Numerical simulation of uranium transport in flooded underground mines

Former mining areas generally suffer numerous environmental problems such as groundwater contamination with heavy metals and acidification. A reactive hybrid transport model has been developed to allow the quantification of uranium transport in flooded underground mines. This hybrid model specifically takes into account two different transport time scales within an underground mine, which result from the existence of a network of highly conductive shafts, drifts or ventilation raises within the considerably less permeable ore material in the underground. This paper introduces the model concept and addresses potential model applications.