Responsible Mining II: Energy, Tailings, and Water
Energy/GHGs:
- Energy management efforts.
- GHG reduction efforts.
Tailings:
- Tailings management
Water:
- Efforts to conserve or recycle water on mine sites
- Effluent quality improvement efforts
- Approaches to protecting surrounding water resources
Text:
Jarvie-Eggart (editor).Responsible Mining. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, 2014.
Additional Readings provided by instructor and found online.
Class Schedule
Responsible Mining II: Energy, Tailings, and WaterWeek / Dates / Topic / Assignment
Week 1 / June 8-14 / Climate change /
- Read text chapter 11: Climate Change for Mine Planners and ICMM’s report on adapting to climate change
- Weekly assignment & discussion (10%)
Week 2 / June 15-21 / Energy & GHGs /
- Read the TSM Energy & GHG Emissions Management Protocol, the associated Guidance Document and text chapter 14: OMSES.
- Weekly assignment & discussion (10%)
Week 3 / June 22-28 / Energy & GHGs /
- Read text Chapter 12 on Molycorp’s Project Phoenix and Chapter 13 on geothermal recovery.
- Weekly assignment & discussion (10%)
Week 4 / June 29- July 5 / Tailings /
- Read TSM’s tailings management protocol and the Guide to Management of Tailings Facilities. Research a tailings dam or coal refuse impoundment failure of your choice.
- Weekly assignment & discussion (10%)
Week 5 / July 6-12 / Tailings /
- Read text Chapter 18 and skim ICMM’s Case Studies on Tailings Management
- Weekly assignment & discussion (10%)
- Exam 1 (10%)
Week 6 / July 13-19 / Water /
- Read text Chapter 15: Responsible Mine Water Management & ICMM’s Water Stewardship Framework
- Weekly assignment & discussion (10%)
Week 7 / July 20-26 / Water /
- Read ICMM’s Practical Guide to Catchment Based Management and Chapter 17: Integrating Pit Lakes into Water Basin Planning
- Weekly assignment & discussion (10%)
Week 8 / July 27- 30 / Water /
- Read ICMM’s Case Studies on Water Management in Mining
- Weekly assignment & discussion (10%)
- Exam 2 (10%)
Grade Components:
Exams (there are two exams, at 10% each, totaling 20% of your grade):
You will be expected to work alone on your exams. Do not discuss them with anyone. Exams are due the Sunday of the week they are assigned, giving you the weekend to work on them, if needed.
Weekly assignments (there are 8weekly assignments, at 10% each, totaling80% of your grade):
All initial postings of weekly assignments are due to be posted in the discussion area by Wednesday of the week. Discussion will remain open for that week only, so this leaves Thursday and Friday for discussion. Responses to other students are due by Friday. It will help you to stay on track if you read ahead for next week’s reading.
Rubric for weekly assignments:
Exceeds expectations: Answers the question provided for the week in a minimum of 700 words. Arguments are well reasoned and well supported with at least two appropriate academic citations referenced in APA format which are not those in the assigned class readings. Responds to at least one other student’s posted assignment for discussion. Responses should be thoughtful and open-ended, with the intent of initiating dialogue. “I agree” does not count. Responds to other students and the instructor’s comments in discussion.
Meets expectations: Answers the question provided for the week in a minimum of 500 words. Arguments are well reasoned and well supported with at least two citations referenced in APA format (may use the assigned readings as sources). Responds to at least one other student’s posted assignment for discussion. Responses should be thoughtful and open-ended, with the intent of initiating dialogue. “I agree” does not count. Responds to other students and the instructor’s comments in discussion.
Below expectations: Does not answer or address the question provided. Provides and answer in less than 500 words. Arguments are not well reasoned nor well supported. References missing or not academically legitimate (someone’s blog does not count, peer reviewed journals, industry publications, texts, newspapers, and materials from industry associations, governments, and NGOs are legitimate sources if cited correctly). Does not meet discussion response requirements to peers or instructor.
For more information on appropriate APA citations, visit the Missouri S&T writing center website:
Extra Credit Policy:
There is no extra credit work available.
Late Policy:
Late assignments are not accepted.
Grading Scale:
A: 90-100%
B: 80-89%
C: 65-79%
D: 50-64%
F: 49 and below
Assignments:
Note: For many of the weekly assignments, there are no” right” or “wrong” answers. I am looking for intellectual debates supported by well-reasoned arguments with proper academic citations.
- Week 1: After readingtext chapter 11: Climate Change for Mine Planners and ICMM’s report on adapting to climate change, discuss how climate change may affect the operation and final closure of a mine. What factors need to be taken into consideration in mine planning to account for the physical effects and uncertainty of climate change?
- Week 2: Readthe TSM Energy & GHG Emissions Management Protocol and the associated Guidance Document. How would this protocol help a mine to manage energy and GHGs? What are the protocol’s limitations? After reviewing Chapter 14 on OMSES – how can this be used as a tool in energy management? What factors does it not consider which might be relevant to energy source selection?
- Week3: After reading Chapter 12 on Molycorp’s Project Phoenix and Chapter 13 on geothermal recovery, discuss each of the case studies. What did you learn from each of these case studies that could be applied to other facilities? Are there limitations or site-specific circumstances which might prevent the use of these technologies elsewhere?
- Week 4: After readingTSM’s tailings management protocol and the Guide to Management of Tailings Facilities, How would this protocol help a mine to manage tailings? What are the protocol’s limitations? Research a tailings dam or coal refuse impoundment failure of your choice. Discuss the factors that contributed to this event. Could a management system have prevented this disaster? Why or why not?
- Week 5: After readingtext Chapter 18 and skimming ICMM’s Case Studies on Tailings Management, discuss the lessons learned from Chapter 18 and one of the case studies. What approaches or techniques in the chapter or case study do you think are relevant for responsible tailings facility design? Do you think it is necessary to involve stakeholders in facility design? Why or why not?
- Week 6: After readingtext Chapter 15: Responsible Mine Water Management & ICMM’s Water Stewardship Framework, discuss the importance of water management in mining. What issues should be considered and addressed? How does this benefit mine development and long-term social license (or physical ability) to operate?
- Week 7: After readingICMM’s Practical Guide to Catchment Based Management and Chapter 17: Integrating Pit Lakes into Water Basin Planning, how do you think active mines can benefit from a catchment or watershed wide approach to water planning? Do you think mines have a responsibility to consider the water use needs of the local community when planning their own use? Why or why not?
- Week 8: After reading ICMM’s Case Studies on Water Management in Mining, summarize one of the case studies and lessons you learned from it which could be applied to an existing mining operation or new development.
Contact Information:
The best way to get in contact with me is to send a message within Black Board. You may also email me . I try to log into class and email at least every other day. Response time may take 48 hours. If you absolutely need to contact me quickly, and are within the domestic US, you may do so between 9 am and 8 pm US Eastern time at (906)-281-1872.