Potential influence of drill cuttings landfill on groundwater quality-comparison of leaching tests results and groundwater composition

Real and potential environmental effects of drill cuttings deposition in open-mining pit were studied. An analysis of selected parameters of deposited drilling waste, groundwater taken from piezometers and eluates obtained during batch leaching tests of drill cuttings was the basis for the estimation. The high concentrations of barium, lead, and zinc in drilling waste (maximum measured values equal to 54; 152; and 438mg/kg dry weight, respectively) do not allow to classify the examined materials as inert waste from the extractive industries. The groundwater taken from the piezometers located around the drilling waste landfill contained high concentrations of total organic carbon (up to 21.9mgC/L) boron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, and potassium (up to 2.12; 455; 148; 1.75; 5.11; and 25mg/L, respectively). In contrast to this observation, concentrations of barium and chlorides were the most exceeded in the batch leaching tests. It suggests that pollution of groundwater was not caused by drilling waste deposition.