Boojum Technical Reports
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Boojum Research Ltd. contributed their technical reports, publications in conference proceedings, and refereed journals generated by the company for cataloguing and inclusion in the Mining Environment Database.
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Item A Summary of Modeling Studies of the South Bay Mine Site(Boojum Research Ltd., 2003-06-17) SCIMUS Inc.The former Cu/Zn base-metal mine at South Bay, Ontario adjacent to Confederation Lake north of Ear Falls, Ontario has been shut down since 1985. Presently the mine site is undergoing decommissioning using ecological engineering and bioremediation technology. This report summarizes the global site-wide model and the calibration and results of the tailings area model and the town-site model that have been used from 1998 through 2000 to assess: the groundwater flow characteristics (volumes, velocities, directions) in the various stratigraphic units and areas of the site; the release and transport of contaminants from the tailings; the effectiveness of various remedial alternatives, such as installing a ditch, creating an impermeable cap, lowering the decant pond water level.Item Falconbridge Nikkelverk 1910-1929-2004: an international company in Norway(2020-08) Sandvik, Pål ThonstadOriginally published in Norwegian in 2004, this English translation of "Falconbridge nikkelverk 1910-1929-2004 : et internasjonalt selskap i Norge" describes the history of the Kristiansands Nikkelraffineringsverk, a nickel refinery established in Kristiansand Norway in 2010. The refinery was purchased by Falconbridge in 1929.Item Ecological engineering and biological polishing for drainage from the Faro waste rock dumps(1990-08-31) Kalin, Margarete A.; van Everdingen, R.O.Report examines the potential of ecological engineering to reduce contamination at the Faro site.Item A research approach to the long term management of acid mine drainage at La Mine Doyon / for B. Morrison, LAC Minerals Ltd.(1987-11-30) Kalin, Margarete A.Report includes a list of broadly defined objectives, developed by Boojum Research for La Mine Doyon, to decrease the cost of reclamation.Item Cape Breton Development Corporation : ecological engineering for VJ bogs and data summary : final report(1990-12) Boojum Research LimitedReport expands upon findings relating to bogs and acid mine drainage, and the steps used to assist in the recovery of acid-stressed bogs.Item Ecological engineering for gold and base metal mining operations in the Northwest Territories : final report / for M. Barnett, Northern Environment Directorate(1987-10-30) Kalin, Margarete A.Report examines environmental characteristics of a mine close-out in the arctic, and evaluates the possible use of biological processes in this situation.Item Nickel and arsenic adsorption onto mucilage producing algal colonies : final report : CANMET, CAMECO - March 1997(1996-11) Boojum Research LimitedReport describes the potential for Dictyosphaerium pulchellum to be used to adsorb nickel and arsenic in mining effluents.Item Controlling factors in the production of extracellular polysaccharides in phytoplankton : final report(1996-05) Kalin, Margarete A.; Olaveson, M.Report examines the use Dictyosphaerium pulchellum in a flooded pit as a means to adsorb metal.Item Developing a technique for reclamation of high iron sulphur tailings by establishing a marshland : phase 1, selection of suitable plant material and methods of establishment.(Boojum Research Limited, 1986-03) Kalin, Margarete A.; Falconbridge LimitedReport discusses the germination of seeds in different aquatic environments.Item Biological cycling of arsenic in sediments impacted by gold mill effluents.(Boojum Research Limited, 1992-01-14) Kalin, Margarete A.; Boojum Research LimitedEffluent treatment from gold milling requires the removal of heavy metals, cyanide and arsenic. The waters are generally alkaline and hence this presents a technical problem regarding the choice of a removal process. Conventional water treatment processes for arsenic removal include chemical oxidation (chlorination), coagulation - flocculation, liming, filtration, activated carbon adsorption and, ultimately, processes such as demineralizing by reverse osmosis or ion exchange. In principal, therefore, it is possible to select a treatment technology which will produce the desired effluent quality; however, the costs associated with the treatment technology are frequently prohibitive. The cost effectiveness of a treatment process is therefore equally important. With increasing environmental awareness, the treatment technologies do not only have to be economic and technically effective, but consideration has to be given to the long term stability of the resultant sludge. In addition, the decommissioning of the these facilities, along with the disturbed areas, has to be considered. The CREM task force has evaluated these technologies for their effectiveness. For arsenic, liming or softening was considered the most effective method which also removes any heavy metals. These methods produce sludges which represent an environmental problem. Therefore, better and more environmentally acceptable treatment processes have to be developed.Item ARD/AMD potential of the waste management area : Goldcorp Inc., Red Lake Mine Division, Balmertown, Ontario : final report.