Simulation Study on the Environmental Impact of Rare Earth Ore Development on Groundwater in Hilly Areas: A Case Study in Nuodong, China
Mineral extraction can significantly affect the groundwater flow and hydrochemical environment. However, for hilly areas, significant ground elevation changes and complex geological conditions make it difficult to accurately analyze and predict the impact of mineral mining. This study takes the Nuod...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/2/263 |
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| author | Hongqiu He Huimei Shan Deke Mo Yunquan Liu Sanxi Peng Yaping Cheng Meng Chen Zhiwei Yan |
| author_facet | Hongqiu He Huimei Shan Deke Mo Yunquan Liu Sanxi Peng Yaping Cheng Meng Chen Zhiwei Yan |
| author_sort | Hongqiu He |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mineral extraction can significantly affect the groundwater flow and hydrochemical environment. However, for hilly areas, significant ground elevation changes and complex geological conditions make it difficult to accurately analyze and predict the impact of mineral mining. This study takes the Nuodong rare earth mining area as an example. Based on field investigations and experiments, GOCAD software (version 2022) was used to establish a geological model in combination with GMS numerical simulation software, which was used to build a groundwater flow model and a solute transport model. The flow model in the hilly area indicated that the absolute error between the simulated and measured water levels of each observation well is 0.554 m. The solute-transport model showed that the maximum pollutant concentration of ammonia-nitrogen (NH<sub>3</sub>-N) in the liquid injection area, stream area, and village area monitoring wells reaches 139.15, 27.9, and <0.5 mg/L, respectively. During the mining period, streams in the area are affected by NH<sub>3</sub>-N, which threatens the safety of the water for mine area residents. To control pollutant transport, two stages of pumping were adopted to reduce NH<sub>3</sub>-N concentrations in groundwater. After adopting the first stage, the peak concentration of the stream area monitoring wells decreased significantly, with the maximum peak concentration decreasing from 27.9 mg/L to 5.51 mg/L. Based on the results of the first stage of the pump-out treatment, a second stage was adopted. The model results showed that the peak concentration of NH<sub>3</sub>-N pollutants discharged into the stream is less than 0.5 mg/L. The results provide a theoretical basis and reference for groundwater monitoring and pollution control after mining in this area. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:00:56Z |
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| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:00:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-33707a0d4c974de9ba1aeb4864a473b42023-12-01T01:15:43ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-01-0115226310.3390/w15020263Simulation Study on the Environmental Impact of Rare Earth Ore Development on Groundwater in Hilly Areas: A Case Study in Nuodong, ChinaHongqiu He0Huimei Shan1Deke Mo2Yunquan Liu3Sanxi Peng4Yaping Cheng5Meng Chen6Zhiwei Yan7Guangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaGuangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaGeological Team, Guangxi Bureau of Geology & Mineral Prospecting and Exploitation, Nanning 536000, ChinaGuangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaCollege of Earth Sciences, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaGuangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaGuangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaGuangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaMineral extraction can significantly affect the groundwater flow and hydrochemical environment. However, for hilly areas, significant ground elevation changes and complex geological conditions make it difficult to accurately analyze and predict the impact of mineral mining. This study takes the Nuodong rare earth mining area as an example. Based on field investigations and experiments, GOCAD software (version 2022) was used to establish a geological model in combination with GMS numerical simulation software, which was used to build a groundwater flow model and a solute transport model. The flow model in the hilly area indicated that the absolute error between the simulated and measured water levels of each observation well is 0.554 m. The solute-transport model showed that the maximum pollutant concentration of ammonia-nitrogen (NH<sub>3</sub>-N) in the liquid injection area, stream area, and village area monitoring wells reaches 139.15, 27.9, and <0.5 mg/L, respectively. During the mining period, streams in the area are affected by NH<sub>3</sub>-N, which threatens the safety of the water for mine area residents. To control pollutant transport, two stages of pumping were adopted to reduce NH<sub>3</sub>-N concentrations in groundwater. After adopting the first stage, the peak concentration of the stream area monitoring wells decreased significantly, with the maximum peak concentration decreasing from 27.9 mg/L to 5.51 mg/L. Based on the results of the first stage of the pump-out treatment, a second stage was adopted. The model results showed that the peak concentration of NH<sub>3</sub>-N pollutants discharged into the stream is less than 0.5 mg/L. The results provide a theoretical basis and reference for groundwater monitoring and pollution control after mining in this area.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/2/263rare earth oregroundwaternumerical simulationammonia-nitrogen pollutant |
| spellingShingle | Hongqiu He Huimei Shan Deke Mo Yunquan Liu Sanxi Peng Yaping Cheng Meng Chen Zhiwei Yan Simulation Study on the Environmental Impact of Rare Earth Ore Development on Groundwater in Hilly Areas: A Case Study in Nuodong, China Water rare earth ore groundwater numerical simulation ammonia-nitrogen pollutant |
| title | Simulation Study on the Environmental Impact of Rare Earth Ore Development on Groundwater in Hilly Areas: A Case Study in Nuodong, China |
| title_full | Simulation Study on the Environmental Impact of Rare Earth Ore Development on Groundwater in Hilly Areas: A Case Study in Nuodong, China |
| title_fullStr | Simulation Study on the Environmental Impact of Rare Earth Ore Development on Groundwater in Hilly Areas: A Case Study in Nuodong, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Simulation Study on the Environmental Impact of Rare Earth Ore Development on Groundwater in Hilly Areas: A Case Study in Nuodong, China |
| title_short | Simulation Study on the Environmental Impact of Rare Earth Ore Development on Groundwater in Hilly Areas: A Case Study in Nuodong, China |
| title_sort | simulation study on the environmental impact of rare earth ore development on groundwater in hilly areas a case study in nuodong china |
| topic | rare earth ore groundwater numerical simulation ammonia-nitrogen pollutant |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/2/263 |
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