Hydrogeological assessments and investigation of inflow sources at Lumwana Copper Mine, Zambia

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dc.contributor.authorMbilima, Mike
dc.contributor.supervisorAbiye, Tamiru
dc.date.accessioned2024-11-15T16:20:35Z
dc.date.available2024-11-15T16:20:35Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.descriptionA Research Report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (in Hydrogeology), to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023.
dc.description.abstractThis Research Report presents results of integrated field and desktop-based hydrogeological investigations at the Lumwana Mine, Zambia. Groundwater occurrence in the mine poses challenges with effective mining operations and slope stability. The primary aim of this study was to establish the sources of groundwater inflows and to establish the nature of surface water and groundwater interaction within the Lumwana Mine hydro-geotechnical units. The Lumwana hydrogeological investigation has been achieved through the integration of multi-disciplinary data types, which include geology, structures, hydrochemistry, meteorological data (rainfall, temperature, humidity and evapotranspiration), environmental isotopes, dewatering pumping records, groundwater level monitoring, water temperature, general hydrogeological data and surface hydrology. The investigation has confirmed the presence of hydraulic connections between different surface water bodies such as dams, diversion channels, streams and open pit excavation, and has proven to be a useful approach in tracing the source of mine inflows. Rainfall, groundwater and surface water samples have similar δ18O and δ2H isotopic signatures thus lamenting the existence of a hydraulic link between groundwater and surface water. Recharge estimation through Water Table Fluctuation method (WTF) determined 8% of mean annual precipitation (MAP). The dominant hydrochemical facies are Ca-Mg-HCO3 and Ca-Mg-SO4. The local geology and geochemistry of the tailings are the main controllers of groundwater chemistry through rock-water interaction. The geology of the study area consists of older metamorphosed gneisses, schists, migmatites, amphibolites and granitoids. Integrated assessment of the Lumwana hydrogeological environment has enabled the development of the Lumwana Mine hydrogeological conceptual model. In the shallow, highly to moderately weathered zones, groundwater flows from south towards low topographic regions in the northwest mimicking the general topography. The hydraulic test conducted at Lumwana Mine has revealed the saprock units have higher hydraulic conductivity by several orders compared to the saprolites and the fresh bedrock, where groundwater flow is mainly controlled by the occurrence and distribution of the fracture network.
dc.description.submitterMMM2024
dc.facultyFaculty of Science
dc.identifier0000-0001-7085-9126
dc.identifier.citationMbilima, Mike. (2023). Hydrogeological assessments and investigation of inflow sources at Lumwana Copper Mine, Zambia. [Master's dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg].https://hdl.handle.net/10539/42614
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/42614
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.rights©2023 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
dc.rights.holderUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.schoolSchool of Geosciences
dc.subjectHydrogeological
dc.subjectInflows
dc.subjectMine
dc.subjectDewatering
dc.subjectHydrochemistry
dc.subjectIsotopes
dc.subjectEnvironmental
dc.subjectPore pressure
dc.subjectCharacterisation
dc.subjectHydraulic
dc.subjectEvapotranspiration
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.subject.otherSDG-9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
dc.titleHydrogeological assessments and investigation of inflow sources at Lumwana Copper Mine, Zambia
dc.typeDissertation
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