Water quality simulation to predict the Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) potential in an underground mine

The exploration of a hydrothermal lead-zinc deposit has indicated abundant sulphide minerals both in the ore body as well as in country rocks which means that the potential of Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) generation occurs when this deposit will be mined using underground mining method. A study has been conducted to quantify the ARD generation potential and to simulate the future mine water quality when the mine will be opened. Leaching test is conducted to confirm the ARD potential characteristics resulted from static test and to obtain the chemistry of leachates. The mine water quality simulation is conducted using PHREEQC ver. 2 software based on the groundwater quality data, leachate chemistry as well as mineral composition of the rock sample identified by XRD method. Various scenarios have been simulated representing different configuration of mine openings such as opening in the country rocks and in the ore body. The results of simulation on those scenario show that the mine water with near neutral pH will be produced as reaction result of groundwater when it is contact with ore as well as host rocks.