(Boojum Research Limited, 1997-11) Boojum Research LimitedAs part of the decommissioning plans of Goldcorp Inc., the potential of acid generation from the tailings was addressed with acid base accounting tests, The occurrence of acid generating minerals along with neutralizing minerals is extremely varied and the limited number of ABA tests lead to uncertain results. Boojum Research Ltd. was retained to assess the acid generation potential further. From a field investigation of the surface water on the tailings it was concluded, that within one year of cessation of tailings discharge, the physical/chemical conditions ofthe ponded water resembles those ofthe surrounding fresh water and supports considerable biological activity. The pH in ponded water on the tailings ranged from 7.0 to 8.6 and in the sediments/tailings pH values as high as 9.1 were measured. The electrical conductivity was low, with values ranging between 200 umhos/cm to 1000 umhoslcm. These surface waters would facilitate ecological approaches to decommissioning. To determine a reliable estimate of the quantity of acid generating minerals in the tailings, data were extracted from mineralogical and milling records in addition to chemical analysis reported for tailings. The data consistently produce an average of 1.5% S, 6.7% Fe and 2.7% Al. Sequential extraction of the tailings for mineral association produced a weight loss of 42%, the remaining 68% of the tailings are totally inert. Of the digestible fraction, 29% consisted of alkalinity generating minerals and 21% of potentially acid generating minerals, thus the neutralizing potential mass is equal to that of the acid generating mass. Through the extraction of weathering products which had formed in the tailings the ongoing oxidation, leading to acid generation and the concurrent neutralization was determined. Tailings material collected from old (32 years) and new ( 10 years) tailings ponds was leached with distilled water. The leach solutions were all above pH 7 and alkalinity between 50 to 210 mg.L-’ CaCO, equivalent. The tailings material clearly has remaining neutralization potential left. In the leachate from visually oxidizing tailings, 36% of S in the solids was mobilized with water, along with 14% Ca afler 10 years of exposure in the tailings pond. In the visually unoxidized sample exposed for the same time only 2.3% of the S and 2.2% of the Ca could be liberated by distilled water. Acid generation and its concurrent neutralization appears to be localized in pockets of the tailings pond. The rate of acid generation and neutralization has not been determined. It can be concluded that effluent problems normally associated with acid generating tailings will not be encountered for the Goldcorp Inc. tailings area. The concentrate stored on the tailings is acid generating. It is at present unclear, if some piezometer water quality is affected by this material.Item Port Radium : an environmental survey of mining wastes.(Institute for Environmental Studies, 1990) Kalin, Margarete A.; Sutherland, D.; Environment Canada, Environmental Protection Service, Western and Northern RegionReport examines the Port Radium peninsula and the water quality of the area.Item A preliminary assessment of the environmental conditions of two abandoned uranium mill tailings sites in Saskatchewan.(Boojum Research Limited, 1980-07-04) Kalin, Margarete A.Report suggests types of plants that should be investigated to help develop a rehabilitation plan for the uranium mill tailings sites.Item Long-term ecological behaviour of abandoned uranium mill tailings : 2. growth patterns of indigenous vegetation on terrestrial and semi-aquatic areas(Environment Canada, Atomic Energy Control Board, Energy, Mines & Resources Canada, 1984-12) Kalin, Margarete A.; Environment Canada; Atomic Energy Control Board; Energy, Mines and Resources CanadaSemi-aquatic and terrestrial areas on abandoned or inactive uranium mill tailings in Ontario were studied in order to identify the growth characteristics of the naturally invading species dominating these areas. Semi-aquatic areas of tailings sites have been invaded by cattails. These species formed wetland communities which varied in size, but all were essentially monocultures of Typha latifolia, T. angustifolia, or of the hybrids T. glauca. Sedges, Scripus cyperinus (wool-grass) and Phragmites australis (reedgrass), were found in transition zones between the cattail stand and the dry section of the tailings site. The expansion of the cattail stands appeared to be controlled by the hydrological conditions on the site, rather than the chemical characteristics of the tailings.Item Rayrock North West Territories [sic] : history, uranium tailings and environment.