Mine Water Management – A study at Edikan Gold Mine (EGM)

Abstract

Water is an essential part of all mining activities and the availability of quality water year round is critical to mining operations. Mine water is largely employed in drilling, dust suppression, mineral processing and other in-pit operations. Shortage of water in a mine results in poor drilling control, dust pollution, and mill shutdowns, hence a critical need to optimize the use of water in various mining processes. This paper seeks to establish an effective mine water management system at Edikan Gold Mine (EGM) to have enough water in store for drought conditions. A site water balance was established primarily taking into accounts the inflows and outflows of water at the mine. Results show that rainfall and the Asuafa River are the principal sources of water for EGM mining operations, while the processing plant was the main water user on the mine site. Annual net water balance is also estimated to help determine the required capacities of future water storage facilities.