper House
Year in which SO4 concentration predicted to first exceed 250 mg/l
Public Supply Well
Dimensions of the issue
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Heritage issues and O&AM
• Mining is probably the second (certainly the third!) oldest profession
• The earliest reliably-dated archaeological remains of mining keep getting ever more ancient (e.g. Bronze Age now widely-attested in NW Europe)
• Conservation of such sites already an issue in Europe; may become so in Middle East / Indian sub-continent
• Probably an under-appreciated phenomenon in the Americas (e.g. Andes?)
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Heritage issues and O&AM - examples
• Neolithic: Grimes Graves Flint mines, Norfolk (UK)• Bronze Age:
– Great Orme Mine (carbonate-hosted Cu orebody), North Wales (UK)
– Mynydd Parys (Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Orebody), North Wales (UK)
– Surface workings in Ireland (Cork)– Mining Settlements (Faja Pirítica, Spain)
• Dawn of the Industrial Age:– Germany– UK: coal mines, copper mines, etc
Dimensions of the issue
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Bronze Age Cu Mine Voids
Great Great OrmeOrme, North Wales, North Wales
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
In the Bronze Age Voids
Great Great OrmeOrme, North Wales, North Wales
Dimensions of the issue
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Heritage issues and O&AM - examples
Bronze Age VMS copper workings, Mynydd Parys, North Wales: still a source of acidic drainage after 3500 years!
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Heritage issues and O&AM - examples
16th Century ‘Coffin Level’, copper mine, Caldbeck,
N.W. England
Coal Mine Drainage Aditcommenced 1617 AD,
Gateshead, N.E. EnglandDimensions of
the issue
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Heritage issues and O&AM - examples
Cornish Mining District: the newest UNESCO World Heritage Site
Romantic mine remains … …… prosaic prosaic pollutionpollution
Dimensions of the issue

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Heritage issues and O&AM - examples
Avoca Copper Mines, Wicklow, IrelandTourism based on TV location and one of very few mine heritage sites in Ireland …
Dimensions of the issue
… welcome to ‘BallykissAMD’
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Heritage issues and O&AM - examples
Killhope Lead Mining Museum, Co Durham (UK)
Dimensions of the issue
Park Level Mine:-Worked for lead: 1853 – 1916- Worked for education and recreation: 1996 –- Point source of dissolved Zn pollution 1853 -

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Heritage issues and O&AM - examples
Killhope Lead Mining Museum, Co Durham (UK)
Dimensions of the issue
The fun way to learn about physics and mineralogy –and how to release Pb / Zn-rich suspended sediment
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Priority setting• Why prioritize?
– Spreading the costs over the years– Availability of specialist contractors– Developing know-how through
sequential experiences• How: Hierarchical approach -
impacts → ‘do-ability’
Priority setting

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Impact assessment• Source → Pathway → Receptor• Multi-Attribute Technique:
– S→P→A + Social considerations• ‘Do-ability’: identification of
situations where a convergence of interests exists
Priority setting
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Impact assessment: examples• Source → Pathway → Receptor
Scottish Environment Protection Agency Opencast Mining GuidelineScottish Environment Protection Agency Opencast Mining Guidelines s to Achieve Compliance with the Groundwater Regulations 1998to Achieve Compliance with the Groundwater Regulations 1998
Priority setting

