Abstract
A knowledge of the groundwater regime is important for: (1) The basic engineering of a surface mine, taking into consideration: (a) slope stability in the design of either high wall or spoil (low) wall; (b) design of the mine drainage system; and (c) analysis for the possibility of pit bottom failures such as heave. (2) Analysis of the effect the mine will have on the depletion of the local aquifers that are a source of water in the area. (3) Analysis of possible pollution of aquifers resulting from dump areas in the mine spoil for the disposal of power-plant, washing-plant, or coal-mine-drainage-plant wastes, or toxic overburden. (4) The preparation of a comprehensive environmental assessment of the groundwater regime to obtain a permit to mine under the new federal law. It has been usual in the past to ignore groundwater unless it caused an operational problem. With mining of more complex areas and the new federal act, this can no longer be the case because the mine can be shut down or prohibited from opening if the effect it will have on the future of the groundwater environment has not been fully assessed.
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