Validity of the necessary hydrogeological studies in the exploration of solid minerals deposits

The development of flooded mineral deposits is impossible without designing solutions for their drainage. Projected calculations of drainage measures are based on hydrogeological studies. The main type of obtaining initial data for calculating water flows is pumping tests. Despite the fact that reliable hydrogeological information can be obtained only from the results of interference tests, in the practice of geological exploration and design work, researchers are often limited to testing single wells. The article discusses the causes and consequences of the formal approach to pumping tests as part of engineering and geological surveys. The shortcomings of normative and methodological documents are shown, based on which it becomes possible to reduce the types and volumes of pumping tests studies. Examples of pumping tests at deposits with obtaining limited and unrepresentative initial data on the results of single pumping operations, on the basis of which a false forecast of water flows and, accordingly, drainage equipment was made, are given. The author notes that the use of specialized computer programs for processing pumping testsis ineffective without a preliminary qualified selection of a conceptual model for choosing a calculation scheme. Especially in terms of attempts to obtain the entire range of hydrodynamic parameters based on the results of single pumps.

Ivanov Yu. K. Validity of the necessary hydrogeological studies in the exploration of solid minerals deposits. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2022;(5—1):92—106. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2022_51_0_92.

The research was carried out within the framework of the topic of the state task of the IGG Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (state registration No. AAAA18-118052590028—9).

Ivanov Yu. K., Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), senior researcher of geochemistry and ore-forming laboratory, A. N. Zavaritsky Institute of Geology and Geochemistry Ural Branch of RAS, Ekaterinburg, Russia, ivanovyk@ru66.ru; ivanovuk@igg.uran.ru.

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