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
• Multi-Attribute TechniqueImpact assessment: examples
Environment Agency / Environment Agency / Coal Authority Coal Authority
Priority ListPriority List
Priority setting
Mine Name (Ranked) Score Rank Mine Name (Ranked) Score RankBridgewater Canal 416 1 Goytre 51.2 46Harecastle Canal 300 2 Sheephouse Wood 50 47Taff Merthyr 186 3 Summerley no. 1 44 48Pontlottyn 185.2 4 Corrwg 40.8 49Old Meadows 180 5 Allerdeanmill 38.4 50Six Bells 170.4 6 Nantffyllon 37.6 51Blaenavon/Llwyd 170 7 Chell Heath Road 34.4 52Ynysarwed 163.2 8 Unstone 1 33.6 53Craig y Aber 144 9 Ash Bank 33.2 54Down Brook 139.2 10 A Morlais 32.4 55Blackwood/Sunningdale 133.2 11 Chirm 32.4 56Great Clifton 128.8 12 Hagwood 32.4 57Craggs Moor 127.6 13 Fender 30 58Summersales 127.6 14 Shepley Dyke 30 59Rhymney Hengoed/Tir y Berth 123.2 15 Heage 28 60Deerplay 119.2 16 Cwmgors 26.4 61Park Pit/Garswood 110 17 Loxley Bottom 25.2 62North Celynen 109.2 18 Maerdy H/L&LL Res 23.6 63Fennyfield 108.8 19 Abersychan/Cwm Sychan 23.2 64Jowkin Wood 108.8 20 Garwed Brook 23.2 65Clough Foot 108 21 Nant Ffrwd-oer SE 22.8 66Lindsay 105.6 22 Aspden Valley 22 67Bullhouse 103.6 23 Claywheels Lane 20.8 68Silkstone 96.8 24 Corrwg Fechan 19.2 69Glyn Castle 96 25 Stony Heap 18.8 70Jackson Bridge 93.6 26 Hill Top Farm 18.4 71Carr wood 93.6 27 Penrhiwfer 17.6 72Pemberton 82.8 28 Hapton Valley 17 73Dukes Level Burbage 81.6 29 Ynysybwl/Y FFrwd 16.8 74Pontllanfraith/Tram Road 78.4 30 Tunstall Park 61.2 75Hockery Brook 74.4 31 Tanygarn 15.2 76Dunvant 72.8 32 Ewanrigg 14.4 77Towneley Park 72.8 33 Lambley 12 78Acomb 72 34 Ynyswen/Nant Orky 11.6 79Bradley Brook 71.2 35 Trosnant Brook 10 80Valley Brook 68 36 Broughton Brook/Hawarden 9.6 81Aspull Sough 65.6 37 Mountain Gate 9.2 82Edmondsley 62.4 38 Tawe trib Llechart 7.2 83Alexandradrift 60 39 N Gwynfi 6 84Llynfi 60 40 Welch Whittle 5.2 85Margam Park 58.4 41 Cranberry Holes Dyke 4.8 86Sandhole Colliery 56.8 42 Lowlands 4 87Lightowlers Colliery 54.4 43 Haydock Sough 3.2 88Limb Brook 53.6 44 Byrons Drift 2.4 89Machen 53.6 45 Nant y Fedw 1.6 90
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment Priority setting

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
• ‘Do-ability’Impact assessment: examples
Environment Environment Agency Agency
Metal Mine Metal Mine Strategy for Strategy for
WalesWales
Priority setting
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Community engagement
ArtesanalArtesanal gold miners, gold miners, Cordillera Real, Bolivia, 1999Cordillera Real, Bolivia, 1999
Volunteers constructing pilot Volunteers constructing pilot treatment wetland for acidic treatment wetland for acidic drainage from abandoned coal drainage from abandoned coal
mine, Quaking Houses, Co mine, Quaking Houses, Co Durham (UK) 1994.Durham (UK) 1994.
Community engagement

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Community engagementCommunity gathering: Durham Community gathering: Durham
MinerMiner’’s Gala, July 2004s Gala, July 2004
GrupoGrupo de de DiDiáálogologo MineroMinero, , PerPerúú, September 2006, September 2006
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Community: who?• Which people constitute ‘the
community’ in any given case?• Who decides who belongs to it, who
is excluded?• If anyone can ‘join’, do all have
equal say-so?• What about divided communities?
Community engagement

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Examples• Quaking Houses (Co Durham, UK) –
small ex-mining community engagement in O&AM remediation
• Horden (Co Durham, UK) – from formalism to inclusive dialogue
• (Perú – Pasivos AmbientalesMineros / Pasivos Sociales?)
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
The Quaking Houses Community Mine Water Treatment Wetland,
County Durham, UK
Community engagement

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Polluted discharge to Stanley Burn (before project began)
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
The Gavinswelly Wetland
Community engagement

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Constructing the full-scale wetland
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Newly-commissioned full-scale wetland (Nov ‘97)
Community engagement

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
The wetland growsEnd of first growing season
Middle of fourth growing season
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Horden, Co DurhamRegional
dewatering of abandoned
mines in the Wear
catchment is ongoing,
preventing rising mine
waters causing serious
pollution of the River Wear
around Durham city
Community engagement

