From our Ore to Your Door - Episode 4 - Water Management

Mining at Kunwarara brings its own unique challenges. The magnesite mainly lies inside a shallow aquifer which makes mining impossible without first controlling the water.

To do this, we dig a deep drain around the outside of the mining pit. Next, we install pumps in these drains to lower the water level far enough to mine a bench of ore. As each bench is mined, the pit deepens, the drains around the mining area also deepen and pumping reduces the water level. This cycle repeats until the bottom bench of ore is mined.

After we pump water from mining areas, it is sent into a network of pipes and waterways. Ultimately, we use this water for material processing or dust suppression.
Only a fraction of the water used in material processing is consumed by the process. Most water is recycled through the plant to clean and wash magnesite, then pumped out to the current tailings pit in a slurry, before finally being pumped back to the plant for reuse.

QMAG has proven over 30 years that we can champion sustainability by using water from the aquifer in a way that does not adversely impact water quality or level.