Modeling of flow and salt transport in potash tailings piles
M.Sc. Felipe Silva Monsalves, Prof. Dr. Thomas Graf
Potash tailings piles from the mining of potassium salts present considerable environmental challenges concerning surface and groundwater. These piles are primarily composed of saline residues such as sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, and magnesium chloride. When rainwater comes into contact with these salts accumulated over large areas, it can leach sodium chloride, which is the main compound of the potash tailings pile. The flow of this saline concentration can infiltrate the subsurface and contaminate surrounding aquifers. To mitigate the interaction between saline residues and rainwater, soil covers have been implemented in some regions of the world, including Germany, to act as a physical barrier preventing water-salt contact.
The objective of this research work is mainly focused on two aspects:
- Numerical simulation of variably saturated water fluxes, in particular the creation of a water balance between surface runoff, in- and exfiltration and evaporation loss to the atmosphere in the soil cover
- Numerical simulation of the transport of salt dissolution to groundwater bodies.
