Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Uranium mines and mining'
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Morris, Margaret M. "Analysis of the Anti-uranium Movements' response to the abolition of the Three Named Uranium Mine policy /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1998. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09ENV/09envm8768.pdf.
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Proulx, Michèle. "The uranium mining industry of the Bancroft area, an environmental history and heritage assessment." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp04/mq21696.pdf.
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Louw, Alet. "The environmental regulation of uranium mines in Namibia : a project life cycle analysis / Louw A." Thesis, North-West University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/7600.
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Uranium exploration and mining activities in Namibia have increased rapidly since 2003, which increase not only poses a significant impact on the country’s economy, but also on its unique and pristine natural environment. The nature and extent of the environmental impacts associated with uranium mining requires a sound environmental law and policy framework that regulates uranium activities, impacts and aspects during each phase of the project life cycle of a uranium mine. It also requires of authorities to establish and enhance environmental protection and sustainability during uranium mining operations and to ensure that all environmental impacts that inevitably occur as a result of uranium mining activities are addressed in a holistic and integrated manner during each phase of the project life cycle of a uranium mine. In order to do this the country must develop and maintain an efficient and effective environmental governance regime.
Namibia’s environmental law and policy framework that regulates uranium mining does not cover the entire PLC of uranium mining. It is vital that the current loops in the country’s existing environmental regulatory framework be closed and that an efficient and effective environmental governance regime, as envisaged in this study, be established. This will enable the administering agents to actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people, ecosystems, essential ecological processes and the biodiversity of Namibia, as well as the utilisation of living natural resources on a sustainable basis to the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future, as pledged in the Namibian Constitution.Thesis (LL.M. (Environmental law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.
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Martin, Paul Craig. "Radiological impact assessment of uranium mining and milling." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2000.
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Conde, Puigmal Marta. "Resistance to Mining. Enabling Factors and control of knowledge in uranium mining conflicts in Africa." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/328709.
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La resistencia a la minería no es una novedad y sin embargo, la extracción de recursos se ha ido expandiendo material y geográficamente durante los últimos 150 años, llegando a nuevas fronteras, moviendo cantidades más grandes de tierra y agua e impactando a más comunidades. Las resistencias que han surgido contribuyen cada vez más a la forma de la frontera de extracción siendo a su vez un factor importante en la política económica de la expansión minera. Así pues, es cada vez más crucial entender porque surge resistencia social a la minería y como está evolucionando.
Esta tesis focaliza la atención en el uranio, la fuente de la energía nuclear, estudiando las dinámicas industriales de la minería de uranio, los impactos e implicaciones a la salud, y la resistencia en la frontera de extracción del uranio en África. Namibia y Níger, los principales productores de uranio en África, están a la cabeza de lo que ha sido una fuerte demanda global de uranio parcialmente ralentizada por el accidente Tepco-Fukushima.
Esta tesis propone tres factores que pueden ayudar a explicar el surgimiento e intensidad de la resistencia de comunidades locales a la minería de uranio: la ecología y la geografía del recurso, el grado y tipo de marginalización política y económica de la comunidad, y crucialmente, la creación de alianzas externas que conecten e integren las inquietudes locales con movimientos sociales más amplios y demandas globales. Muestro como estos tres elementos juegan un papel diferente en cinco comunidades en Namibia que están o estarán afectadas por la minería de uranio, y explico como las ecologías locales de resistencia dan forman, o no, a la frontera global del uranio.
Los casos presentados tratan sobre radiación de bajo nivel causada por la minería de uranio que afecta la salud de los trabajadores y la de las comunidades cercanas a la mina. Con personas impactadas reclamando relaciones causales que no están probadas científicamente, el peso de probar su impacto queda relegado a las comunidades. A través de contactos, grupos de organización de base en Níger y Namibia están aliándose con científicos y produciendo nuevo conocimiento para protegerse de los impactos de la minería y confrontar la manufacturación de incertidumbre producida por las compañías mineras. Impulsado localmente, este proceso de ‘Activismo Movilizando Ciencia’ (AMS en inglés) da a los activistas visibilidad y legitimidad para transformarse en nuevos actores políticos y formar parte de una “comunidad extendida de iguales” (siguiendo el lenguaje de la ciencia post normal).
Un segundo objetivo de esta tesis es descubrir como la resistencia a la minería ha evolucionado. Mientras huelgas, protestas y demandas relacionadas con temas laborales han dominado conflictos mineros a través de la historia, estamos viendo como en las últimas dos décadas comunidades que viven en las zonas aledañas a los proyectos mineros están oponiéndose cada vez más a los proyectos mineros por temas ambientales y objetando su falta de representación y participación en las decisiones que conciernen su desarrollo. Estos grupos están innovando con una combinación de narrativas locales y alternativas con discursos globales de derechos y justicia ambiental. Las alianzas entre escalas han permitido a grupos locales incrementar su conocimiento y visibilidad, actuar en contra de su débil posición en la cadena de producción y a la emergencia de diversas estrategias como juicios legales y consultas comunales. La respuesta del estado y de las compañías mineras a esta resistencia también se explora.
La tesis concluye, que si bien los recursos y la geografía de un proyecto minero son factores determinantes en un conflicto socio-ambiental, el esfuerzo de una comunidad por adquirir reconocimiento y participar conduce a la conexión e integración de preocupaciones locales con exigencias políticas más amplias o a la producción de nuevo conocimiento, trayectos clave para la formación y éxito de movimientos de resistencia a la minería.Resistance to mining is not new and nonetheless, resource extraction has been expanding materially and geographically during the last 50 years, reaching new frontiers, moving bigger quantities of soil and water and impacting more communities. The resistances that are emerging are becoming more relevant in shaping the commodity frontier and are an important factor in the political economy of mineral expansion. Thus, it has become crucial to understand why is resistance to mining emerging and how is it evolving. Bringing attention to uranium, the often forgotten source of nuclear power, this thesis studies the industrial dynamics of uranium mining, its impacts and health implications, and the resistance at the uranium mining frontier in Africa. Namibia and Niger, the main producers of uranium in Africa, stand at the forefront of what was a global uranium rush partially slowed down by the Tepco-Fukushima accident. This thesis proposes three enabling factors that help to explain the emergence and intensity of resistance by local communities to uranium mining: the ecology and geography of the resource; the degree and type of political and economic marginalisation of the community; and crucially, the creation of extra-local alliances that connect and integrate local concerns with broader social movements and global demands. I show how these three attributes play out differently in five Namibian communities that have been, or stand to be, affected by uranium mining, and explain how local ecologies of resistance shape, or fail to shape, the global uranium frontier. The cases presented deal with Low Level Radiation caused by uranium mining affecting workers' health and those of people living in nearby communities. With people impacted claiming causal links that are still not scientifically sustained, the burden of proof is left to the communities. Through extra-local contacts local grassroots organisations in Niger and Namibia are engaging with scientists to produce new knowledge to learn how to protect themselves from the impacts and confront the manufactured uncertainty and other information produced by the mining companies. Locally driven, this ‘Activism Mobilizing Science’ process gives activists visibility and legitimacy to become new political actors and form part of an ‘extended peer review’ community (in Post Normal science language). A second objective of this thesis aims at uncovering how resistance to mining has evolved. Whilst strikes, protest and demands linked to labour issues have dominated mining conflicts through history, we have seen how in the last two decades communities living in the surrounding areas of mining projects are increasingly opposing them on environmental grounds and objecting their lack of representation and participation in decisions concerning their development path. These groups are innovatively combining local narratives and alternatives with global discourses on rights (to clean water, to take decisions, indigenous rights) and environmental justice. Cross-scalar alliances have allowed local groups to increase their knowledge about the projects, give them visibility and comprehend and act against their weak position in the global commodity chain. These alliances have also contributed to the emergence of a diverse set of resistance strategies such as legal court cases, activist-scientist collaborations or "consultas" at community level to reject mining projects. The response of the state and the mining companies to resistance is also explored. The thesis concludes that whilst the resource and geography of a mining project are key determinants in a socio-environmental conflict, the community’s strive for participation and recognition drive the connection and integration of local concerns with broader political demands and the control or production of new knowledge, key paths in the formation and success of resistance movements to mining.
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Lambert, Janine. "A Life Cycle Assessment of a Uranium Mine in Namibia." Scholar Commons, 2016. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/6291.
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Uranium mining and nuclear power is a controversial topic as of late, especially in light of the recent Fukushima event. Although the actual use of nuclear fuel has minimal environmental impact, its issues come at the very beginning and end of the fuel’s life cycle in both the mining and fuel disposal process. This paper focuses on a life cycle analysis (LCA) of uranium mine in the desert nation of Namibia in Southern Africa. The goal of this LCA is to evaluate the environmental effects of uranium mining. The LCA focuses on water and energy embodiment such that they can then be compared to other mines. The functional unit of the analysis is 1kg of yellowcake (uranium oxide). The processes considered include mining and milling at Langer Heinrich Uranium (LHU). The impact categories evaluated include the categories in ReCiPe assessment method with a focus of water depletion, and cumulative energy demand.
It was found that the major environmental impacts are marine ecotoxicity, human toxicity, freshwater eutrophication, and freshwater ecotoxicity. These mainly came from electricity consumption in the mining and milling process, especially electricity generated from hard coal. Milling tailings was also a contributor, especially for marine ecotoxicity and human toxicity. The other electricity generation types, including nuclear, hydro, natural gas, and diesel contribute to marine exotoxicity and human toxicity as well. Hydro-electricity, tailings form milling, sodium carbonate, and nuclear electricity also cause freshwater eutrophication at the LHU mine.
The major contributor of the water depletion was hard coal generated electricity consumption as well. Tailings also led to a level of water depletion that was significant but much smaller than that of the coal-based electricity.
In terms of energy, weighting portrayed the main energy used to be nuclear power, in terms of MJ equivalents. Nuclear power was then followed by fossil fuels and finally hydropower. Most of the energy used was for the uranium mining process rather than the milling process.
As expected, the direct water, and energy values, 0.5459 m3 and 97.34 kWh per kg of yellowcake, were much lower than the LCA embodiment values of 282.67 m3 and 76,479 kWh per kg of yellowcake. When compared to other mines, the water use at LHU was found to be much lower while the energy use was found to be much higher.
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Oliveira, Alexandre Pereira de. "Estimativa simultânea de parâmetros hidráulicos e de transporte em estéreis de mineração de urânio." [s.n.], 2010. http://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/265444.
