2020 BC-MEND ML/ARD Virtual Workshop a Success

Like other conferences in 2020, the 27th Annual BC-MEND ML/ARD Workshop was changed to a virtual event. The conference retained the half-hour presentation format and there were eighteen presentations with three-half day sessions on December 1, 2, and 3. The extra capacity of the virtual format allowed the conference to provide free registration to Canadian students, First Nations, and community groups. Money saved on not having a social for thirsty delegates allowed the conference to cut the registration fee for everyone else from $200 to $50. Seven hundred registrants from across Canada and abroad was a record.

Presentation topics included challenges and best practices, pit lakes, extreme sulphide self-heating, First Nation perspectives, and waste rock performance. Mine case studies included sites in Indonesia, Sweden, Peru, United States, and Canada. The session on waste rock performance provided geochemistry and air entry monitoring results needed in the design and construction of waste rock stockpiles. Two case studies in the session on challenges and best practices described solutions to drainage interception in areas with complex hydrogeology. Other presentations addressed challenges posed by wind-blown tailings and drainage chemistry prediction.

The 2020 presentations, as well as all presentations from past BC MEND workshops, are now available for viewing at bc-mlard.ca. Past presentations are a good source of case study information and technical guidance on the wide spectrum of ML/ARD topics.

The 2021 BC MEND ML/ARD Workshop is planned for December 8 and 9 with the in-person portion at the SFU Goldcorp Centre in Vancouver. Email info@bc-mlard.ca if you want to be added to the mailing list.

All the best for 2021!

Bill Price, CanmetMINING and MEND