23
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Horden, Co DurhamHowever,
this regional dewatering
network could not
prevent rebound
occurring in the East of Wear area after the
last pumping in coastal collieries ceased in
March 1994
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Mine water rebound in East Durham coastal collieries
-450
-400
-350
-300
-250
-200
-150
-100
-50
0
15/06/1994
28/10/1995
11/03/1997
24/07/1998
06/12/1999
19/04/2001
01/09/2002
14/01/2004
Wat
er L
evel
(mbO
D)
HawthornDawdonEasington
Community engagement

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Water drifts pollution pathway - I
Water well
Old colliery “water drift”
Old colliery sea drift
Capped colliery shaft
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Water drifts pollution pathway - II
Water well
Old colliery “water drift”
Old colliery sea drift
Capped colliery shaft
Community engagement

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Water drifts pollution pathway - III
Water well
Old colliery “water drift”
Old colliery sea drift
Capped colliery shaft
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Water drifts pollution pathway - IV
Water well
Old colliery “water drift”
Old colliery sea drift
Capped colliery shaft
Community engagement

26
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Additional pollution pathway:
leakage threat to
wells in Permian
(MagnesianLimestone)
aquifer
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Hawthorn
Dawdon
HordenThree open shafts with chance of sufficient connectivity to control water levels in wide
area if used for pumping
Community engagement

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Horden: breakdown in communication
• The Coal Authority knew it had to act to prevent aquifer and sea pollution
• However, it developed its plans in private, and only presented them to local authorities at a late stage opting for Hawthorn
• It was only then (with 12 months to go before onset of pollution) that they discovered an array of wider community interests of which they were unaware …
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Groundwater supply wells:source protection zones
Hawthorn site would
require a 5km pipeline to
the sea –taking hyper-
saline water across
groundwater source
protection zones!
Community engagement

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Hawthorn: other drawbacks• Pipeline would require wayleaves from
numerous landowners in an area inhabited by unemployed miners who are hostile to the Coal Authority
• The Hawthorn site had already been cleaned-up and prepared for development as a flagship business park for the district
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
The outcome …• Rapid (6 months) design and build of high-
density sludge plant at Horden (coastal shaft) as an emergency measure in area where head difference between mine workings and aquifer was already becoming positive …
• Convening of a multi-stakeholder dialogue group to scope long-term solution (probably pumping at Horden and Dawdon) – towards a partnership approach
Community engagement

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Horden HDS planta world record for rapid procurement?
Community engagement
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Partnership approaches• Creative approach to regulation:
– Relevant laws generally not written with peculiarities of O&AM in mind
– Avoid dis-incentivising voluntary actions• Learning to listen:
– Other people’s agendas are valid!• Confidence building:
– Trust is often the commodity in shortest supply; it cannot be re-gained overnight
Partnership approaches

30
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Partnership approaches: examples
• Mynydd Parys, North Wales• Lamesley, Co Durham
Partnership approaches
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Mynydd Parys• Abandoned workings with dam
impounding head > 50m of highly acidic waters, perched above town of Amlwch
• Predictive models suggested dam failure would exceed 100-year flood in town, with almost certain loss of life
• Procedure needed to mine-out dam and restore ‘natural’ drainage
Partnership approaches

31
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Mynydd Parys
Partnership approaches
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Mynydd Parys
Partnership approaches

32
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Mynydd Parys• Engineering challenge relatively
straightforward, if unusual• Regulatory challenge – major!• Stakeholders:
– Local government– Landowners and local residents– National authorities: environmental
protection, heritage, nature conservation– New mining company nearby– Mine explorers
Partnership approaches
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Mynydd Parys• Conundrum: permitting works to avoid one
risk while apparently contravening laws on increasing discharge of toxic substances to a watercourse …
• Solution: two-phase process design– Remove flood risk as Phase One– Plan and implement remediation as Phase Two
• Thorough risk assessment approach taken, bringing all stakeholders along in consensus-building process
• One absentee stakeholder attempted to disrupt process late on; given short shrift!
Partnership approaches

33
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Mynydd Parys:Phase I in progress
Partnership approaches
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Mynydd Parys: Adit discharge before and after Phase I
Partnership approaches
AFTERAFTERBEFOREBEFORE