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Orientador: Marcio Luiz de Souza-SantosTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica
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Resumo: Este trabalho tem por objetivo a estimativa simultânea dos parâmetros hidráulicos e de transporte relacionados ao material existente em uma das pilhas de estéreis de mineração de urânio (Pilha de Estéreis 4) da Unidade Caldas das Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB Caldas). Antes de realizar as estimativas, foi necessário conhecer as espécies químicas que são solubilizadas desse material pela ação das intempéries climáticas, sabendo-se que este material é rico em pirita (sulfeto de ferro, FeS2). Para isso foi montado um aparato experimental chamado de Experimento de Drenagem Ácida, no qual o processo de oxidação da pirita foi acompanhado em ambiente controlado. Foram feitas as determinações das concentrações de diversos elementos químicos estáveis e radioativos tanto no líquido ao longo dos testes, quanto no material sólido antes e depois dos testes. Foram calculadas a massa (ou atividade) total solubilizada, a taxa de solubilização e o percentual de solubilização. Os resultados mostraram quais espécies são mais facilmente solubilizadas e quais devem ser acompanhadas nos estudos de contaminação. As estimativas dos parâmetros hidráulicos e de transporte foram obtidas através da associação de um Experimento de Transporte de Solutos ao código computacional Hydrus-1D. Além da solução numérica do modelo adequado ao experimento, este código possui implementada a Técnica de Levenberg-Marquardt para estimativa de parâmetros. Foram estimados o conteúdo de água de saturação qs, a condutividade hidráulica de saturação Ks e o coeficiente de dispersão D. Os resultados mostraram que o parâmetro D é mais bem estimado, seguido por qs e Ks
Abstract: The present work aims to simultaneously estimate the hydraulic and transport parameters related to the material of one of the waste rock piles (Waste Rock Pile 4) from the Poços de Caldas uranium mining and milling facility. Before performing the estimation, it was necessary to study the chemical species that are dissolved from this material by the climate action, knowing a priori that the material is rich in pyrite (iron sulfide, FeS2). In order to follow the pyrite oxidation process within a controlled environment, an experimental apparatus called Acid Drainage Experiment was assembled. During tests, concentrations of various stable and radioactive chemical elements were determined in the liquid as well in the solid material before and after the tests. In addition, the total mass (or activity) dissolved, the rate of dissolution and the percentage of dissolution were calculated. Results showed which species are more easily dissolved and those that should be followed in contamination studies. The simultaneous estimation of the hydraulic and transport parameters was accomplished through the so called Solute Transport Experiment combined with the software Hydrus-1D. This software provides the numerical solution of an adequate model, using the Levenberg-Marquardt Technique for parameter estimation. The saturation water content qs, the saturation hydraulic conductivity Ks and the dispersion coefficient D were estimated. Results showed that the parameter D was well estimated, followed by qs and Ks
Doutorado
Termica e Fluidos
Doutor em Engenharia Mecânica
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Silva, Daniela Villa Flor Montes Rey. "Implantação de técnica para determinação de parâmetros hidráulicos e de transporte de solutos em solos visando a aplicação em simulação computacional de migração de contaminantes." [s.n.], 2010. http://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/263461.
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Orientador: Marcio Luiz de Souza-SantosTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica
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Resumo: Este trabalho tem por objetivo a implantação de uma técnica para estimativa simultânea dos parâmetros hidráulicos e de transporte de solutos em solos, visando a aplicação em simulação computacional de migração de contaminantes. Foi selecionado um aparato experimental para a realização do experimento de transporte de soluto em colunas, assim como o código Hydrus-1D para estimativa de parâmetros através da Técnica de Levenberg-Marquard. Para testar o método foi utilizado um solo arenoso não-reativo. Com esse material foram estimados o conteúdo de água de saturação qs, a condutividade hidráulica de saturação Ks e o coeficiente de dispersão D. Foram testadas quatro estratégias para a estimativa onde os parâmetros foram estimados simultaneamente e separadamente em ordens diversas. As estratégias que fazem a estimativa dos parâmetros separadamente apresentaram melhores resultados. Foi avaliada também a influência das dimensões das colunas nos resultados experimentais e nos resultados das estimativas, demonstrando que colunas de menor comprimento apresentam resultados melhores e que houve uma variação nos resultados devido à variação no diâmetro, o que está em desacordo com o modelo unidimensional utilizado. Em seguida amostras de solo da mina de urânio de Caldas foram testadas. Para este material foram estimados os mesmos parâmetros anteriores mais o coeficiente de distribuição Kd. Os valores estimados para os parâmetros com o solo da mina de urânio apresentaram pequenos desvios-padrão, caracterizando boas estimativas
Abstract: The objective of this work is to implement a technique for the simultaneous estimation of hydraulic and transport parameters of soils, aiming at the application on computational simulation of contaminant migration. An adequate experimental apparatus was selected for the solute transporte experiment in small columns. The software Hydrus-1D was selected as the simulation software capable of estimating the parameters through the Levenberg-Marquardt Technique. For the implementation of the methodology a non-reactive sandy soil was used. The saturation water content qs, the saturation hydraulic conductivity Ks and the dispersion coefficient D were estimated for this material. Four approaches were tested, including simultaneous and sequential estimations in various orders. The sequential estimation resulted in better results. The influence of the dimensions of the columns on the experimental and estimation results was also evaluated, demonstrating that columns with smaller high results in better estimations and that the diameter variations resulted in variation of the behavior, in disagreement with the unidimensional model used. Next, soil samples extracted from de Caldas uranium mine were used for the estimation of the same parameters together with the distribution coefficient Kd. Values for the estimated parameters with the soil samples from the uranium mine showed small standard deviations, characterizing good estimations
Doutorado
Termica e Fluidos
Doutor em Engenharia Mecânica
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Roth, Cassandra (Cassandra B. ). "Local and expert knowledge in experienced mining communities : the case of a proposed uranium mine in Crownpoint." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/114333.
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Thesis: S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, 2007.Thesis: S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2007.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 51-53).
Public access to science is an essential environmental justice component of any mining development. Both limited public access to professional scientific knowledge and little acknowledgment by professionals of the contributions of local knowledge hinder discussion of proposed mines. A proposed uranium mine in Crownpoint, New Mexico, a predominantly Navajo community, presents a case for studying the role of expert and local knowledge in the individual's perception of the risks and benefits associated with the mine. Interviews, supplemented with numerous Nuclear Regulatory Commission documents and other articles of the public record, were used to understand how people developed their personal understanding of the trade-offs of mining uranium in their town. This research reveals that family experiences and personal observations are correlated with individual perception of risk, but the perception of uncertainty is related the group of experts available to the individual. The results suggest that individuals in such communities should have access to a range of experts and that local knowledge and experiences should be taken into account when journalists, industry representatives and government officials translate expert knowledge for public consumption.
by Cassandra Roth.
S.B.
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Salles, Rodrigo dos Reis. "Depósito Metamórfico-Hidrotermal de U-ETR Mary Kathleen, Noroeste de Queensland, Austrália = uma investigação baseada em assinaturas hiperespectrais e aeroradiométricas." [s.n.], 2010. http://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/287214.
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Orientadores: Carlos Roberto de Souza Filho, Thomas John CudahyDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências
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Resumo: O depósito metamórfico-hidrotermal de U-ETR Mary Kathleen, localiza-se à NW de Queensland, Austrália e está inserido na Província Metamórfica Mount Isa. Os litotipos predominantes nessa região compreendem rochas sedimentares (calcários, folhelhos e etc.), rochas vulcânicas (riolitos, basaltos, dacitos e etc.) e, subordinadamente, rochas granitóides (granodiorito, leucogranito porfirítico e etc.), metamorfisadas entre as fácies xisto-verde à anfibolito. O depósito Mary Kathleen (1550 Ma), atualmente exaurido, ocorre associado a skarns enriquecidos em U-ETR. A área de estudo contém ainda várias ocorrências de U com expressivas concentrações, além dos prospectos uraníferos Rita e Elaine Dorothy. Esta tipologia de depósito distingue-se dos principais depósitos mundiais de U pela ocorrência de alterações do tipo cálcio-silicática, granatização e metassomatismo de contato. Para tanto, foram necessárias condições físico-químicas especiais impostas pela instalação de intrusões graníticas de composição intermediária e ácida sobre calcário impuro, exatamente o caso da Mina Mary Kathleen. No presente estudo, são investigadas as assinaturas radiométricas regionais e as assinaturas hiperespectrais associadas aos minerais vetores da mineralização uranífera. No primeiro capítulo, dois métodos e técnicas de manipulação e integração de dados são comparados, com o objetivo de compilar mapas preditivos visando proporcionar subsídios adicionais à prospecção uranífera regional. Os mapas compilados pela abordagem Geoestatística foram fundamentados na análise das variáveis quanto a sua posição e variabilidade. O método baseado em Lógica Fuzzy reuniu mapas auto-explicativos ainda não experimentados na pesquisa mineral para a commodity U. Nesta conjuntura, áreas com alto potencial prospectivo foram evidenciadas a partir da integração dos dados aeroradiométricos. No segundo capítulo, imagens adquiridas pelo sensor hiperespectral HyMap foram processadas segundo um conjunto de métodos para extração de informações mineralógicas de detalhe. O principal resultado deste estudo foi a determinação das assinaturas hiperespectrais dos minerais satélites da Mina Mary Kathleen. Parte desta associação mineral consiste de minerais passíveis de detecção remota como a andradita, o epidoto, a hornblenda, a calcita e a escapolita. A análise espectral revelou ainda outros minerais tais como, goethita, caulinita e montmorillonita nas proximidades e frente de lavra da mina. Os cartogramas de abundância mineral, resultantes dos métodos de classificação hiperespectral Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) e Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering (MTMF) foram combinados no espaço de cores RGB. Esta estratégia permitiu delinear áreas de domínio e mistura de minerais com grande aplicabilidade na pesquisa mineral uranífera
Abstract: The Mary Kathleen Metamorphic-Hydrothermal U-REE Deposit of northwest Queensland, Australia is inserted in the Mount Isa Metamorphic Province. The predominant rock types in the study area are represented by sedimentary rocks (limestone, shales, etc.), volcanics rocks (rhyolite, basalt, dacite, etc.) and subordinate intrusive rocks (granodiorite, porphyritic leucogranito, etc.) metamorphosed in green schist to amphibolites facies conditions. This Mary Kathleen deposit (1550 Ma), now depleted, is associated with skarns enriched in U-REE. Nevertheless, there are U occurrences with significant concentrations; also there are two prospectus uraniferous, Rita and Elaine Dorothy. This deposit type differs from the major world U deposits because of the paragenesis calc-silicates, garnetization phase and contact metasomatism. Thus, it is necessary physicochemical conditions imposed by granitic intrusions of intermediate and acid compositions upon impure limestone, as the case of Mary Kathleen Mine. In this study, we investigate the regional airborne radiometric and hyperspectral signatures associated with mineral vectors of uranium mineralization. In the first chapter, we compared two methods and techniques for handling and integration data to build predictive maps to support uranium mineral exploration. The maps compiled by the first technique were based on statistical analysis of the variables of position and variability. While the second method, based in Fuzzy Logic, compiled self-explanatory maps untried in mineral exploration for the commodity U. At this juncture, prospective areas with high potential were evidenced from the data integration of airborne gamma-ray. The second chapter, discuss the methods and techniques for hyperspectral remote sensing and digital image processing for airborne scanner HyMap image. The goal of this study was the analysis of hyperspectral signatures of calc-silicate paragenesis of Mary Kathleen Mine exposed by HyMap spectrum. Part of this mineral association consists of allanita, uraninite, andradite, epidote, hornblende, calcite and scapolite. Also, the spectra nalysis revealed occurrence of minerals such as goethite, kaolinite and montmorillonite nearby mining an open pit mine. The maps on mineral abundance resulting from the methods of hyperspectral classification of Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) e Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering (MTMF), after compile mineral abundance maps were combined in RGB color space. This strategy allowed enhancing areas of domain and mineral mix with great applicability to uranium mineral exploration
Mestrado
Geologia e Recursos Naturais
Mestre em Geociências
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Hamman, David. "A holistic view on the impact of gold and uranium mining on the Wonderfonteinspruit / David Hamman." Thesis, North-West University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/8155.
