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Summary: Numerical Modelling of Unsaturated Flow in Uniform and
Heterogeneous Waste Rock Piles
O Fala1
, M Aubertin1,3
, J Molson1
, B Bussière2,3
, G W Wilson4
, R Chapuis1
and
V Martin1
ABSTRACT
Waste rock piles containing reactive sulfide minerals can serve as
long-term sources of acid mine drainage (AMD). Within these piles,
many physical, geochemical and biological processes can contribute to
the production of AMD. The flow of water, for example, depends on
internal pile structure, which depends on the dumping methods used to
construct the pile. In this paper, the internal structure and grain size
distribution of typical waste rock piles are first reviewed with respect to
their effect on internal water flow. A numerical model is then applied to
simulate unsaturated flow within a waste pile assuming two primary
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