Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation, the in-person event scheduled for January 20, 2022 has been cancelled. Sorry for the inconvenience, individuals registered for the event have been reimbursed.

A free webinar will be available at the link below in lieu of the in-person event. Note the change in event date and time.

January 27, 2021 12:00 PM (CST)

Enivornment and Safety Night: Mine Affected Lands Climate Change Modelling and Adaptation

**This is a free event **

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Abstract:

Mining operations commonly agree to a post-closure returning land use that provides similar ecological function to that prior to disturbance. However, closure timeframes can be more than 100 years, so any returning land use plan is subject to changes in climate. Effective and safe management of climate risk requires a deliberate approach to understanding, assessing, and responding to the potential impacts of climate change at a site-specific level. A robust closure plan has the resiliency and capacity for adaptation over the long-term timeframe and creates the potential to realize value in the future land use.

In 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued the Working Group I report: Climate Change 2021: the Physical Science Basis. This presentation will highlight some of key findings of this report and resulting considerations that should be included in numerical models for mine closure in northern climates. Okane will present on how the five Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) relate to the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios, and how these forecasts can be applied to site wide water balance modeling to determine an appropriate risk management framework for your mine site.

By combining the likelihood occurrence for various climate outcomes with the magnitude of potential consequences for the land, risk-based design criteria can be developed. Through identification of key risk mechanisms, and the development of monitoring plans associated with them, a safe and integrated mine closure plan can be developed that is truly adaptive and preserves returning land use value and potential.

Presenter Bios:

Dave Christensen, M.Sc., P.Eng.

Dave Christensen is a professional engineer with 20 years of experience in mine closure and mine reclamation. He has significant experience in the design and construction of cover systems over waste rock and tailings storage facilities and applying the numerical models required for solving unsaturated zone technology challenges.

Joel Steeves, M.Sc.

Joel Steeves is an Intermediate Geoscientist that specializes in cold region hydrology/hydrogeology and the associated thermal energy transfer and application to cover system design. He has managed and been involved in several tailings consolidation and performance monitoring programs, including design, installation, and performance predictions. He also has experience downscaling climate change predictions to develop site specific climate change scenarios. Joel’s specialist areas of expertise include hydrology and hydrogeology, vadose zone processes, freeze/thaw and frozen soils, the coupling of thermal energy transfer with groundwater flow, and impacts of climate change.

Okane Consultants

Okane Consultants is a Saskatoon-based company providing multidisciplinary mine planning, closure and relinquishment solutions to mining companies across the globe. We work to integrate responsible and sustainable mine closure practices into mine plans to achieve positive environmental and social outcomes. By applying the latest technology in a cost-effective manner, we provide innovative technical consulting services to the mining industry while also offering the best potential for long-term, sustainable environmental protection.