Normétal Mine Site Reclamation Awarded SNC-Lavalin 2009 Award of Excellence

The Normétal mine site reclamation has been awarded the 2009 SNC-Lavalin Awards of Excellence in the Environment category. The project was to reclaim three (3) tailings ponds covering 57 hectares. One of the main goals of the SNC-Lavalin project was to adapt the layout of an underground 2.4 km piping system to the conditions existing underneath the coverage. This situation posed a real challenge since the detailed engineering plans were based on the data collected in only 12 exploration trenches. In order to establish the proper drainage system layout, 67 additional trenches had to be dug during the construction phase. The operation was a success: 3 years after the construction was completed, the level of the water table in the covered tailings was 2 meters lower, the acid exfiltration rate had decreased by more than 40% and the river’s pH went from 3.3 to 6.0.

Norascon is proud to have been involved as a contractor in this environmental challenge.