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Mapping Groundwater with at Mining Operations

When you own, operate, or regulate mining operations, it is essential that you understand the characteristics of subsurface aqueous systems around your mines. If you need to know how, where, and to what extent groundwater is affecting your mining operations, you need AquaTrack. This patented technology will bring you significant competitive advantages including:

• Accurately maps leak flow paths through tailings dams and Ponds 
• Delineates groundwater contaminant plumes  
• Map water saturation and flow in Heap Leach Piles
• Identify source of water infiltration into mine operations
  

AquaTrack is a patented, magnetic-based groundwater mapping solution, from Willowstick Technologies, that has proven accurate and cost effective in mapping subsurface aqueous systems and their relationship with mining operations.

Why Choose Us?

When you choose our AquaTrack groundwater mapping service, you receive detailed maps that delineate areas of high and low water concentrations as well as the preferential flow paths of the water within the subsurface. Armed with this information, you can focus your efforts on monitoring and remediation of specific areas where groundwater presents significant risk to the mine’s safety and productivity. AquaTrack can also help you assess the environmental impact of your mine by identifying critical problems before they become imminent dangers to the surrounding environment or community.

Keep an eye on contaminants

You will find that AquaTrack is particularly effective in tracking and monitoring groundwater that may be transporting contaminants via the aquifer beneath a mine. The contaminants tend to follow the flow of water beneath the surface and can enter and pollute an aquifer used by a municipality for drinking water. The contaminants could also taint a nearby stream and potentially damage the habitat for wildlife that depend on the stream for survival. Such contamination can result in costly fines and clean-up efforts that can damage the reputation and reduce the profitability of your company.

Focus dewatering efforts

If your mine is inundated with water from nearby water sources, AquaTrack can be used to pinpoint the location of large subsurface water bodies. This lets you focus your dewatering efforts on a specific point, saving money and increasing productivity.

Control waste water ponds

If you store your mine's waste water in ponds that are contained by dams or levees, you are obligated to control this waste. Often these dams or levees will seep and can pollute the environment or pose a safety hazard that can threaten the mine or a community downstream of the dam. We can help you take control. We can delineate seeps through dams or levees and allow you to focus remediation on a specific area rather than a shotgun approach that can be costly and time consuming.

How it works

AquaTrack uses a low voltage, low amperage, audio frequency electrical current to energize the subsurface water. Electrodes are placed strategically in wells or surface water that is in contact with the water body of interest. Because the groundwater associated with the mine is a conductor, the electrical current follows the groundwater through the area of interest between the electrodes.

The AquaTrack receiver measures the specific magnetic field generated by the electrical current, filters out interference, and amplifies the signal. Repeated measurements are recorded over time to ensure consistent results. The recorded data is corrected to remove fluctuations due to natural phenomena and man-made interference. The horizontal and vertical magnetic field magnitudes and directions can be measured to further define the extent and paths of groundwater.

AquaTrack survey data is normalized to show relative highs and lows in the field data. These are referred to as anomalies that represent areas of different physical conditions. The changes in conductivity represent an increase or decrease in the presence of groundwater. In the simplest terms, the AquaTrack technology identifies where groundwater is most present in the area of investigation.

We can usually conduct your Willowstick survey in a matter of days instead of weeks and months, as is often the case with other geophysical methods. In addition, the AquaTrack survey can be performed using existing wells thereby reducing the intrusiveness of the study and reducing the overall financial impact.

Because of these advantages, Willowstick’s services provide you with significant value per dollar spent over traditional leak mapping techniques.

For more information about how Willowstick can help address your specific needs,

Contact us today