布罗肯希尔铁矿控股有限公司 (BHPIronOre)于 1995年 1月启动研究规划 ,拟定惠尔贝克铁矿排弃废石材料的长期计划。在以往的 30年间 ,业已堆积废石 2 0亿t以上 ,最终 ,露天采场附近构筑的废石场将堆积总计 4 0亿t废石。惠尔贝克矿位于西澳大利亚纽曼附近的半干旱地带。初期研究规划包括废石场植被、边坡稳定性、地表径流、侵蚀和水入渗方面的技术开发。本文重点论述防止水渗入下伏废石的覆盖系统设计和实施。使用实施室试验和土壤 大气模拟获得的数据 ,设计水平地面现场试验区。讨论水平地面现场试验区的构筑 ,以及为监测工作特性所安装的现场仪器。考虑到继后的蒸散 ,覆盖系统设计成在雨期最大量的渗入 ,而使地表径流最小 ,结果是渗透到下伏废石材料的净入渗量近于零。该设计的一个重要特点是使用原矿废石材料作覆盖材料。监测正在进行 ,至少要延续 2年的干 湿周期。最佳覆盖系统应当使渗透到下伏废石的净入渗水量最小 ,而长期特性保持自然的生态的完整性。 BHPIronOre launched a research program in January 1995 to develop a long-term plan to dispose of waste rock materials at the Wheelerbeck mine. In the past 30 years, more than 20 billion tons of waste rock have been accumulated. Finally, a total of 4,000 million tons of waste rock will accumulate in the waste rock fields constructed near open-air stopes. The Wheebec Mine is located in a semi-arid area near Newman, Western Australia. The initial research plan included technological developments in waste rock field vegetation, slope stability, surface runoff, erosion and water infiltration. This article focuses on the design and implementation of a cover system to prevent the infiltration of water into underlying waste rock. Using the data from the chamber tests and soil-atmosphere simulations, a horizontal ground test area was designed. Discuss the construction of a horizontal ground test area and field instruments installed to monitor operational characteristics. Taking into account the subsequent evapotranspiration, the cover system is designed to maximize infiltration during the rainy season, leaving the surface runoff to a minimum, resulting in a net infiltration of near zero into the underlying waste rock material. An important feature of this design is the use of raw waste rock material as cover material. Monitoring is ongoing, at least for a period of 2 years of wet and dry cycles. Optimal coverage systems should minimize the amount of net infiltration into the underlying waste rock, while long-term characteristics preserve the natural ecological integrity.