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Mynydd Parys:awaiting Phase II …
Partnership approaches
Afon Goch Amlwch
Copper: 5.4 kg/day
Zinc: 20.7 kg/day
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Lamesley, Co Durham• Kibblesworth: Coal Authority’s largest pumping
station on an abandoned mine - preventing flooding, pollution and hazardous gas emissions in a dense urban area– Deterioration in quality due to changes in pumping to the
east; new need for Fe removal• Birtley sewage works: typical wastewater plant
requiring upgrade to remove PO4• My question: Given Fe and PO4 are highly reactive
forming insoluble minerals, can we co-treat both waters to achieve best overall environmental result?
• Required partnership between a public body (Coal Authority) and private water company (Northumbrian Water Ltd)
Partnership approaches

35
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Wetland co-treatment of sewage and mine water
Lamesley (Gateshead): Birtley Sewage Works and Kibblesworth Mine Water Discharge
Our house!
Inflow cascade
Partnership approaches
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Lamesley: challenges overcome in partnership working
• Novelty of co-treatment process: Newcastle Univ pilot plant• Contrasting time-scale drivers for Coal Authority and
Northumbrian Water Ltd• Different investment approval processes (involving different
parts of government)• Both organisations had different pre-agreed preferred
contractors … some legal delicacies!• Novelty of proposed joint-ownership of discharge consent from
final treatment system: required creative thinking from Environment Agency– Despite all the above, great success was achieved: the
project was runner-up in the 2005 National Utility Awards (in ‘Environmental Excellence’ category)
Partnership approaches

36
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Towards best practices• Dependencies:
– Climate– Type of mining– Socio-economic setting– Legal framework
Towards best practices
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Towards best practices• Ideal attributes:
– Logical basis: never accept the over-ruling of scientific rigour
– Culturally appropriate– Ecologically integrated– Hydrologically integrated (catchment
perspective / supra-catchment aquifers)
– Cognisant of full life-cycle
Towards best practices

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Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Best practice guidance• PIRAMID• ERMITE• ERMISA, CAMINAR• ICMM Community Toolkit• etc•… but: MEND is the envy of the world, so don’t concern yourselves too much with what we’ve been up to!
Towards best practices
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
PIRAMID guidelines
Towards best practices

38
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
YOUNGER PL, WOLKERSDORFER CH:
Preface
ERMITE CONSORTIUM:
Mining impacts on the Fresh Water Environment: Technical and Managerial Guidelines for Catchment Scale Management
Supplement 1 to Volume 23 March 2004
YOUNGER PL, WOLKERSDORFER CH:
Preface
ERMITE CONSORTIUM:
Mining impacts on the Fresh Water Environment: Technical and Managerial Guidelines for Catchment Scale Management
ERMITE: Environmental Regulation of Mine Waters in the European Union
European Commision, 5th Framework Programme, contract EVK1-CT-2000-00078
ERMITE guidelines
Towards best practices
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
From ERMITE to ERMISA …
YOUNGER PL, WOLKERSDORFER CH:
Preface
ERMITE CONSORTIUM:
Mining impacts on the Fresh Water Environment: Technical and Managerial Guidelines for Catchment Scale Management
Supplement 1 to Volume 23 March 2004
Towards best practices

39
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
… and on to CAMINAR(2007 – 2010)
• Collaborative EU-funded multi-stakeholder research in Peru, Chile, Bolivia
• Producing guidelines for water management in arid and semi-arid zones with mining
– HERO, Newcastle University– Water Management
Consultants (Chile)– ETSIMO (Spain)– Labor, Peru: (Stakeholder
engagement) – CAZALAC, Chile: (UNESCO
Centre for Water Management in arid and semi-arid zones)
Towards best practices
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Summary• Dimensions of the issue: dust, stability, WATER – and
‘heritage’• Priority setting – an integrated technical and social
evaluation is needed• Community engagement – needs to be pursued at all
scales, from a single village, through regions to countries and international arenas
• Partnership approaches – costly, but worth it!• Towards best practices – scientifically sound, culturally
appropriate, ecologically and hydrologically integrated, cognisant of full life-cycle

40
Keynote Address: NOAMI Workshop, Winnipeg, Oct 26th 2006
Chair of Energy and Environment
Thank you – Merci
Greetings from the next generation of Europeans Greetings from the next generation of Europeans inheriting orphaned and abandoned mine issuesinheriting orphaned and abandoned mine issues