“making water work” Australian Groundwater Technologies
“making water work” Australian Groundwater Technologies “making water work” Australian Groundwater Technologies
• Welcome Everybody • Terramin Team:
– Martin Janes - CEO
– Matt Daniel - Environment and Community Superintendent
– Erin Nugent - Commercial Manager
– Eric Whittaker - Principal Geologist
– Ken McBride -Site Supervisor
– Katy Fechner - Environmentalist
• Australian Groundwater Technology: Specialist Consultants
– Jason van den Akker - Hydrogeologist
• Cooe: Environment Consultants
– Joe Misfud
– Angela Dewdney
• Apologies
• Mining history in the area
• Previous water studies and proposals
• Water table characterised by a fractured rock aquifer
– complex systems and typically difficult to distinguish.
• Significant reliance on groundwater in area
• Bores are generally ~100 m deep, with a few being 150 m deep.
• Aside from anecdotal evidence, little is understood about the groundwater system, particularly at depths below 125 m.
Bores target the Brighton
Limestone (marble), (contains the
gold bearing qtz veins)
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Key project issue and main focus for research:
1. Quantification of groundwater flows;
2. Groundwater interaction with surrounding aquifers and users;
3. Possible groundwater contamination from historic activities*;
4. Water management options; and
5. Compliance to Water Allocation Plan (WAP).
*Previous work indicated contamination in some drill holes. Follow up
work identified residual drilling fluids and once purged, subsequent
sampling revealed no contamination.
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1. Desktop study (review of past studies / other information) (completed)
2. Ongoing collection of information from regional Stakeholders
3. Baseline studies
- Groundwater monitoring (ongoing)
- Bore census (ongoing)
4. Field investigations
- Drilling of five investigation bores (4 completed)
- Pumping (aquifer) testing of investigation bores ( planned July)
5. Development of a robust groundwater model (September –
December)
6. Evaluation of best practice water management options
Regulators for the works are DMITRE and DEWNR.
DMITRE Approvals :
• Construction of five investigation wells. (inc. earth works and water
storage)
• Pump testing of investigation wells.
• Short duration – measures impact between holes
• Risk assessment undertaken with focus on regional impact
• Monitoring of regional bores will be undertaken to measure
effect.
• DMITRE have undertaken multiple site inspections during the drilling
program.
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• Groundwater monitoring of 11 site bores commenced in November
is ongoing.
• The groundwater monitoring network expanded off-site to include 12
additional private bores.
• Groundwater level loggers installed in six site monitoring bores and
two private bores identified for equipping. (next week)
• Record groundwater levels four-hourly. (will be 15min during test)
39
41
43
45
47
49
51
53
55
11/13 12/13 01/14 01/14 02/14 03/14 03/14 04/14 05/14 05/14
De
pth
to
Gro
un
dw
ate
r (m
)
GROUNDWATER LEVEL
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Census is ongoing:
• 25 properties
surveyed.
• 46 bores identified
• Water samples
collected from
private bores, dams
and creeks
• 12 private bores are
now being routinely
monitored by
Terramin.
Project Area
Until now little is known about the
aquifers beyond the depth of 125 m.
This drilling program represents the:
• First drilling investigation within
the Inverbrackie Sub-Catchment.
• Most comprehensive study in the
Upper Onkaparinga Catchment
(no investigation bores within 10
km).
NB: A V-notch weir is a specific
dimension 'v notch' in a plate that is
placed so that it obstructs an open
channel flow, causing the water to flow
over the v notch. It is used to meter flow
of water in the channel, by measuring
the head of water over the v notch crest.
V - notch weir to
measure bore yield
• Four investigation wells drilled and cased at
depths ranging from 135 m to 300 m.
• Wells target all geological rock types
(Considered separate aquifers DEWNR).
• Designed to determine the connectivity
between the marble and the adjacent
aquifers.
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Information collected during drilling:
• Aquifer yield with depth (to identify major water bearing horizons).
• Groundwater salinity change with depth.