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Nugent, Monica School of Science & Technology Studies UNSW. "Nature's women: ecofeminist reflections on Jabiluka." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Science & Technology Studies, 2002. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/20331.
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Environmentalists see the protest against the Jabiluka uranium mine in Australia's Northern Territory as an example of positive green-black relations. The formation of an alliance between Aboriginal owners and greens to protest against the mine resulted in a lengthy campaign that included maintaining a camp near the leasesite and organising a long series of mass protest actions in a remote location over an extended period from March to October 1998. However, some tensions between greens and the traditional Aboriginal owners became evident as the campaign went on. This thesis traces the origins of these tensions to past conflicts between environmentalists and Aboriginal people and shows that they are largely related to their conflicting perceptions of the environment. Those perceptions arise from different knowledge systems and are encapsulated in the terms 'wilderness' and 'country', used to describe the physical world by environmentalists and Aboriginal owners respectively. I discuss the attitudes towards the environment that accompany those perceptions and consider the way they were manifest in some of the tensions that arose at Jabiluka. The close relationship between influential strands of environmentalism and Western science is a related source of conflict. My analysis of that relationship shows that environmentalism, via 'green science' is more closely aligned with the developmentalist worldview than the Aboriginal worldview. The thesis is an analytical reflection upon the Jabiluka Protesters' Camp based on the personal experience I gained from my fieldwork there and informed by the literature of feminism, ecofeminism, social constructionism and anthropology. I discuss the manifestations of ecofeminism I observed at Jabiluka. I argue that the Jabiluka Protesters' Camp functioned successfully because it utilised ecofeminist principles and practices, that as a consequence the relationship between greens and blacks has been strengthened and therefore that ecofeminism can continue to have a positive effect on those relations in the future.
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Almeida, Sheila Kênia de. "Detecção de bactérias redutoras de sulfato em efluente e sedimento de mina de urânio." CNEN - Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear, Belo Horizonte, 2005. http://www.bdtd.cdtn.br//tde_busca/arquivo.php?codArquivo=44.
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Um dos graves problemas ambientais oriundos da indústria de mineração é a drenagem ácida de mina que ocorre quando a pirita e outros minerais sulfetados são oxidados devido à presença de oxigênio e água, produzindo ácido sulfúrico que solubiliza metais presentes no solo/rocha. Em uma planta das Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil INB, na Unidade de Tratamento de Minérios (UTM) este problema tem se pronunciado de forma preocupante levando a dissolução de espécies radioativas e metálicas presentes. O tratamento da água ácida usando bactérias redutoras de sulfato, proporciona decréscimo da acidez que é decorrente da redução do sulfato a sulfito e precipitação dos metais como sulfetos. Nesse contexto, o presente estudo foi realizado visando a caracterizar sazonalmente e espacialmente populações de bactérias redutoras de sulfato (BRS) nos efluentes líquidos e amostras de sedimento da cava da mina (CM) e nos bota-foras 4 e 8 (BF4 e BF8) coletadas na UTM. Tais informações poderão permitir posteriormente, estudar mecanismos de biomanipulação a fim de remediar situações impactantes. Menores valores de pH , abaixo de 3,5, foram medidos no período de março a abril em amostras de água da cava da mina e a maior população de BRS (2,8 NMP. mL-1) foi observada em fevereiro em amostras do BF8. Os valores encontrados para matéria orgânica na água foram menores do que aqueles encontrados no sedimento. A concentração de oxigênio dissolvido na água variou de 0,65 g/L a 13,3 g/L. As amostras de sedimento apresentaram maiores valores de BRS (10,2 NMP/mL), quando comparadas com amostras de água (0,63 NMP/mL). Tais resultados eram esperados uma vez que, nas amostras de água coletadas próximas ao sedimento foram observadas menores concentrações de oxigênio dissolvido (7,10g/L) e maiores concentrações de matéria orgânica disponível (17,0 mg/L) quando os resultados foram comparados com aqueles obtidos para amostras de água coletadas na superfície (0,004mg/L). Os resultados mostram, portanto, que o efluente ácido gerado apresenta altos teores de metais estáveis e radioativos, sulfato, baixo pH e presença de bactérias redutoras de sulfato.One of the most serious environmental problems created by the mining industry is acid mine drainage. In one plant of Nuclear Industries of Brazil - INB, this problem is a matter of concern. The presence of iron sulfites, such as pyrite, generates water with acidity above the levels allowed by the legislation and therefore, inappropriate for releasing straight into the environment. The industry maintain a high cost treatment in acid water from mines and waste disposal which consists in neutralizing and precipitating heavy metals. The treatment of acid water using SRB (sulfate-reducing bacteria) has been used in other countries with quite good technical results as well as economical advantages and thus, the object of this research. The use Sulfate Reducing Bacteria takes to a decreasing of the acidity by reducing sulfate to sulfite and precipitating the stable metals as sulfides. A seasonal study was carried out on the sulfate-reducing bacteria present in the liquid effluent discharged from two wastes disposal of the uranium mine, in phase of decommission, in Caldas/MG. This study shows the presence of SRB in the analyzed environmental, as well as some factors that are related with the amount of SRB presents, such as: dissolved oxygen, pH and organic matter. SRB was presented in water samples with high concentrations of heavy metals and low pH values, as well as in samples with high oxygen levels. The sediment samples were the preferential place for SRB occurrence and site BF8 presented the highest values of SRB.
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Barros, Daniel Figueira de. "A Indústria de urânio : um estudo comparativo da evolução da legislação internacional e brasileira /." Rio Claro, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/92896.
Full textAbstract:
Orientador: Daniel Marcos BonottoBanca: Jorge Luis Mialhe
Banca: Nelson Angeli
Resumo: Este trabalho mostra eventos que influenciaram a indústria mundial do urânio tomando como países selecionados a Alemanha, a Austrália, o Canadá, os Estados Unidos da América, a França e o Brasil. Os eventos destacados para cada país são: a implantação das agências reguladoras ao longo dos anos; a evolução das políticas de proteção do público e do meio ambiente contra os possíveis danos da radiação ionizante. Um levantamento histórico desses fatos foi realizado e é organizado em ordem cronológica, dividindo as legislações de cada país em seus âmbitos: federal, estadual e ambiental, bem como é tratado da produção de urânio de cada nação. Deste modo é apresentada a evolução das legislações no campo da indústria de urânio, com o propósito de demonstrar como a legislação sobre esta indústria e a agência reguladora nacional podem ser aperfeiçoadas e melhoradas.
Abstract: This study shows events that have influenced the worldwide uranium industry, taking into account the countries: Germany, Australia, Canada, the United States of America, France and Brazil. The highlighted events for every country will be: the installations of the regulatory agencies along the years, the evolution of the political concepts concerning the public health and the environment against the possible effects of the ionizing radiation. A historical study of these facts was accomplished and will be set in chronological order, so that dividing the legislation of every country in its federal, state and environmental scopes. Uranium production for every nation is also treated herein. Therefore the legislation evolution in the uranium industry field is shown with the aim to demonstrate how the legislation of this industry and the Brazilian regulatory agency can be improved.
Mestre
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Baker, Lory-Anne. "Etude de l'impact écologique de faibles bruits de fond radioactifs renforcés naturellement (NORM) ou par une activité humaine (TE-NORM) : Les diatomées, modèle pertinent pour explorer l'effet chronique de la radioactivité parmi d'autres facteurs stressants dans les biotopes aquatiques." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Université Clermont Auvergne (2021-...), 2023. http://theses.bu.uca.fr/nondiff/2023UCFA0021_BAKER.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
La vie a évolué sur Terre pendant des millions d'années en présence de bruit de fond naturellement radioactifs. Ces rayons ionisants ont probablement contribué à façonner les formes de vie actuelles. Cependant, il existe peu d'études sur les effets de ces bruits de fond radioactifs sur les organismes. Ainsi, l'objectif principal de la thèse était de comprendre l'influence de bruits de fond radioactifs naturels ou renforcés par une activité humaine sur les paramètres écologiques (richesse, composition taxonomique et structure) des communautés de diatomées benthiques. Dans le premier volet de la thèse, nous nous sommes focalisés sur l'impact de la radioactivité, dans vingt-six sources minérales du Massif central (France), sur les diatomées benthiques via des approches morphologiques et génétiques (metabarcoding). Toutefois, dans un premier temps, comme les sources possèdent différents substrats à proximité de leur émergence, nous avons testé si l'échantillonnage de ces différents substrats avait un impact sur les paramètres écologiques des diatomées. De fait, nous avons pu prouver que l'influence du substrat sur la structure des communautés est négligeable par rapport à la localisation géographique des sources (cf. conditions environnementales). Puis, nous avons démontré que la radioactivité (notamment l'uranium 238 et le radon 222) est un facteur qui influence encore la structuration des communautés de diatomées benthiques dans les sources minérales. Nous avons également démontré que l'espèce Planothidum frequentissimum est particulièrement associée aux sources avec les niveaux les plus élevés en uranium 238 ou en radon 222. Cette observation fait de cette espèce, un potentiellement bio-indicateur de concentrations élevées en ces deux radioéléments. De plus, parmi les sources étudiées, il se trouvait la source bitumineuse de la Poix qui est une particularité géologique avec une eau extrêmement minéralisée. Les paramètres singuliers qui la caractérisent n'ont pas permis de l'inclure dans nos analyses statistiques mais ont conduit à l'étude de sa diversité inédite. Le cortège d'espèces retrouvés à la Poix est principalement composé de taxons marins et d'eau saumâtre. L'étude de cette source souligne le caractère insulaire des sources. Ensuite, nous avons eu l'opportunité de nous intéresser à l'influence de la radioactivité dans les sources minérales sur l'abondance d'autres acteurs des communautés microbiennes: les virus et les procaryotes. A travers ces travaux, nous avons mis en évidence que si la radioactivité a une influence sur l'abondance des phages, elle n'a aucun effet sur celle des procaryotes.Dans le deuxième et dernier volet de la thèse, nous nous sommes intéressés à l'influence de radioactivité renforcée par une activité humaine telle que l'exploitation minière d'uranium. Pour cela, nous avons étudié les diatomées fossiles de la zone humide sur le site de l'ancienne mine de Rophin (France) via une approche paléoenvironnementale. Cette étude a révélé que l'exploitation de la mine d'uranium n'a pas eu d'impact important sur les communautés de diatomées. Mis tous ensemble, les résultats obtenus par les différentes méthodes utilisées apportent des informations supplémentaires sur l'influence de faible bruit de fond radioactif sur des populations de micro-organismes aquatiques, un domaine encore peu exploréLife on Earth has evolved over millions of years in the presence of natural background ionising radiation. Exposure to these ionising radiation may have helped to shape present-day life forms. However, little research has been conducted to examine the influence of the radiation on natural populations. The main objective of my thesis was to understand the influence of natural or anthropized radioactive backgrounds on the ecological parameters (richness, taxonomic composition and structure) of benthic diatom communities. In the first part of the thesis, my work was focused on the impact of radioactivity on benthic diatoms in twenty-six mineral springs of the Massif Central (France) has been studied using morphological and genetic (metabarcoding) approaches. Since the springs have different substrates near their emergence, we first tested whether sampling different substrates had an impact on the ecological parameters of the diatoms. Results showed that the influence of the substrate on the structure of the communities is negligible compared to the geographical location of the sources (cf. environmental conditions). Then, radioactivity (in particular uranium 238 and radon 222) has been shown to still influences the structuring of benthic diatom communities in mineral springs. Additionally, the species Planothidum frequentissimum is particularly associated with and springs with the highest levels of uranium-238 or radon-222. This species can be considered as a potential bioindicator of high uranium-238 or radon-222 concentrations. Among the springs studied, the bituminous Poix spring is a geological feature with extremely mineralised water. These parameters do not allow us to include this spring in our statistical analyses but have led to the study of its unusual diversity. The range of species found at the Poix is mainly composed of marine and brackish water taxa. The study of this spring underlines the insular character of the springs. In the second part of the thesis, we had the opportunity to study the influence of radioactivity in mineral springs on other microbial communities (viruses and prokaryotes) has been studied. Through this work, it has been noted that radioactivity has an influence on the abundance of viruses but has no effect on the prokaryotes population. Finally, the last part of the thesis focused on the influence of radioactivity reinforced by human activities such as uranium mining. Using the paleoenvironmental approach, we studied the fossil diatoms of the wetland on the site of the former Rophin mine (France). This study revealed that the uranium mine operation did not have a significant impact on diatom communities. This thesis provides additional information on the influence of low radioactive background noise on natural aquatic populations
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Kocha, Jahnavi. "A Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Uranium Concentrations at the Abandoned New Hope Method Mine in the Mojave Desert." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2019. https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/2237.
