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Long-Term Remediation of the Savage River Mine Using Local Neutralising Waste Rock and Novel Flow-Through Waste Storage Facilities.

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Title: Long-Term Remediation of the Savage River Mine Using Local Neutralising Waste Rock and Novel Flow-Through Waste Storage Facilities.
Authors: Gerson, Andrea R.1 (AUTHOR) Andrea@bluemineralsconsultancy.com.au, Kent, Stephen2 (AUTHOR), Hutchison, Bruce3 (AUTHOR), Ray, Daniel4 (AUTHOR), Smart, Roger St.C.1 (AUTHOR), Ferguson, Tony5 (AUTHOR)
Source: Mine Water & the Environment. Mar2026, Vol. 45 Issue 1, p96-113. 18p.
Subject Terms: *Mine waste, *Waste storage, *Invertebrate diversity, *Acid mine drainage, *Environmental monitoring, *Heavy metal toxicology, *Water quality, *Watersheds
Abstract: In 1995, a 30-km stretch of Savage River downstream of the Savage River Mine in northwest Tasmania was found to have lost 90% of its invertebrate diversity and 99% of its invertebrate abundance. In 1997, the Tasmanian Government reached a settlement that assigned a cost of AU$24 million for the remediation of pollution arising from the first 30 years of operations, allowing the new owner to acquire the site and mining assets. In 1998, Cu concentrations in the Savage River were ≈ 60 µg L−1. Extensive remediation followed, involving use of local neutralising waste rock and novel construction methodologies utilizing flow-through systems for waste rock dumps and tailings impoundments. The systematic identification and remediation of metalliferous drainage that had previously drained into local waterways and ultimately the Savage River has also been undertaken. In 2001, key water quality markers for aqueous Ca and Cu concentrations were defined based on biotic surveys for fish and a sensitive macroinvertebrate (Ceriodaphnia). The last Cu exceedance, using site-specific water quality criteria, for fish in waters with a Ca concentration < 20 mg L−1 and for Ceriodaphnia, was in December 2013. The last Cu exceedance for fish in waters with a Ca concentration > 20 mg L−1 was August 2016. The decrease in Cu concentration has been accompanied by a decrease in Ni, Co, and Zn concentrations and increases in alkalinity, and invertebrate diversity and abundance. After 2016, water quality has consistently met the defined targets. The concentration of Cu post-2023 in Savage River has been < 10 µg L−1. The pH in Main Creek, just upstream of the Savage River confluence and downstream of the mine facilities, rose from 5.7 to 7.5 from 2009 to 2015 and has remained stable, with an average annual pH of 7.3 for 2023.The pH of the Savage River has remained unchanged at 7−8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Energy & Power Source
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Header DbId: enr
DbLabel: Energy & Power Source
An: 194394969
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
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  Label: Title
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  Data: Long-Term Remediation of the Savage River Mine Using Local Neutralising Waste Rock and Novel Flow-Through Waste Storage Facilities.
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  Label: Authors
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Gerson%2C+Andrea+R%2E%22&quot;&gt;Gerson, Andrea R.&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;1&lt;/relatesTo&gt; (AUTHOR)&lt;i&gt; Andrea@bluemineralsconsultancy.com.au&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Kent%2C+Stephen%22&quot;&gt;Kent, Stephen&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;2&lt;/relatesTo&gt; (AUTHOR)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Hutchison%2C+Bruce%22&quot;&gt;Hutchison, Bruce&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;3&lt;/relatesTo&gt; (AUTHOR)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Ray%2C+Daniel%22&quot;&gt;Ray, Daniel&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;4&lt;/relatesTo&gt; (AUTHOR)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Smart%2C+Roger+St%2EC%2E%22&quot;&gt;Smart, Roger St.C.&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;1&lt;/relatesTo&gt; (AUTHOR)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Ferguson%2C+Tony%22&quot;&gt;Ferguson, Tony&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;5&lt;/relatesTo&gt; (AUTHOR)
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;JN&quot; term=&quot;%22Mine+Water+%26+the+Environment%22&quot;&gt;Mine Water &amp; the Environment&lt;/searchLink&gt;. Mar2026, Vol. 45 Issue 1, p96-113. 18p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
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  Data: *&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Mine+waste%22&quot;&gt;Mine waste&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Waste+storage%22&quot;&gt;Waste storage&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Invertebrate+diversity%22&quot;&gt;Invertebrate diversity&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Acid+mine+drainage%22&quot;&gt;Acid mine drainage&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Environmental+monitoring%22&quot;&gt;Environmental monitoring&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Heavy+metal+toxicology%22&quot;&gt;Heavy metal toxicology&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Water+quality%22&quot;&gt;Water quality&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Watersheds%22&quot;&gt;Watersheds&lt;/searchLink&gt;
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: In 1995, a 30-km stretch of Savage River downstream of the Savage River Mine in northwest Tasmania was found to have lost 90% of its invertebrate diversity and 99% of its invertebrate abundance. In 1997, the Tasmanian Government reached a settlement that assigned a cost of AU$24 million for the remediation of pollution arising from the first 30 years of operations, allowing the new owner to acquire the site and mining assets. In 1998, Cu concentrations in the Savage River were ≈ 60 &#181;g L−1. Extensive remediation followed, involving use of local neutralising waste rock and novel construction methodologies utilizing flow-through systems for waste rock dumps and tailings impoundments. The systematic identification and remediation of metalliferous drainage that had previously drained into local waterways and ultimately the Savage River has also been undertaken. In 2001, key water quality markers for aqueous Ca and Cu concentrations were defined based on biotic surveys for fish and a sensitive macroinvertebrate (Ceriodaphnia). The last Cu exceedance, using site-specific water quality criteria, for fish in waters with a Ca concentration &lt; 20 mg L−1 and for Ceriodaphnia, was in December 2013. The last Cu exceedance for fish in waters with a Ca concentration &gt; 20 mg L−1 was August 2016. The decrease in Cu concentration has been accompanied by a decrease in Ni, Co, and Zn concentrations and increases in alkalinity, and invertebrate diversity and abundance. After 2016, water quality has consistently met the defined targets. The concentration of Cu post-2023 in Savage River has been &lt; 10 &#181;g L−1. The pH in Main Creek, just upstream of the Savage River confluence and downstream of the mine facilities, rose from 5.7 to 7.5 from 2009 to 2015 and has remained stable, with an average annual pH of 7.3 for 2023.The pH of the Savage River has remained unchanged at 7−8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=enr&AN=194394969
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10230-026-01097-w
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 96
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mine waste
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Waste storage
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Invertebrate diversity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Acid mine drainage
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental monitoring
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Heavy metal toxicology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Water quality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Watersheds
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Long-Term Remediation of the Savage River Mine Using Local Neutralising Waste Rock and Novel Flow-Through Waste Storage Facilities.
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          Name:
            NameFull: Gerson, Andrea R.
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            NameFull: Kent, Stephen
      – PersonEntity:
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            NameFull: Hutchison, Bruce
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            NameFull: Ray, Daniel
      – PersonEntity:
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            NameFull: Smart, Roger St.C.
      – PersonEntity:
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            NameFull: Ferguson, Tony
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 03
              Text: Mar2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 45
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              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Mine Water & the Environment
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