Hydrogeologic Characterization and Tracer Study

ARCADIS provided technical support to Cyprus Climax Metals Company at a copper mine in northwestern Arizona in support of an Aquifer Protection Permit application with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). ARCADIS collected and compiled existing information on the geology, hydrology, and water quality of the area.  In collaboration with the researchers from the U.S. Bureau of Mines, we installed bedrock monitoring wells as observation wells to conduct tracer tests and determine the degree of connection of the bedrock and alluvial aquifers and the potential pathway of acid water movement.  We made paleogeomorphologic interpretations to predict the presence of paleochannels away from the main ore body. ARCADIS also performed a geophysical survey using transient electromagnetic (TEM) soundings and terrain conductivity measurements to map the surficial aquifer and the extent of high total dissolved solids (TDS) near the tailings impoundment. Monitoring wells and surface water sampling efforts were subsequently installed based on the results of the geophysical survey.

Project Accomplishments:

• Geophysics used to delineate aquifer extent
• Methods were non-intrusive, fast and cost-effective