Full textAbstract:
The impacts of mining are easily observable in the way they alter the terrain of landscapes, displace animals, and increase waste accumulation in an area. An unobservable impact and one that lasts a long time is by radioactive exposure in the environment. Specifically, this is a risk at uranium (U) mine sites which are expanding in number to accommodate the world’s growing energy needs, and even to accommodate weapons manufacturing. This paper analyses the impacts of an abandoned uranium mine on the local environment through measurements of Uranium concentration in soil, plants, and rocks. Transect sampling was used to collect 22 soil samples and 17 plant samples between 5 and 100m of the mine shaft. Uranium concentrations in soil and plant samples, digested with nitric acid, were measured with an Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), and an X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to find the mineral contents of the rock samples. Satellite positions were associated with each sample, which allowed an effective spatial analysis of the Uranium concentration values. U values in soil ranged from 0 to 5.291ppm, with mean concentrations of 0.710 ppm, and U values in plants ranged from 0.0323 to 0.1121ppm with mean concentrations of 0.0558 ppm. A paired t-test determined that there was no spatial autocorrelation in U concentrations of plants and adjacent soils. The highest U concentration was found closest to the mine, peaking at ~7.3 meters from the mine, and low spatial variability occurs in U concentrations at greater than 10 meters from the mine. In comparison with other mines internationally, U concentrations at this study site were low, which may be indicative of a small operating mine, efficient clean-up, and transport mechanisms of U in desert environments.
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Hadna, Saliha. "Suivi environnemental des anciennes mines d’uranium : l’usage de la concertation en situation de controverse : deux études de cas : la Commanderie (Vendée/Deux-Sèvres), Pen Ar Ran (Loire-Atlantique)." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Paris, CNAM, 2017. http://www.theses.fr/2017CNAM1145.
Full textAbstract:
En mobilisant l’analyse de controverses, notre enquête sociologique articule deux études de cas portant sur l’usage de la concertation dans le cadre du suivi environnemental des anciennes mines d’uranium : La Commanderie (Vendée/Deux-Sèvres) et Pen Ar Ran (Loire-Atlantique). Ces deux anciens sites miniers présentent deux configurations locales qui font émerger deux approches différentes de la concertation. Dans une première piste de recherche, on s’intéresse à la configuration des acteurs dans une instance de concertation : le comité de Mallièvre. Le « réseau de contraintes » fait apparaître des dysfonctionnements structurels empêchant au collège des associations de développer un « capital cognitif ». La deuxième piste de recherche interroge l’utilité de la notion de « construction collective » pour mieux saisir les fondements de la concertation. La troisième piste de recherche nous conduit à une forme non-instituée de « construction collective » : à Piriac-sur-Mer, une « communauté de savoirs » émerge suite à la création du collectif Stop Radioactivité. En revanche, la concertation prend place dans l’argumentaire, en tant que revendication d’une « légitimation des savoirs »Through the analysis of controversies, our sociological research articulates two case studies on the subject of the use of the “concertation” on the basis of the uranium mine monitoring: La Commanderie (Vendée/Deux-Sèvres) and Pen Ar ran (Loire-Atlantique). These two former uranium mines present two different configurations. In a first line of research, we are interested in the configuration of actors in an instance of “concertation”: comité de Mallièvre (La Commanderie). We present the “constraint network” which prevent the environmental associations from fully participating. The second line of research questions the usefulness of the concept of "collective construction" to better understand the foundations of the consultation. The third line of research leads us to observe a form non-established "collective construction": in Piriac-sur-Mer, a "community of knowledge" emerges as a result of the creation of the group of associations “Stop radioactivity”. In contrast, consultation takes place in the arguments, as a demand for "legitimation of knowledge"
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Barros, Daniel Figueira de [UNESP]. "A Indústria de urânio: um estudo comparativo da evolução da legislação internacional e brasileira." Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/92896.
Full textAbstract:
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Este trabalho mostra eventos que influenciaram a indústria mundial do urânio tomando como países selecionados a Alemanha, a Austrália, o Canadá, os Estados Unidos da América, a França e o Brasil. Os eventos destacados para cada país são: a implantação das agências reguladoras ao longo dos anos; a evolução das políticas de proteção do público e do meio ambiente contra os possíveis danos da radiação ionizante. Um levantamento histórico desses fatos foi realizado e é organizado em ordem cronológica, dividindo as legislações de cada país em seus âmbitos: federal, estadual e ambiental, bem como é tratado da produção de urânio de cada nação. Deste modo é apresentada a evolução das legislações no campo da indústria de urânio, com o propósito de demonstrar como a legislação sobre esta indústria e a agência reguladora nacional podem ser aperfeiçoadas e melhoradas.
This study shows events that have influenced the worldwide uranium industry, taking into account the countries: Germany, Australia, Canada, the United States of America, France and Brazil. The highlighted events for every country will be: the installations of the regulatory agencies along the years, the evolution of the political concepts concerning the public health and the environment against the possible effects of the ionizing radiation. A historical study of these facts was accomplished and will be set in chronological order, so that dividing the legislation of every country in its federal, state and environmental scopes. Uranium production for every nation is also treated herein. Therefore the legislation evolution in the uranium industry field is shown with the aim to demonstrate how the legislation of this industry and the Brazilian regulatory agency can be improved.
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Östlund, Jacob, and Kristian Kierkegaard. "Uranium Mining Industry : -A valuation of uranium mining companies." Thesis, Jönköping University, JIBS, Accounting and Finance, 2007. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-927.
Full textAbstract:
Background:
Over the last three years uranium prices have soard from US $14 per pound (lb) to the current price of US $120/lb and this rapid incline of the commodity have created a boom within the uranium prospecting and min-ing industry. There are currently 435 nuclear reactors all over the world and these reactors demand 180 millions of pounds of uranium each year to run at full production. Currently the uranium mining industry only sup-plies 110 million pounds of the demanded quantity. The remaining 70 mil-lion pounds are coming from secondary sources such as decommissioned nuclear warheads and other sources. Market estimations say that the sec-ondary sources will only cover the shortage up until around 2012 then primary sources have to supply almost the whole quantity demanded. These factors imply that some sort of analysis model for uranium mining companies would be needed.
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to valuate three companies within the ura-nium industry and to establish if the current market value is coherent with the fundamental value of these companies. The authors will propose a valuation model that could be used when valuating companies within the uranium industry.
Method:
A qualitative method has been used in order to value three companies within the uranium mining business that are fairly large players on the market. The valuation of these companies is based upon a discounted cash flow analysis, a relative PV valuation and relative valuation. The compa-nies included in the report are corporations that are quoted at Toronto Stock Exchange and they have started mining uranium. Data have been collected through annual reports and the companies Internet pages. Other secondary information such as valuation theories has been collected from academic search engines and books on the subjects.
Conclusions:
The current market values of uranium mining companies are not coherent with the actual fundamental values according to the authors. Both funda-mental and a comparative approach could be used when valuing these companies and the most important part in the valuation is to try and fore-cast the commodity price and then to estimate the companies possible mining reserve/extractable resources.
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Ralph, Martin I. "Towards establishing a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for radiation protection in Western Australia's mining industry: Evaluating mine worker exposures to naturally occurring radionuclides." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2023. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2642.
Full textAbstract:
Mining in the state of Western Australia (WA) formally commenced in the 1840s, and over the ensuing 180 years has evolved to be the epicentre of the Australian mining industry and a significant contributor to the national economy. The lithology of WA is replete with mineralisation that hosts uranium and “critical minerals” required for the global renewable energy sector. The state’s first uranium mine is under development, and high levels of activity are occurring in the state’s nascent critical minerals sector, with 168 WA-based companies pursuing rare earths-bearing minerals, 51 of which are actively drilling on their tenements.
WA’s mineral deposits typically contain levels of the naturally occurring radionuclides (NORs) thorium-232 and uranium-238 that are elevated above the global crustal average. Workers are exposed to NORs during the mining and mineral extraction processes, and radiation doses that exceed applicable exposure standards may eventuate.
The central issue addressed by this research is “what is the potential for radiation exposures from NORs to the significantly increased workforce, and is the regulatory framework fit-for-purpose to ensure radiation doses are kept as low as reasonably achievable?”
The research traces the history of worker radiation doses from 1977 to 2020, finding the maximum dose was 163.4mSv, more than eight times the current derived annual dose limit. Whilst 93.5% of all workers received doses of less than 5.0mSv per year, the potential for elevated doses is ever-present as witnessed by 10.3mSv reported in 2009-10.
The increase in activity coincides with a revision of the dose coefficients (DCs) associated with the intake of radionuclides. The research evaluates the revised DCs and forecasts doses from inhalation of radioactive dusts will nearly double, and lead to workers receiving doses exceeding 5mSv for the first time since 2009-10.