(Boojum Research Limited, 1984-03-31) Kalin, Margarete A.The Rayrock Mine Site is located about 145 km northwest of Yellowknife and 56 km north of Marian Lake. Rayrock Mines Limited recovered 458,000 pounds of yellow-cake between June 1957 and July 1959, leaving about 80,000 tons of tailings in two piles to the south of the mine site. The piles cover an area of about 6 and 8 ha. are free of vegetation and have small water bodies in depressions on the edges of the pile and at lowest points of the pile. These waters directly in contact with tailings appear to be high in radium and copper, reflecting the elevated concentrations of these elements in the tailings. Radium.. and lead-210 concentrations are high in the tailings compared to other abandoned or inactive uranium mill tailings sites in Canada. However, the concentrations in the waste material can range from 350 to 3,300 pCi /g for Radium-226 and 350 to 3,000 pCi/g for Lead-210. A representative average concentration for Radium-226 and Lead-210 in the Rayrock tailings cannot be determined as only a small sample set has been analyzed. Contaminated soil underneath a tailings cover, particularly in the North tailings pile arid on the edges of both piles, was found. The size of the area with contaminated soil is not known , but. this soil may be a source of contamination for vegetation rooted below the thin tailings cover. A second possible source of contamination of vegetation in the vicinity may be windblown tailings originating from the more dry, South tailings pile. Although the coarse tailings are weak acid generating and have been in contact with some water bodies for more than two decades, the water pH has riot been affected. The water quality parameter analyzed for Sherman Lake and the downstream system suggest, tentatively, that on the small Lakes Alpha and Gamma have been contaminated, but all other water bodies show no evidence of contamination related to the tailings decomposition.Item Halifax International Airport, N.S. : hydrological and geochemical data.(R. O. van Everdingen Research Specialties Limited., 1988-07) Van Everdingen, R. O.; R. O. van Everdingen Research Specialties Limited.Item Assessment of seepage characteristics waste rock pile and holding pond : Hope Brook Gold Mines Ltd.(Boojum Research Limited, 1988-08-31) Kalin, Margarete A.; Van Everdingen, R. O.; Hope Brook Gold Mines Limited.Report examines the acid mine drainage from the Hope Brook waste-rock pile and seepage into creeks from the pile and a holding pond.Item EM surveys maps : South Bay Mine site : final report 1995.(Boojum Research Limited, 1995-11) Boojum Research LimitedThe February 1995 survey was carried out over essentially the same grid as was established in March 1992. This year, two lines were added at both the east and west ends, and the complete grid surveyed with receiver - transmitter coil separations of 10 m, 20 m and 40 m. In the March 1992 survey, only 10 and 20 m coil separations were used. The 1992 results are presented on Maps MS-1 to MS-3 and the 1995 results on Maps MS-4 to MS-8. Differences between two sets of results are on MS-9 and MS10. Although the 1995 survey recovered the same 10 anomalies initially identified in 1992, differences in both horizontal and vertical positioning, as well as changes in the levels of conductivity, imply that significant changes have occurred in the groundwater regime in the area of the Mine Site. Some of these changes appear to be directly related to the presence of the Backfill Raise Diversion Ditch which was constructed shortly after the 1992 survey.Item Decommissioning of South Bay: phosphate rock/brush application in Boomerang Lake, EM34 background Mud Lake survey, seepage canyon definition: 1995 final report / Submitted to: Mr. David Porter Talisman Energy Inc.(Boojum Research Limited, 1997-03) Boojum Research LimitedA diversion ditch wasconstructed,directing the flow of Backfill Raise drainageareaaway from Confederation Lake and towards Boomerang Lake. The ground water table in the mine/mill site was lowered appreciably and small seepage flows remained. Further curtailment of seepage flow was achieved by additional ditching below the Portal Raise in order to divert fresh water draining from Antenna Hill away from waste rock on the mine site beach. The electromagneticsurvey wasrepeated to compare the conditions to those prior to the diversion Boojum Research Limited 1995 South Bay Report February 28, 1997 6 Talisman Energy Inc. of the seepage. These findings are presented in Section 7 of this report. In Section 8, the last section of the report, conclusions are drawn based on the findings and options for evaluation of remedial actions are identified.Item Phosphate rock requirement for Boomerang Lake : laboratory experiments to determine best rock type and application rates(Boojum Research Limited, 1995-05-19) Fyson, A.; Smith, M. P.Report examines the effect of phosphate rock on the pH level of water.