Grant: Alliance Grants
University of Toronto
$599,998.00
Determination of water cap biogeochemical cycling, oxygen consumption and sulfur risks in the first pilot Alberta oil sands pit lake, Base Mine Lake
EF 2024-25
Résumé
Tailings represent a significant long-term environmental liability created by mining projects worldwide. The safe management and sound reclamation of these wastes are critical business priorities for Syncrude Canada Ltd. Syncrude commissioned the first water capped tailings technology reclamation project, Base Mine Lake (BML), in the Alberta Oil Sands Region (AOSR) in 2012. A persistent oxygenated water cap zone is required to improve water quality and support ecological function in this pit lake (PL) as part of successful closure. Previous applicant-led research identified an emerging risk associated with sulfur compounds that could exacerbate on-going oxygen impairment in the BML water cap from biogeochemical cycling of oxygen consuming constituents (OCC) mobilized from the underlying tailings. Thus, the developmental trajectory of BML water cap oxygen levels is uncertain. As sulfur is currently added to tailings to improve their consolidation, there is a need, as proposed here, to determine the key OCC (inclusive of sulfur compounds), processes, and controls that can collectively and dynamically impact BML water cap oxygen concentrations and distribution over spatial, seasonal, and annual scales. The proposed collaborative research, to be carried out by a multidisciplinary team integrating biogeochemistry, molecular microbiology and analytical chemistry expertise, will inform BML adaptive management and a sulfur risk assessment. In addition, it will contribute more broadly to key AOSR priorities of tailings management optimization and reclamation success, thereby improving environmental and economic performance. It will further advance fundamental understanding of biogeochemical S and C cycling, contributing to accurate planetary biogeochemical model development that will enhance climate change impact modeling. Trainees will develop world leading technical and professional competencies that are highly sought after by academia, government, and industry sectors, as well as direct experience working with industry.
Programme
Alliance Grants
Bénéficiaire
Emplacement
Ontario, Canada
Type de bénéficiaire
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
Tel que publié
Application id
580713-2022
Name nom
Warren, Lesley LA
Department département
Civil & Mineral Engineering, Dept of
Organization id
31
Institution établissement
University of Toronto
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2024
Competition year année de concours
2022
Award amount
599998
Program id
ALLRP
Program name en
Alliance Grants
Program name fr
Subventions Alliance
Group en
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
Group fr
PARTENARIATS DE RECHERCHE
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
702
Area of application group en
Transportation systems and services
Area of application group fr
Services et systèmes de transport
Area of application en
Water
Area of application fr
Maritime
Research subject code
4201
Research subject group en
Geochemistry and geochronology
Research subject group fr
Géochimie et géochronologie
Research subject en
Environmental geochemistry
Research subject fr
Géochimie environnementale
Field of research list names en
Not available
Field of research list names fr
Non disponible
Socioeconomic objective list names en
Not available
Socioeconomic objective list names fr
Non disponible
Application title
Determination of water cap biogeochemical cycling, oxygen consumption and sulfur risks in the first pilot Alberta oil sands pit lake, Base Mine Lake
Keywords
biogeochemical redox cycling; integrated geochemistry & meta-omics; oil sands tailings reclamation; oxygen impairment; pit lake microbiology; seasonal and spatial investigation; sulfur mass balance and speciation; sulfur risk assessment; water cap oxygen concentrations; water capped tailings technology
Application summary
Tailings represent a significant long-term environmental liability created by mining projects worldwide. The safe management and sound reclamation of these wastes are critical business priorities for Syncrude Canada Ltd. Syncrude commissioned the first water capped tailings technology reclamation project, Base Mine Lake (BML), in the Alberta Oil Sands Region (AOSR) in 2012. A persistent oxygenated water cap zone is required to improve water quality and support ecological function in this pit lake (PL) as part of successful closure. Previous applicant-led research identified an emerging risk associated with sulfur compounds that could exacerbate on-going oxygen impairment in the BML water cap from biogeochemical cycling of oxygen consuming constituents (OCC) mobilized from the underlying tailings. Thus, the developmental trajectory of BML water cap oxygen levels is uncertain. As sulfur is currently added to tailings to improve their consolidation, there is a need, as proposed here, to determine the key OCC (inclusive of sulfur compounds), processes, and controls that can collectively and dynamically impact BML water cap oxygen concentrations and distribution over spatial, seasonal, and annual scales. The proposed collaborative research, to be carried out by a multidisciplinary team integrating biogeochemistry, molecular microbiology and analytical chemistry expertise, will inform BML adaptive management and a sulfur risk assessment. In addition, it will contribute more broadly to key AOSR priorities of tailings management optimization and reclamation success, thereby improving environmental and economic performance. It will further advance fundamental understanding of biogeochemical S and C cycling, contributing to accurate planetary biogeochemical model development that will enhance climate change impact modeling. Trainees will develop world leading technical and professional competencies that are highly sought after by academia, government, and industry sectors, as well as direct experience working with industry.
