Pre-mining depressurising of a deep ore body at the McArthur River mine in northern Saskatchewan was considered to decrease the risk associated with mining near 5 MPa water pressure and increasing the amount of ore that can be extracted. Based on a limited amount of field data, a three-dimensional finite element ground-water flow model was developed to predict the amount of water that would have to be pumped from surface wells or extracted with underground drainholes to meet this goal and the associated magnitude and extent of drawdown that would propagate to the surface over the life of the operation and its impact on surface-water resources.
Liu, H., J. Hatley, R. Bashir, and L.C. Atkinson. 2008. “Depressurising an Underground Ore Body at the McArthur River Mine in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.” Proceedings of 10th International Mine Water Association Congress (Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, June), paper no. 206. Ostrava: VSB – Technical University of Ostrava.
Houmao Liu
Depressurizing an Underground Ore Body.pdf