The research raises issues with the evaluation of worker doses and recommends personal dust sampling be prioritised.
The revised DCs reinforce the need for effective long-term management of NOR-contaminated wastes arising from mineral processing activities. The research investigated a technique for the removal and capture of NOR-contaminated scale from a piece of disused mining equipment, reporting capture efficiencies of greater than 90%. The technique has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of NOR-contaminated wastes and to minimise doses to workers involved in the removal process.
The research finds that the current regulatory framework is fit-for-purpose. However, inter-agency relationships require strengthening, and the capacity of the regulator to effectively regulate the current and future number of mining operations is questioned. The mining industry is similarly vulnerable to capability and capacity constraints – but has failed to respond to issues in relation to competent radiation safety officers first raised by the Winn Inquiry in 1984. Disconcertingly, monitoring of worker exposures to NORs reached a nadir in the final years covered by this Thesis, raising questions as to the veracity of worker doses reported to the regulatory agency.
Academic papers for publication have been developed and are drawn upon in each Chapter. Six papers have been published in peer-reviewed journals, and a seventh is undergoing the editorial process.
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Duarte, Rute Almeida. "Estudo da remoção de manganês de efluentes de mineração utilizando cal, calcário e dióxido de manganês." CNEN - Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear, Belo Horizonte, 2009. http://www.bdtd.cdtn.br//tde_busca/arquivo.php?codArquivo=119.
Full textAbstract:
O manganês é um contaminante comum em drenagem ácida de mina (DAM). Sua alta
solubilidade em uma grande faixa de pH torna difícil removê-lo de águas contaminadas. No
Brasil, o problema de DAM se destaca no Complexo Mínero Industrial de Poços de Caldas-
CIPC, das Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil. A DAM gerada possui pH em torno de 2,8 e
concentrações de manganês próxima de 144 mgL-1, valor esse bem acima dos valores
permitidos para descarte de 1 mgL-1. O tratamento atual da água ácida é realizado com cal
(CaO) e tem consumido grandes quantidades deste reagente com geração intensa de
precipitado.
O presente trabalho apresenta os resultados de remoção do manganês do efluente ácido
acima, através de ensaios contínuos em colunas e ensaios em batelada, com utilização de cal,
calcário e dióxido de manganês. Nos experimentos em batelada foram investigadas as
seguintes variáveis: Eh, pH, influência da aeração, tempo de reação, eficácia do agente
precipitante, dentre eles cal, calcário e utilização do MnO2 como sorvente de Mn solúvel. Ao
comparar os ensaios realizados com cal e o calcário não se observou diferença entre os dois
precipitantes, na faixa de pH entre 2,7 e 11. Tanto com cal quanto com calcário, a remoção de
Mn ocorreu de maneira eficiente apenas em pH maior ou igual a 10, nos ensaios sem aeração.
Na presença de aeração, a remoção foi efetiva em pH acima de 9,6, ou seja, a influência dessa
variável não foi expressiva. Na ausência de aeração, a influência do Eh na remoção de Mn
ocorreu apenas em valores abaixo de 200 mV para os ensaios com calcário e, menores que
100 mV para os ensaios com cal. No sistema aerado os resultados mais eficientes foram
obtidos em valores de Eh menores que 100 mV para os dois reagentes. Com a utilização do
MnO2, foi possível atingir o limite para descarte em uma faixa de pH entre 6,8 e 7,2, com 2 g
de MnO2 e tempo mínimo de 2 horas de reação.
Nos experimentos em colunas, foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis: vazão, tempo de
residência, volume de leito e eficácia do calcário e do óxido do manganês. A água de mina foi
passada por uma coluna contendo calcário, MnO2 ou mistura de calcário e MnO2. Os leitos constituídos apenas por calcário, alimentados com água de mina em pH 2,8 por um tempo de
residência de 5 horas não apresentaram resultados satisfatórios. De forma semelhante, quando
se utilizou mistura de calcário/MnO2, os resultados foram insatisfatórios não tendo atingido o
padrão de lançamento de 1mgL-1 em nenhuma das condições avaliadas. Finalmente, os
melhores resultados em colunas foram referentes a um volume leito de 40 mL, em uma coluna
de 35 cm de comprimento e 19,05 mm de diâmetro, constituído apenas por MnO2, alimentado
com solução neutralizada com calcário e tempo de residência de 3,3 h. O carregamento
máximo de manganês obtido nesta condição foi de 13,9 mgg-1.Manganese is a common component of acid mine drainage (AMD). Due to its high solubility over a wide pH range, it is notoriously difficult to remove it from contaminated waters. The AMD that occurs in Mineral Industrial Complex of Poços de Caldas (CIPC) �� which belongs to the Nuclear Industries of Brazil (INB), is due to the great amount of sulfite waste disposed of the surrounding areas near the mining region. The generated acid waters with pH around 2,7 contain manganese (140 mgL-1) in concentration above the permissible level for discharging in the environment (1 mg L-1). The current water treatment removes manganese by adding lime (CaO), which produces high quantity of precipitate. This study shows the results of the removal of manganese present in acid waters of the CIPC through batch and continuous column experiments by using lime, limestone and manganese dioxide. Batch experiments evaluated the following parameters: Eh, pH, aeration, reaction time, efficiency of lime and limestone as precipitant agents, and manganese dioxide as sorbent of soluble Mn. The results show no difference between lime and limestone in manganese precipitation at pH range from 2,7 to 11. By using lime and limestone, under unaerated conditions, it was produced em effective manganese removal at pH �� 10. Under aerated conditions, the efficient removal occurred when pH reached 9,6, i.e, the aeration was not very important in the conditions studied. Under no aeration, the effective removal was at Eh < 200 mV for limestone and 100 mV for lime. For the aerated system, the best results were obtained at Eh below 100 mV for both reagents. When manganese dioxide was used, the metal concentration meet the discharging limit in the pH range 6,8-7,2 with 2 g of MnO2 and 2 h of reaction. The parameters studied in the experiments with columns were: flow rate, residence time, bed volumn and the efficiency of limestone and manganese dioxide. The mine water was used as feed solution in columns packed with limestone, MnO2 or the mixture limestone/ MnO2. For columns packed with limestone, fed with mine water with pH 2,7 and 5 h of residence time, the manganese concentration did not meet the discharging limit of 1 mgL-1, as for columns containing the mixture limestone/MnO2. Finally, the best results were obtained for columns consisted of 40 mL bed volumn, packed with MnO2, fed with mine water neutralized with limestone and a residence time of 3,3 h. The highest manganese loading capacity obtained in this condition was 13,9 mgg-1
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Hadna, Saliha. "Suivi environnemental des anciennes mines d’uranium : l’usage de la concertation en situation de controverse : deux études de cas : la Commanderie (Vendée/Deux-Sèvres), Pen Ar Ran (Loire-Atlantique)." Thesis, Paris, CNAM, 2017. http://www.theses.fr/2017CNAM1145.
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En mobilisant l’analyse de controverses, notre enquête sociologique articule deux études de cas portant sur l’usage de la concertation dans le cadre du suivi environnemental des anciennes mines d’uranium : La Commanderie (Vendée/Deux-Sèvres) et Pen Ar Ran (Loire-Atlantique). Ces deux anciens sites miniers présentent deux configurations locales qui font émerger deux approches différentes de la concertation. Dans une première piste de recherche, on s’intéresse à la configuration des acteurs dans une instance de concertation : le comité de Mallièvre. Le « réseau de contraintes » fait apparaître des dysfonctionnements structurels empêchant au collège des associations de développer un « capital cognitif ». La deuxième piste de recherche interroge l’utilité de la notion de « construction collective » pour mieux saisir les fondements de la concertation. La troisième piste de recherche nous conduit à une forme non-instituée de « construction collective » : à Piriac-sur-Mer, une « communauté de savoirs » émerge suite à la création du collectif Stop Radioactivité. En revanche, la concertation prend place dans l’argumentaire, en tant que revendication d’une « légitimation des savoirs »Through the analysis of controversies, our sociological research articulates two case studies on the subject of the use of the “concertation” on the basis of the uranium mine monitoring: La Commanderie (Vendée/Deux-Sèvres) and Pen Ar ran (Loire-Atlantique). These two former uranium mines present two different configurations. In a first line of research, we are interested in the configuration of actors in an instance of “concertation”: comité de Mallièvre (La Commanderie). We present the “constraint network” which prevent the environmental associations from fully participating. The second line of research questions the usefulness of the concept of "collective construction" to better understand the foundations of the consultation. The third line of research leads us to observe a form non-established "collective construction": in Piriac-sur-Mer, a "community of knowledge" emerges as a result of the creation of the group of associations “Stop radioactivity”. In contrast, consultation takes place in the arguments, as a demand for "legitimation of knowledge"
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Morrish, Colin Richard. "Mining techniques for uranium ore pod recovery." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp01/MQ37276.pdf.
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Morrish, Colin. "Mining techniques for uranium ore pod recovery." Thesis, McGill University, 1997. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=28009.
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Isolated high grade and low tonnage uranium ore pods are prevalent in Saskatchewan. This thesis reviews mining such a pod with both conventional and unconventional methods. The geomechanical characteristics of the overburden and the bedrock in the area of the pods must be investigated before evaluating the technical feasibility of possible mining methods. Conventional ore recovery techniques appraised include open pit and underground mining. The unconventional mining techniques considered are blind boring and jet boring from surface. These last two techniques can offer a greater degree of selectivity, although ground reinforcement techniques had to be considered due to the poor quality of the ground. Ground reinforcement techniques considered were shaft lining, grouting, and ground freezing. This mining design challenge was found to be feasible with the combination of jet boring and freezing. Recommendations are presented to define future areas of study for blind boring, jet boring, grouting, and freezing.
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Wang, Quanxi. "Integrated stability mapping system for mines." Morgantown, W. Va. : [West Virginia University Libraries], 2005. https://eidr.wvu.edu/etd/documentdata.eTD?documentid=4287.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2005.Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 145 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 118-122).
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Pietrzela, Mateusz. "Mining and Sustainability? Systems and Stakeholder Analyses of Uranium Mining in Namibia." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för geovetenskaper, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-204172.
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Roughly 10% of the Namibian GDP and over 40% of total exports are dependent on themining sector. Namibia is one of the five leading uranium producing countries worldwide withperspectives to triple the production in the following years. This study aims to identify the implicationsto sustainable development of the country carried by such a strategy to stimulate the economic growth.The complexity of the issue is addressed by an interdisciplinary set of methods leading to a betterunderstanding of processes linking uranium mining in Namibia with the environment, society and theglobal economy. Regulatory, trade and production systems are outlined and assessed, after which astakeholder analysis is conducted in order to determine who are the most influential actors as well asparties affected by the uranium production in Namibia. The results reveal a great dependence of the Namibian uranium mining sector on external factors, with the government perceived as the most affected stakeholder.
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Talhi, Korichi. "Aspects of blasting in surface mines." Thesis, University of Surrey, 1989. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.280422.
