Whale Tail Dike Rehabilitation Grouting Success-Video

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The Whale Tail Mine in Nunavut, Canada, faces severe cold and limited seasonal access. Its containment dike was built to enable open-pit mining, but dewatering in 2019 revealed increased seepage, with inflows reaching 350–600 m³/hour. Thermistor readings and field investigations indicated water pathways through fractured near-surface bedrock, where melting permafrost could worsen the problem.<br /><br />A technical committee brought the owner, designer, contractor, and grouting specialists together to develop a practical response using materials available on site. Crews completed the grout curtain across the dike’s full width, installing and sealing casings before injecting grout in stages. They adapted the mix designs as additional materials arrived, tracked grout takes in real time, and repeated injections where necessary.<br /><br />Despite remote conditions, winter weather, and water pressure, the program reduced seepage to a manageable level, allowing dewatering pumps to keep pace.

Keywords

Whale Tail Mine

Nunavut

containment dike

seepage control

grout curtain

permafrost thaw