A. Aryafar - Faculty of Mining, Petroleum and Geophysics, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran, P.O.Box: ۳۶۱۵۵-۳۱۶Faculty of
F. Doulati Ardejani - Faculty of Mining, Petroleum and Geophysics, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran, P.O.Box: ۳۶۱۵۵-۳۱۶Faculty of

When mining is completed and dewatering operation is ceased, the piezometric surface is reestablished to its pre-mining equilibrium position. The formation of post-mining lake in mining excavation due the rebound process creates many environmental problems including surface and groundwater pollution. The main objective of this paper was to simulate groundwater recovery process in an open pit. It was found that the groundwater recovery process is very fast immediately after mine closure and cessation of dewatering operation as about 98 percent of initial head and can be recovered after 10000 days. The rate of recovery decreases as time progresses. Modelling of the rate at which a pit lake is formed would facilitate the development of a mine rehabilitation and environmental management plan during the design stage of surface mining operation.

Finite element model, open pit, groundwater recovery, pit lake