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Joubert, Barend Daniel. "Small-scale gold mining in southern Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005615.
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The general characteristics of gold deposits are reviewed, and a classification of gold deposits based on mineability is proposed. Evaluation, mlnlng and beneficiation methods are briefly discussed. It is concluded that the most viable targets for small-scale companies comprise deposits that require the least pre-production time and expense. Great potential exists for the small-scale reclamation of gold from tailings dumps and abandoned mines in Southern Africa. There is also potential for developing new smallscale gold mines in the Archaean greenstone terranes of the Zimbabwean and Kaapvaal cratons.
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Forrest, W. "The development of new coal mines." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 1987. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.378766.
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Carr, Frank. "Government decision-making and environmental degradation: a study relating to mining activities in Papua New Guinea." Thesis, Carr, Frank (2007) Government decision-making and environmental degradation: a study relating to mining activities in Papua New Guinea. Masters by Research thesis, Murdoch University, 2007. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/502/.
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Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a country possessing abundant resources of gold, oil, copper, timber, and fish stocks. It is hampered in its development and management of these resources, however, by serious problems of governance and corruption. These problems are evident throughout the economy and also in the management of the environment. The level of environmental damage caused by the mining industry in PNG is now such that it will require extensive rehabilitation, if the areas affected can, indeed, ever be fully rehabilitated. The mining companies which precipitated this damage were licensed and encouraged by the PNG Government in the initiation and exercise of the mining operations. The resulting environmental impact has affected the lives of thousands of New Guineans to their detriment. The degradation caused remains
unredressed.
Compounding the problem, there is a growing reliance by Papua New Guinea on mineral exploitation for foreign direct investment, government revenues, and foreign exchange. Gold exports accounted for the biggest share of export revenues in 2002 representing 37.5% of the total. In light of this growing dependency on mining activities, there is a correspondingly urgent requirement to address the deficiencies in the administrative, monitoring, and policing aspects of the protection of its environment.
Despite the public evidence of the damage to the environment and the ensuing affect on the people of Papua New Guinea by mining activities; and despite universal condemnation of these activities and the companies responsible; the companies continue to conduct these activities without official hindrance and with little apparent concern for the long-term ramifications of their actions.
This thesis will examine the degradation resulting from the mining activities of companies in Papua New Guinea over the last three decades - particularly those of Placer Dome's Porgera gold mine, BHP's Ok Tedi gold and copper mine (the waste from both of which is dumped into the Ok Tedi and Strickland rivers which are tributaries of the Fly River and form part of the Fly River system) and Lihir Gold Limited's gold mine on Lihir Island. It will examine the extent to which the Government of Papua New Guinea may have wittingly (in the sense of a prescience as to the possible or probable likelihood of deleterious impact) or unwittingly contributed to that degradation as a result of its actions or omissions.
Studies of available literature suggest that there has been little attention paid to the subject of culpability on the part of successive PNG governments in matters of environmental damage. This research will contribute to reducing this gap in the literature by focusing on possible motives of the PNG government and its actors which precipitated those decisions and which resulted in environmental degradation. The discussion will examine the likely motivation of the PNG government in its deliberations and decisions and the extent to which corruption and incompetence may have played a role.
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Carr, Frank. "Government decision-making and environmental degradation : a study relating to mining activities in Papua New Guinea /." Carr, Frank (2007) Government decision-making and environmental degradation: a study relating to mining activities in Papua New Guinea. Masters by Research thesis, Murdoch University, 2007. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/502/.
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Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a country possessing abundant resources of gold, oil, copper, timber, and fish stocks. It is hampered in its development and management of these resources, however, by serious problems of governance and corruption. These problems are evident throughout the economy and also in the management of the environment. The level of environmental damage caused by the mining industry in PNG is now such that it will require extensive rehabilitation, if the areas affected can, indeed, ever be fully rehabilitated. The mining companies which precipitated this damage were licensed and encouraged by the PNG Government in the initiation and exercise of the mining operations. The resulting environmental impact has affected the lives of thousands of New Guineans to their detriment. The degradation caused remains
unredressed.
Compounding the problem, there is a growing reliance by Papua New Guinea on mineral exploitation for foreign direct investment, government revenues, and foreign exchange. Gold exports accounted for the biggest share of export revenues in 2002 representing 37.5% of the total. In light of this growing dependency on mining activities, there is a correspondingly urgent requirement to address the deficiencies in the administrative, monitoring, and policing aspects of the protection of its environment.
Despite the public evidence of the damage to the environment and the ensuing affect on the people of Papua New Guinea by mining activities; and despite universal condemnation of these activities and the companies responsible; the companies continue to conduct these activities without official hindrance and with little apparent concern for the long-term ramifications of their actions.
This thesis will examine the degradation resulting from the mining activities of companies in Papua New Guinea over the last three decades - particularly those of Placer Dome's Porgera gold mine, BHP's Ok Tedi gold and copper mine (the waste from both of which is dumped into the Ok Tedi and Strickland rivers which are tributaries of the Fly River and form part of the Fly River system) and Lihir Gold Limited's gold mine on Lihir Island. It will examine the extent to which the Government of Papua New Guinea may have wittingly (in the sense of a prescience as to the possible or probable likelihood of deleterious impact) or unwittingly contributed to that degradation as a result of its actions or omissions.
Studies of available literature suggest that there has been little attention paid to the subject of culpability on the part of successive PNG governments in matters of environmental damage. This research will contribute to reducing this gap in the literature by focusing on possible motives of the PNG government and its actors which precipitated those decisions and which resulted in environmental degradation. The discussion will examine the likely motivation of the PNG government in its deliberations and decisions and the extent to which corruption and incompetence may have played a role.
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Stewart, Penelope Clair. "Minimising dilution in narrow-vein mines /." [St. Lucia, Qld.], 2005. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe18948.pdf.
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Geißler, Andrea. "Prokaryotic microorganisms in uranium mining waste piles and their interactions with uranium and other heavy metals." Doctoral thesis, Technische Universitaet Bergakademie Freiberg Universitaetsbibliothek "Georgius Agricola", 2009. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:105-5486188.
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The influence of uranyl and sodium nitrate under aerobic and anaerobic conditions on the microbial community structure of a soil sample from the uranium mining waste pile Haberland in Germany was studied by using the 16S rRNA gene retrieval. The results demonstrate a shifting in the bacterial populations depending on the treatment, whereas the archaeal community was changed independently of the treatment. By using the nitrate reductase gene (narG) as a functional marker, it was additionally demonstrated that some of the bacteria stimulated possess the membrane-bound nitrate reductase. In addition, two Arthrobacter strains were isolated from the studied uranium mining waste pile, which tolerate relatively high concentrations of uranium and heavy metals. These strains are able to precipitate lead as lead sulphide (galena) or lead phosphate mineral phase (pyromorphite) depending on their physiological state and to accumulate uranium intracellularly. The results demonstrate a microbial community in the uranium mining waste pile Haberland, which is able to influence the fate of uranium.
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Sellami, Moncef. "Recoverable reserve estimation in multiple seam mines." Thesis, This resource online, 1993. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09192009-040606/.
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Harvey, Harvey Blevins Madison D. Soyini. "Mines-bodies a performance ethnography of Appalachian coal mining /." Chapel Hill, N.C. : University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2006. http://dc.lib.unc.edu/u?/etd,187.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2006.Title from electronic title page (viewed Oct. 10, 2007). "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Communication Studies (Performance Studies)." Discipline: Communication Studies; Department/School: Communication Studies.
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Bétournay, M. C. "The stability of shallow stopes of hard rock mines." Thesis, McGill University, 1995. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=28678.
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Canadian hard rock mine extraction practices have commonly created shallow stopes, 12% of which have caved to surface, from instabilities originating from stope hangingwalls, crowns or footwalls. To date, however, mine operators have applied few of the available data gathering and design tools to strike a balance between maximum economic excavation dimension and stope viability. The preference has been to use personal mining experience.Several common rock mass environments are surveyed as well as the various ways in which shallow stopes have failed. It has been found that these rock masses develop gravity-induced movement in the form of plug failures, ravelling of rock blocks, strata failures, chimneying disintegration, and rock mass block caving.
New failure-specific analytical equations are developed here for these common failure mechanisms. They address the mechanics of the failure process and incorporate the capability to arrive at the ultimate failure outline, for comparison to the location of the bedrock surface.
This research has shown that: plug failures occur along steep, uninterrupted discontinuities bounding large blocks. Plug failure potential reduces substantially with confining compressive stress, discontinuity inclination, the absence of low friction surfaces and shearing of intact rock interrupting the discontinuity. Ravelling requires little peripheral confining stress for stabilization and prevention of block falls or slides. However, inherent conditions such as shallow dipping or vertically dipping joints can cause block falls to develop to surface. Low confining stresses, resulting from multiple stope extraction in orthogonal horizontal directions, would offer conditions suitable for plug and ravelling failures. Strata failures are caused by excessive stope spans, but the limited loading received from above strata is such, that the failure cavity created is of limited vertical extent, some 25% of the stope width. Chimneying disintegration occurs in weak rock masses with low cohesion, over narrow openings that can be as deep as 275 m. The onset of chimneying disintegration can be created by compressive stresses, but develops as a result of mobilization of the rock mass by gravity in active shear. Block caving requires large spans to develop, and stabilizing could be overcome from arching stresses overcoming bulk arching strength. Controlling instability elements are tabulated for these failure mechanisms. A limit equilibrium correlation between span and cohesion for chimneying disintegration is presented, and the controlling limits between the occurrence of chimneying disintegration and block caving is discussed. Ravelling and chimneying disintegration are the most expected failure mechanisms for shallow stopes of hard rock mines. Although failure of the shallow stope may start around its periphery, stope failure to surface would likely occur in or close to the surface crown pillar.
Although the analytical equations developed require input of in situ stresses defined by numerical modelling in order to yield a precise answer, conventional numerical modelling or empirical methods are shown to be unable to predict stope failures as the analytical equations have. A step-by-step stability analysis procedure is presented, incorporating rockmass environment, expected failure mechanism(s), and applicable data gathering and anlytical methods. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
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Mamurekli, Deniz. "Blast-induced ground vibration modelling in open-pit mines." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 1993. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.357797.
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Hadjigeorgiou, John. "Studies of machine-ground interaction in surface mines." Thesis, McGill University, 1993. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=41124.
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Ground preparation design encompasses problems of ground characterization, equipment selection and performance. Ground characterization has in the past been the subject of empirical diggability classification schemes based on case studies. A new system is proposed for evaluating the ease of excavation of different ground conditions, is put forward. This has been applied successfully in different field studies. While such empirical schemes are useful to mining design, there still remains a basic lack of understanding of machine-ground interaction in the excavation process. This will be essential for long term machine and method advancement.This thesis reviews the approach and methodology adopted for the development of predictive digging models in mining. Past theoretical attempts to model soil-rock cutting processes are critically evaluated and an analytical digging model applicable to fragmented rock is proposed. Physical modelling studies, concentrating on the interaction between machine and spoil characteristics, are reported. These considered in particular the digging profile propagated by cable shovel operation, the impact of geotechnical parameters on the profile, and the efficiency of digging in fragmented rock. These were undertaken in a controlled laboratory environment based upon an instrumented scale model and photographic studies. The salient parameters influencing the efficiency of the digging processes are identified and a bucket filling model for cable shovels is proposed.
