The Hydrochemistrey of Selected Coal Mine Drainage and Spoil-Tip Run-off Waters, Longyearbyen, Svalbard

Abstract

During July 1996, three sources of mine run-off were sampled from the mining complex around Longyearbyen, Svalbard; (i) Pumped discharge of minewater from Mine 3 to Bjørndalen, (ii) Run-off from a spoil tip at Mine 3 in Bjørndalen and (iii) Run-off from a spoil at Sverdrupbyen. One objective of the study was to obtain an indication whether the special climate of Svalbard influences the minewater hydrochemistry. The pumped mine water was found to be a highly alkaline, saline (Na-HCO3-C1) water with a low iron content. It is not known if this point sample is repre- sentative of pumped mine discharge at all times. Its alkaline nature may reflect the usage of large quantities of pulverised limestone in the mine to hinder explosion risk, but it is regarded as being more likely related to the natural hydrochemistry of the deep, sub-permafrost water entering the deepest levels of the mine.