AN OVERVIEW OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE MITIGATION AND TEST WORK IN NORTHWEST QUEBEC

The authors present an overview of the environmental concerns, existing treatment and mitigation approaches and new ideas being tested to resolve acid mine drainage problems at mines visited in a recent MEND Prevention and Control committee tour of the Rouyn-Noranda/Val D'Or region (Abitibi) of Quebec. The mining areas visited were: Ste. Genevieve's Norebec-Manitou site, the Crown owned (Quebec), abandoned East Sullivan tailings impoundment, Minnova's Millenbach tailings impoundment and Mine Doyon, operated by Lac Minerals and co-owned by Cambior. To minimize or replace costly collection and treatment, the sites visited are testing various surface covers (clay, organic, non-pyritic tailings and water). Research projects carried out at Mine Doyon and Waite Amulet have been and are providing valuable new information about the processes operating in acid generating waste rock dumps and tailings. In addition to the projects observed during the tour, the paper references similar test work being carried out in other areas of Ontario and Quebec