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Naidoo, Kumendrie. "Considerations for stope gully stability in gold and platinum mines in South Africa." Diss., Pretoria : [s.n.], 2001. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-11302005-123445/.
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Madalane, Thembi. "The obligation to rehabilitate mining areas : post mining activities." Thesis, University of Limpopo (Turfloop Campus), 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/905.
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Thesis (LLM) -- University of Limpopo, 2012The study focuses on rehabilitation, since absence of proper rehabilitation process result in indelible damage to the environment. South Africa, like many other countries, is faced with many environmental problems caused by mining. These problems are particularly caused by, inter alia, abandoned mining areas without rehabilitation, inadequate environmental impact assessment after closure, inadequate financial provision for rehabilitation, and lack of monitoring and aftercare system after post mine closure. The study found that many Companies ignore laws governing prospecting, extraction and rehabilitation. The main purpose of this research is to investigate and recommend guidelines in the rehabilitation process so as to instil respect for the environment. The study therefore recommended strict legislation relating to environmental protection against mining.
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Brendliner, Robert Lee. "Toxicity analysis of coal mining industry NPDES discharges in Southwest Virginia /." This resource online, 1991. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-01122010-020036/.
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Svenningsson, Gustav. "Uranium mining : A tool to evaluate and compare new suppliers." Thesis, KTH, Hållbar produktionsutveckling (ML), 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-297435.
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Nuclear power plants produce electricity by energy produced by nuclear reactions in thenuclear core. The nuclear fuel that enables the reactions has uranium as its primary material.Uranium is processed in four steps before being put into the nuclear core and these four stepsare uranium mining, conversion, enrichment and manufacturing. The first step in the life cycle,uranium mining, is primarily done by the mining methods: in-situ leaching, open pit miningand underground mining. To strive for a more environmentally friendly mining process thesethree methods need to be understood and evaluated to estimate their impact. With today’ssustainable development goals, companies running nuclear power plants needs to evaluateand compare uranium mining suppliers’ regarding their social, economic and environmentalimpact. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to create a tool that evaluates and comparesuranium mining companies and methods regarding their environmental impact. This is doneby a literature study and a single semi-structured interview. In order to create the tool, an understanding of how uranium mining methods impact theenvironment differentiates from each other must be created. The thesis therefore includesthe different technologies and environmental impact each method has and what the futureholds for each method. When mining uranium, its orebody will slowly decline resulting thatthe ore grade will decline as well. As a result, the production becomes more energy intensified.In the future, with declining ore grades and more energy being needed, it will either requireenergy efficient technology or that the mining process is in a country with sustainable energyconsumption or source so electric technologies can be used. The thesis’s result presents a tool that consists of different templates: “The company”, “Openpit”, “Underground mining” and “In situ leaching”. Firstly, since the technology andenvironmental impact from each mining method varies from mine to mine due to equipment,location, waste management etc., it results in that some mines are better adapted in someareas and lesser so in others. Therefore, the tool this thesis creates gives a broader pictureand understanding of each site being evaluated from an environmental perspective. Secondly, the tool evaluates both the company and the mining method used at the mining sitebecause both contributes to the environmental impact in different ways. Finally, the tool isbuilt as a point system so after all questions in the template used is answered the company ormining site receives a score. This score allows different mining methods or companies to becompared to each other. For a company or organization looking for a potential new supplier,the tool will enable them to both compare and evaluate suppliers from an environmentalperspective and later ease their decision-making process.Kärnkraftverk producerar elektricitet genom energi som produceras genom kärnreaktioner ihärden. Kärnbränslet som möjliggör reaktionerna har uran som sitt primära material. Uranbearbetas i fyra steg innan det sätts i härden. Dessa fyra steg är uranbrytning, omvandling,anrikning och tillverkning. Det första steget i livscykeln, uranbrytning, görs främst medgruvmetoderna: dagbrott, underjordisk gruva och in-situ leaching. För att sträva efter en mermiljövänlig gruvprocess måste dessa tre metoder förstås och utvärderas för att kunna förståderas inverkan. Med dagens hållbarhetsmål måste företag som driver kärnkraftverkenutvärdera och jämföra leverantörer angående deras sociala, ekonomiska och miljömässigapåverkan. Därför är syftet med denna kandidatuppsats att skapa ett verktyg som utvärderaroch jämför uranbrytningsföretag och metoder angående deras miljöpåverkan. Detta görsgenom en litteraturstudie och en semi-strukturerad intervju. För att skapa verktyget måste en förståelse för hur uranbrytningsmetodernas miljöpåverkanskiljer sig från varandra skapas. Kanidatuppsatsen innehåller därför metodernas olika teknikeroch miljöpåverkan samt metodernas utveckling. När man bryter uran kommer dessmalmkropp långsamt att minska, vilket leder till att malmkvaliteten också minskar. Som ettresultat av detta kräver produktionen mer energi när malmkvaliteten minskar. Därmedkommer framtiden, med minskande malmkvaliteter, kräva mer energi under processerna. Detkommer därför antingen att krävas energieffektiv teknik eller att gruvprocessen utförs i ettland med hållbar energiförbrukning eller energikälla så att processer kan använda elektricitetsom drivkraft för att miljöpåverkan ska minskas eller bibehållas. Kandidatuppsatsens resultat presenterar ett verktyg som består av olika mallar: “Thecompany”, “Open pit”, “Underground mining” och “In situ leaching”. För det första, eftersomteknik och miljöpåverkan från varje gruvmetod varierar från gruva till gruva på grund avutrustning, plats, avfallshantering med mera, resulterar det i att vissa gruvor är bättreanpassade inom vissa områden och mindre i andra. Därför ger verktyget som dennakandidatuppsats skapar en bredare bild och förståelse för varje gruva eller företag somutvärderas ur ett miljöperspektiv. För det andra utvärderar verktyget både företaget och gruvmetoden eftersom båda bidrar tillgruvans miljöpåverkan på olika sätt. Slutligen är verktyget byggt som ett poängsystem så näralla frågor i den använda mallen har besvarats får företaget eller gruvmetoden enpoängsumma. Poängsumman gör att olika gruvmetoder eller företag kan jämföras medvarandra. För ett företag eller en organisation som letar efter en potentiell ny leverantörkommer verktyget att göra det möjligt för dem att både jämföra och utvärdera leverantörerur ett miljöperspektiv och senare underlätta deras beslutsprocess.
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Gronowski, Adrian. "Effects of uranium mining on groundwater - Geochemical modeling of aqueous uranium speciation due to changing redox conditions." Thesis, KTH, Mark- och vattenteknik, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-161064.
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As a consequence of rising uranium prices an interest in Sweden’s U deposits has emerged. This raises the important question of the possible environmental impacts of U mining operations. One of the most significant and serious issues is the contamination of groundwater by U following mining activities. The processes of uranium release and subsequent transport in groundwater is closely tied to its aqueous chemistry i.e. aqueous speciation, adsorption to mineral surfaces and dissolved organic carbon (DOM). The chemical parameters exerting the most control over these processes are pH and redox potential. The redox potential plays a decisive role because it controls the solubility of uraninite, a common uranium mineral and ore in Sweden’s bedrock deposits. Thus, by gaining insight into how changing redox conditions affect uraninite solubility, assessments can be made in order to estimate the extent of uranium transport by groundwater. Therefore the effects of the redox po-tential on U mobility will be examined in this work by means of computer modeling in the geochemical software VISUAL MINTEQ 3.0. The composition of the water used for modeling resembled that of a typical bedrock groundwater of Northern Sweden in the areas above the highest coastline. The simulations were carried out under different redox potentials at different pH levels in the presence of ferrihydrite and DOM to include the effects of U adsorption. The results show that the redox potential at which the uraninite mineral dissolves varies depending on the pH of the groundwater. From pH 4.0 to 7.5 the redox potential at which uraninite oxidizes decreases from 240-250 mV to 50-60 mV. This means higher redox conditions are needed for the dissolution of uraninite at low pH. Additionally, it is further concluded that the adsorption of U to ferrihydrite and DOC is important at pH 5-8 and pH < 7 respectively, which therefore play an important role in controlling the mobility of U in the modeled groundwater.
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Griffin, Kenneth R. "Design Criteria for Wireless Mesh Communications in Underground Coal Mines." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/76759.
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The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006 was enacted in response to several coal mining accidents that occurred in the beginning of 2006. The MINER Act does not just require underground mines to integrate wireless communication and tracking systems, but aims to overall enhance health and safety in mining at both surface and underground operations. In 2006, the underground communication technologies available to the mining industry had inherent problems that limited communication capabilities. Since the passage of the MINER Act, there have been several developing applications for underground wireless communications. Underground wireless communications allow signals to propagate and take multiple paths to destinations providing a survivable, redundant, and adaptable means of communication and tracking. An underground wireless communications allow underground and surface personnel to directly correspond to one another without being as restricted as hardwired systems. Communication systems also allow miners to be tracked underground to provide a real-time or last known post-accident position, and ensure a more efficient rescue operation.
In order to increase the overall efficiency of developing communication systems there is a need for modeling of wireless signal propagation in underground mines. Research, modeling, and analysis of wireless signal propagation in underground mines ongoing and developing with underground communications systems as the systems progress. The work on this project is based upon the Accolade system from L-3 Communications Global Security and Engineering Solutions but applies to all underground wireless mesh systems currently available. A general approach is taken to solving underground wireless communications networks to allow the design criteria to be adaptable to other communication systems belong the Accolade system.
The data is based upon measurements and field work that took place July 2007 through December 2008 in International Coal Group's Sentinel Mine in Philippi, West Virginia. Comms, a computer method developed at the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research at Virginia Tech, allows underground mine communication networks to be solved and analyzed. Comms was developed to solve and analyze underground wireless communication networks. The method which Comms solves communication networks is not mine specific and may be adapted to predict the performance of a system(s) in another mine.
The developed model discussed in Chapters 3 and 4 highlights the general signal loss parameters that are encountered by wireless signals in a mine. The model predicted the signal strength observed when encountering those categorized signal losses within 16 percent of the data measured during a mine survey. The model has been developed in a general manner to allow future investigation and pinpointing of additional interferences that occur within the underground environment.
Wireless communications have proven to be the way of the future and will continue to be integrated into underground coal mines as mandated by the MINER Act. Wireless communications systems are a redundant and survivable means of communication that will be utilized in not only emergency and rescue efforts but daily operational communication as well.Master of Science
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Abbasy, Farzaan. "An investigation into application of geothermal energy in underground mines." Thesis, McGill University, 2014. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=123077.
