Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring as a Regulatory Tool for Mining Sites – The Newfoundland and Labrador Experience

摘要

In order to assess the impact of natural resources development projects such as mineson water bodies, it is crucial to have an appropriate water quality-monitoring programin place. Real-time water quality (RTWQ) monitoring is suited to monitoring theimpact of mining projects especially those situated in remote locations. To illustratethe successful use of RTWQ monitoring as a regulatory performance tool, casestudies are presented of two real time water quality networks that were established asa part of the environmental permitting process for the Voisey's Bay Nickel Mineproject site in Labrador and the Aur Resources Copper Zinc Mine site inNewfoundland. The case studies detail the need for the establishment of the networks,the installation of the networks, the details of the networks, the Quality Assuranceprogram, the RTWQ public web page and the experience encountered since thenetworks were established. Also discussed is the use of the data collected by theRTWQ network by various stakeholders. The challenges of using RTWQ for miningsites are also discussed.