The permafrost hydrogeology in the Mir diamond pipe area

This study presents unique permafrost and groundwater conditions in the Mir diamond pipe area, based on comprehensive analysis of the hydrogeology of western Yakutia. Permafrost in this area is anomalously thick and has a two-layered structure. The upper layer is perennially frozen ground containing local cryopeg lenses, while the lower layer is cryotic ground saturated with brines that have temperatures below 0°C. Subpermafrost aquifers which pose the most serious hazards for mining operations are briefly described. Mine dewatering is shown to be complicated by intensive degassing of subpermafrost brines, as well as by the formation of local cones of piezometric surface depression around the wells. Attention is drawn to the development of a zone of secondary rock fissuring around the mine. This process, along with the high dissolving capacity of drainage water, promotes the formation of underground channels and caves and thus the increased water flow into the mine. It is noted that subpermafrost brines hold promise for balneological and mineral extraction purposes. Measures are proposed to efficiently solve the groundwaterrelated problems in the Mir mine for its further development.

1. Iudin M.M. Vskrytiye kimberlitovykh mestorozhdeniy Yakutii: opyt i problemy // Nauka i Obrazovaniye. 2008. N 1. P. 3–6.

2. Yuzmukhametov R.N. Iz istorii stanovleniya Amakinskoy ekspeditsii – glavnoy «almaznoy» ekspeditsii SSSR // Nauka i obrazovaniye. 2010. N 3. P. 46–50

3. Klimovskiy I.V., Gotovtsev S.P. Kriolitozona Yakutskoy almazonosnoy provintsii. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1994. 167 p.

4. Drozdov A.V., Iost N.A., Lobanov V.V. Kriogidrogeologiya almaznykh mestorozhdeniy Zapadnoy Yakutii. Irkutsk: Izd-vo IGTU, 2008. 507 p.

5. Alexeev S.V. Kriogidrogeologicheskiye sistemy Yakutskoy almazonosnoy provintsii. Novosibirsk: Akademicheskoye izd-vo «GEO», 2009. 319 p.

6. Akishev A.N., Gerasimov Ye.N., Zyryanov I.V., Korovenkov A.A., Kulminskiy A.S., Lobanov V.V., Tishkov M.V. O vozobnovlenii dobychnykh rabot na mestorozhdenii trubki «Mir» // Vserossiyskaya konferentsiya «Opyt i prakticheskiye shagi po vosstanovleniyu gornodobyvayushchego predpriyatiya posle avarii»: sbornik statey. Moskva: Izd-tvo MGTU im. N. E. Baumana, 2018. P. 6–15.

7. Klimovskiy I.V., Gotovtsev S.P., Shepelev V.V. Gidrogeokriologicheskiye usloviya poligona podzemnogo zakhoroneniya drenazhnykh vod trubki «Udachnaya» // Kriosfera Zemli. 2004. N 3. P. 45–50.

8. Drozdov A.V. Zakhoroneniye drenazhnykh rassolov v mnogoletnemerzlykh porodakh (na primere kriolitozony Sibirskoy platformy). Irkutsk: Izd-vo IGTU, 2007. 296 p.

9. Balobayev V.T., Devyatkin V.N. Merzlotno-geotermicheskiye usloviya Zapadnoy Yakutii // Teplofizicheskiye issledovaniya kriolitozony Sibiri. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1983. P. 22–34.

10. Devyatkin V.N. Rezultaty opredeleniya glubinnogo teplovogo potoka na territorii Yakutii // Regionalnyye i tematicheskiye geokriologicheskiye issledovaniya. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1975. P. 148–150.

11. Zhelezniak M.N. Geotemperaturnoye pole i kriolitozona yugo-vostoka Sibirskoy platformy. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 2005. 227 p.

12. Shepelev V.V., Tolstikhin O.N. i dr. Merzlotnogidrogeologicheskiye usloviya Vostochnoy Sibiri. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1984. 191 p.

13. Drozdov A.V. Prirodnyye i tekhnoprirodnyye rezervuary promyshlennykh stokov v kriolitozone (na primere Yakutskoy chasti Sibirskoy platformy). Yakutsk: Izdatel’sko-poligraficheskiy kompleks SVFU, 2011. 416 p.

14. Pinneker E.V., Alexeev S.V., Alexeeva L.P. Hydrogeology and Hydrogeochemistry of permafrost zone of Daldyn-Alakit region (Western Yakutia) // 30 Arctic Workshop – Colorado – USA, 2000. P. 134–136.

15. Bezrodnykh A.A., Yemelyanova E.A., Safronova S.L. Mineralnaya voda Mirninskaya kak prirodnyy lechebnyy faktor kompleksnoy terapii pri khronicheskikh gastritakh v usloviyakh Severa. Yakutsk: YAGU, 1992. 71 p.

16. Yemelyanova E.A., Safronova S.L. Mineralnaya voda «Mirninskaya» kak prirodnyy lechebnyy faktor kompleksnoy terapii pri zabolevaniyakh organov pishchevareniya v usloviyakh Severa. Yakutsk: YAF Izd-va SO RAN, 2002. 124 p.

17. Alexeev S.V., Vakhromeyev A.G., Alexeeva L.P., Kotsupalo N.P., Ryabtsev A.D. Promyshlennyye rassoly Sibirskoy platformy (gidrogeologiya i pererabotka) // Materialy Vserossiyskogo soveshchaniya po podzemnym vodam Vostoka Rossii (XXI Soveshchaniye po podzemnym vodam Sibiri i Dal’nego Vostoka s mezhdunarodnym uchastiyem). Yakutsk: Izd-vo Instituta merzlotovedeniya im. P.I. Mel’nikova SO RAN, 2015. P. 10–19.

18. Shepelev V.V., Gubanov B.A., Fedorov A.M. Zameshcheniye gazonasyshchennykh rassolov nagnetayemymi presnymi vodami i ikh zamorazhivaniye kak vozmozhnyy sposob zashchity gornykh vyrabotok ot pritoka vody i gaza. Yakutsk: Fondy Instituta merzlotovedeniya im. P.I. Melnikova SO RAN, 1978. 242 p.