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Energy conservation is an important policy for every nation. Exploiting sustainable energy resources has gained ground due to shortages and increasing prices of fossil fuels. Mining represents a significant portion of Canada's resource-based industry sector and consumes a huge amount of energy for operation and post-mining activities. Therefore, any cut in energy consumption lowers costs and increases profits. Underground mines have excellent potential for implementation of geothermal energy systems using one of two methods. In the first, underground mine water that has flowed through warm layers of the ground and found its way to mine openings is pumped to the surface for use in open loop geothermal cycles. In the second method, underground openings and spaces that provide easy access to low-to-medium temperature rock formations are used in closed loop geothermal cycles. This research primarily focuses on providing guidelines for using geothermal energy in underground mines and comprises two main parts. The first involves surveying 12 underground mines across Canada to evaluate operation of open loop geothermal system in these and similar mines. The second part investigates the potential of heat recovery from backfilled mine stopes. For this purpose, thermal properties of cemented mine backfill are investigated, the significance of influential parameters is quantified and a thermal conductivity prediction model is introduced. In addition, an experimental physical model is built to study heat transfer in mine backfill and evaluate different arrangements and influential parameters. An analytical model is developed based on the cylindrical coordinate system with finite length and the model is validated for heat transfer in backfill. Finally, a case study of a backfilled stope is presented.L'économie d'énergie est une politique importante pour tout pays. L'exploitation des ressources énergétiques durables est devenue plus importante en raison des pénuries et la hausse des prix des combustibles fossiles. L'exploitation minière représente une partie importante du secteur de l'industrie basée-sur-les-ressources au Canada et consomme une énorme quantité d'énergie pour l'opération ainsi que les activités post-extraction minières. Pour cette raison, toute réduction de la consommation d'énergie réduira les coûts et augmentera les profits. Les mines souterraines ont un excellent potentiel pour la mise en œuvre des systèmes d'énergie géothermique en utilisant l'une des deux méthodes suivantes. Dans la première méthode, l'eau dans les mines souterraines qui coule et passe à travers les couches de sol chaudes trouvant son chemin vers les ouvertures, est pompée vers la surface pour être utilisé dans des cycles géothermiques en boucle ouverte. Dans la seconde méthode, des ouvertures et des espaces souterrains qui offrent un accès facile aux formations rocheuses ayant une basse ou moyenne température sont utilisés dans les cycles géothermiques en boucle fermée. Cette recherche se concentre principalement sur la fourniture des directives pour l'utilisation de l'énergie géothermique dans les mines souterraines en comprenant deux parties principales. La première partie, comprend l'enquête de douze mines souterraines à travers le Canada afin d'évaluer le fonctionnement des systèmes géothermiques en boucle ouverte. La deuxième partie examine le potentiel de récupération de chaleur sur des remblais miniers cimentés. À cet effet, les propriétés thermiques de remblai minier cimenté sont étudiées, la signification des paramètres influents est quantifiée et un modèle de prédiction de la conductivité thermique est introduit. En plus, un modèle physique expérimentale est construit pour étudier le transfert de chaleur dans les remblais miniers et d'évaluer les différents arrangements et les paramètres influents. Un modèle analytique est développé sur la base du système de coordonnées cylindriques avec une longueur finie; et le modèle est validé pour le transfert de chaleur dans le remblai. Finalement, une étude de cas d'un chantier remblayé est présentée.
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Maritz, Liezl. "Ecological role of mining ponds in Southern Coastal Mines, Namibia." Master's thesis, Faculty of Science, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32833.
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Targeting marine diamondiferous deposits along the south-western Namibian coastline has involved the construction of seawall berms to advance the coastline and permit mining in previously subtidal areas. Large areas are mined out to bedrock level by the removal of overburden (sand and gravel), and after mining is complete, areas behind the seawalls fill with seawater, creating a series of coastal marine ponds that have the potential to function as saline wetlands corresponding to closed estuaries. The study site lies north of the Orange River mouth, within the Tsau//Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park, to which the public has restricted access due to diamond mining in the area. Consequently, there is a focus on biodiversity conservation and the overall objective of this thesis was to determine the ecological value of the mining ponds by investigating whether they harbour sufficient biodiversity to qualify as a viable alternative ecological habitat, rather than restoring them to their original state as backfilled, revegetated dune areas. The study area, approximately 75 kilometres in length, was divided into north, middle and south sections, according to the age and status of mining activities, and I first assessed whether ponds in these three areas differed in their physical properties (Chapter 1). To determine whether the ponds serve as a useful ecological role worth preserving, I then investigated the diversity and amount of saltmarsh vegetation (Chapter 2), bird species (Chapter 3) and fish (Chapter 4) currently benefiting from these mining ponds. Ponds in the north are older and hypersaline whereas the south and middle ponds are younger and closely approach physical conditions in the sea. Diurnal fluctuations in oxygen concentration took place, but oxygen levels never dropped below 80% and were thus not limiting. After about 15 years, ponds developed salinities in excess of 80‰, which is likely to set limits on their ecological viability. Most ponds supported saltmarshes, but only a single species, Salicornia natalensis, grew around them. Its abundance was greatest around old ponds, but its health decreased with salinity. Wind emerged as a likely means of dispersal among ponds. The ponds supported a rich avifauna, averaging 11028 birds per count for all ponds combined; 36 species were recorded, ten being endemics, and five being listed in Namibia's Red Data Book. Numbers were highest for ponds that were being ‘dewatered' to remove water prior to mining, as this exposed a rich benthic epifaunal source of food. Blacknecked Grebe, Cape Cormorant, Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Kelp Gull and Common Tern were the most abundant birds. Salinity did not limit bird numbers or diversity, so the northern high-salinity ponds may continue to serve as bird habitat for periods of time much greater than the 15 years after which they become hypersaline. In comparison with nine other wetlands in the region, the ponds had great numbers, diversity, densities, and numbers of threatened species than about half of these wetlands, many of which are considered Important Bird Areas (IBAs). In many cases, they also supported more species that had numbers in excess of 1% of the southern African population than these IBAs. Only two species of fish commonly occurred in the ponds, the west coast steenbras Lithognathus auratus and the southern mullet Chelon richardsonii, although small numbers of two other marine species were recorded. The diversity of marine fish was thus low, even by the impoverished standards of west-coast estuaries. Unexpectedly, there were no significant differences between the ichthyofauna of ponds in the north, middle and south, nor was there any relationship between total fish numbers and salinity. Body condition of steenbras was lowest in the hypersaline north ponds, and their stomach contents contained a low diversity of food items there. The presence of recruits and the range of gonadal states suggested that both species bred in the ponds. Steenbras proved to be protandrous, with females dominating larger size classes. Growth rates of both species were faster in the ponds than in the adjacent sea, and mullet achieved substantially greater sizes in ponds. Thus, the ponds do serve as viable ecosystems, albeit with a limited range of saltmarsh and fish species, and support an impressively diverse avifauna. Their long-term viability will, however, become limited by rising salinity as their age increases.
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Crellin, David J. "Ground instability associated with mineworkings and groundwater in opencast coal mines." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 1989. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.375916.
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Marley, Robert Douglas. "Hydrogeologic field study of the Koongarra Uranium Deposit in the Northern Territory of Australia." 1990. http://etd.library.arizona.edu/etd/GetFileServlet?file=file:///data1/pdf/etd/azu_e9791_1990_624_sip1_w.pdf&type=application/pdf.
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Buck, Michelle Toni. "Status and molecular identification of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associated with Acacia spp. on rehabilitated gold and uranium mine tailings." Thesis, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10539/16860.
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A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science.Phytoremeditation of mine tailings provides the most cost-effective means of alleviating their pollutant effects. Research has shown that successful revegetation of mine tailings can be optimised by providing appropriate microbial symbionts for the plants. The aim of this study was to assess the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) status of trees currently being used for phytoremediation trials of mine tailings in the Welkom gold fields, and to determine the AM fungal diversity of these sites. The Acacia spp. analysed were growing on rehabilitated gold and uranium mine tailings which had undergone different rehabilitation regimes. Planted acacia trees which had been inoculated with crude AM fungal inocula were present on one mine tailing site as compared to the second mine tailing site on which the acacias were naturally colonisers and the site had been ameliorated with garden refuse. Root and slime samples were collected in early spring and half if each initial sample was used immediately for colonisation analysis and to identify AM fungi through molecular analysis of the small subunit rRNS gene sequences; the other half of each sample was used to produce trap cultures which were used later for colonisation and molecular analysis. Total AM fungal colonisation of initial samples for planted acacies was 19 % and for naturally colonising acacias was 66 %. The total AM fungal colonisation of trap culture samples for planted acacias increased to 32 % and for naturallhy colonising acacias it increased to 78 %. Spore counts of initial samples averaged 402 spores per 100 g-1 soil for planted acacias and 455 spores per 100 g-1 soil for naturally colonising acacias. For trap culture samples, spore counts decreased by approximately 50 %. The AM fungi identified fell within 8 genera, namely, Diversispora, Rhizophagus, Scutellospora, Claroideoglomus, Cetraspora, Sclerocystis, Glomus and Redecker. The study represents a first report utilising molecular biosystematics with AM fungal DNA from colonised roots as the template. The results will assist in making decisions about future AM fungal surveys and applying AM fungal inoculum in phytoremediation trials of mine waste sites. Key words: Phytoremediation, mine tailings, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Acacia, molecular identification, SSU rRNA gene sequence
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Shaduka, Ignatius Shikondjeleni. "Investigation of the groundwater evolution, interaction and potential radionuclide pollution from the unlined uranium tailings at Langerheinrich mine, Namibia." Thesis, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10539/21008.
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Groundwater is a very scarce and sensitive resource in many parts of the World especially in Africa and in arid areas such as Western Namibia. The Western Namibia hosts the Erongo region which named the Uranium Province world class deposits of uranium and high exploration and mining in the area. The majority of the Erongo region in Namibia depends on groundwater from the Swakop River compartment, hence, is important to understand the mining effects to this precious resource. The safe guarding of groundwater pollution from various sources including mining is vital.
The extensive exploration and mining activities in the area raised environmental concerns especially threat to the huge ground water resources and the Aquatic systems in the proximity and hydraulically connected to the Swakopmund and Khan catchments. The study looked the impact of uranium mining in the area specifically focusing on the impact of the unlined uranium tailing dams at Langerheinrich uranium mine on the Gawib River a tributary of the Swakop River. The study reviewed the previous work on the Langerheinrich Uranium Mine that is related to groundwater pollution including the Environmental Impact Assessments carried out by the consultants for the mine. Ten water samples were obtained for the purpose of this study, the samples consists of the groundwater samples, recycled water and the fresh water supply to the mine.
The hydrochemistry, stable isotopes and tritium results show that there is contamination from the unlined uranium tailings into the Gawib shallow aquifer system. This could spread to deeper aquifer systems mainly through major structures such as fractures and faults in the area. The contamination plume will also spread downstream to the Gawib River towards the Swakop River unless serious mitigation measures are put in place. There is also a very high risk of the plume to reach the Atlantic Ocean by seasonal flash floods that occurs in the area approximately every after few years.
Keywords: Uranium Province, Langerheinrich uranium mine, Groundwater, Pollution, unlined tailings and Gawib River