Mitigating mine water and waste legacies through interdisciplinary approaches

Speaker:  Professor Nadja Kunz, Canada Research Chair in Mine Water Management & Stewardship, The University of British Columbia

Abstract:  Mine water and waste legacies present local and global challenges, set to intensify with projected increases in future mining expansion. This presentation introduces a new tool for quantifying the potential consequences of tailings storage facility failures on communities and ecosystems, and outlines ongoing research to strengthen the economic business case for technological innovations that could mitigate mining legacies. Future research directions are outlined including quantifying the vulnerability of facilities due to climate change, and improved understanding of how tailings risks vary based on socio-economic factors. The presentation will also invite dialogue around how mine waste legacies differ between Canada and Australia.

Bio:  Nadja Kunz holds degrees in chemical engineering and business management, and a PhD from The University of Queensland's Sustainable Minerals Institute. Prior to joining UBC in 2017, she was a postdoc at Eawag in Switzerland and consulted as a water specialist for the International Finance Corporation. Nadja has operational, corporate and consulting experience within the mining sector, and has worked on projects in Australia, Canada, Mongolia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Chile and Peru. Nadja has extensive leadership experience, currently co-leading the water stewardship theme for the Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Metals, and playing a leadership role within the Future Minerals Initiative which convenes UBC academics and First Nations leaders to reimagine the future of mining. Beyond UBC, she serves on the Board of Directors for Genome British Columbia.