Scarcity Of Water | Road Dust Control

Climate change may affect future mining operations

But Al Gore Lied and the data was manipulated…

Climate change represents a greater threat to mining operations than many realize, and most fail to plan or implement any preventative measures, according to Jason Prno, president of the North Bay-based Trailhead Consulting.

"Most mining infrastructure is not designed for a changing climate," says Prno, who researched the threat the weather could pose to the industry in a study for the David Suzuki Foundation.

"The subject often takes a backseat to economic issues, legislation and as such, there tends to be little adaptive planning in place."

Speaking to attendees of the 2009 Sudbury Restoration Workshop held at Laurentian University on Oct. 28, Prno outlined how the expected temperature increases have already begun to impact the mining industry.

As an example, he points to the Rio Tinto/Harry Winson Diavik diamond mine in the Northwest Territories, where 2006 stood as the warmest winter on record. The elevated temperatures reduced the availability of the ice road from roughly 70 days to 42, forcing officials to fly in much more freight than usual. This resulted in additional costs of $11.3 million just for fuel transportation, presenting "a real wake-up call" for the industry, says Prno.
Similarly costly scenarios are being projected for other parts of the country.

Ontario can expect to see elevated temperatures that could lead to drier summers, affecting a mine’s water intake, and potentially exposing raw tailings to the elements. The scarcity of water could also affect activities such as dust suppression and the composition of mine drainage.

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