• Fracturing with depth (broken ground). (results forDBIW05)
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0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0 10 20 30
Bo
re D
ep
th (
m)
Bore yield (L/s)
DWIB3
DWIB1
DWIB4
DWIB5
Depth of old mine workings
Fractured ground
= high groundwater flows
Yield decrease with depth
Private bore yields shown in blue
Investigation bore yields DWIB1, DWIB3, DWIB4,
DWIB5
Brighton Limestone – Host rock of the Gold
deposit. Low yield rock
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Information collected during
drilling (continued):
• Geophysical logging
• Acoustic televiewer
• Mapping of fractures
(water bearing zones)
• Detection of thin beds
• Determination of
bedding dip
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Aquifer testing to determine the:
• Aquifer parameters (permeability, flows and volumes) required to construct
groundwater model.
• Level of connection between each aquifer i.e. marble/sandstone/siltstone.
• Interaction of faults and structures
• Monitor groundwater drawdown – via site and surrounding private bores.
• Measuring the water quality – EC, pH, Temp, Chemical comp, Turbidity
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Airlifting water during drilling of DWIB1
• BH41 (all units)
• DWIB3 (Cox Sandstone)
• BH37 (all units)
• BHR01 (shallow water table)
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• Planned during winter – targeting period when minimal
groundwater pumping is likely
• Pumping rates are lower than first anticipated. (25l/s not 45l/s)
• A risk assessment was completed to ensure private water access
will not be impacted during pump test work.
• Developed in consultation with DEWNR, DMITRE and WAP
• Takes into account regional users and water access.
• Site bores and specific private bores will be monitored during the
pump testing.
• Any unforseen impacts detected in private wells will trigger action,
review information, modify plan as appropriate.
Data collected from baseline monitoring, drilling and bore testing will be
used to develop a robust groundwater model.
The model will be used as a tool to:
• Predict groundwater inflows into the mine.
• Assess potential impact to surrounding aquifer / bores.
• Evaluate a range of water management options and mitigation
measures.
• Evaluate the project against the rules and regulations of the WAP.
INJECTION WELLS
MINE WORKINGS
GROUNDWATER DRAWDOWN
NB: Diagram illustrative and not Bird in Hand Gold Model.
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Too early to speculate what water management
methods.
The type of water management options will be dictated
by the rate of potential inflows and the nature of the
aquifers
Groundwater modelling ->
•assess feasibility of the project
•determine a range of water management options
Numerous methods and multiple combinations of
mitigation measures.
MAR site: Botanical Gardens
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Water management techniques developed in the last 100yrs Progressed from dewatering a region through pumping Management techniques range to suit application • Angas Zinc Mine (SA) – Managed aquifer recharge • Cosmo Gold Mine (NT) – Pre-grout from surface in fractured
rock to stop inflows • Earnest Henry and Mt Margaret Project (QLD) – aquifer
protection for regional users • Rassarden Tin Mine – Tasmania
– Pre-grout to stop water inflow of 12 to 33l/s
• Metropolitan Colliery (NSW) – Sealing cracks to the Waratah Rivulet, protecting aquifer
• Roma (QLD) – MAR treated water to protect irrigators. Trial injection of 10Ml per day. (AGT working with SANTOS)
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• Iluka (Balranald) -Trial • Santos – re-injection of CSG co-produced
water - Trial • Rio Tinto - Operational • Terramin – Angas Zinc Mine - Past
Operational • Newcrest (Lihir): injection of sea water to
cool a geothermal source - Prefeasibility • BHP-B (Olympic Dam) - Trial • Havilah Resources (Portia) - Trial • Water Proofing the East (City of
Walkerville) 893 ML/a - In development • Water Proofing Northern Adelaide (Cities
of Salisbury, Playford and TTG) 5 GL/a - Several Operational
• Water Proofing the West (City of Charles
Sturt) 2.3 GL/a. Several Operational • Water Proofing the South (City of
Onkaparinga) 2 GL/a - Several in commissioning stage
• Oaklands Park Stormwater Harvesting Scheme (City of Marion) 500 ML/a - Operational
• Adelaide Airport Stormwater Harvesting Scheme (SA Water) 400 ML/a - Operational
• Barker Inlet Stormwater Harvesting Scheme (SA Water) 400 ML/a - Operational
• Aldinga Treated Wastewater ASR Scheme (SA Water) 400 ML/a - Operational
• City of Unley Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse Schemes 95 ML/a - Operational
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Please ensure you provide contact detail for further updates, water quality information and water bore survey.
Contact details:
Joe Ranford – Terramin Australia
ph: 8213 1415