Mine Water Symposium 2013
Beak presents numerical simulation results of reinstatement of a pore aquifer in Namibia

26th - 27th September 2013, Freiberg (Germany)

          

In the frame of the Mine Water Symposium 2013 at the Institute for Geology of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Markus Zingelmann from Beak Consultants GmbH will present numerical simulation results of reinstatement of a pore aquifer in Namibia on 26th September, between 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., during session IV.

The Langer Heinrich Uranium Mine is located approx. 80 km east of the Namibian harbour of Walvis Bay. The investigation area is characterised by a confined pore aquifer, a so-called tertiary paleo river channel. Parts of this aquifer will be mined out during the phase 4 mining stage. As part of the Langer Heinrich Uranium Mine Stage 4 Expansion, a conceptual model, aiming at controlling the reinstated aquifer has been developed. Simultaneously, it is planned to backfill tailings material from the nearby tailings storage facilities. For that matter, different modelling and prediction scenarios were developed and computed. The scenarios describe a complete and respectively a partially reinstatement of the aquifer and overlying confining layers. Transient modelling results showed a significant influence of groundwater recharge, arising shortly after occasional floods within ephemeral rivers of the area. Furthermore, reinstated confined aquifer conditions will minimise aquifer vulnerability with regard to seepage contamination from backfilled tailings.

Detailed information about the event can be found in the flyer or on the webpage.