Townley, L.R. (2025a), Twenty-five years of evolution of integrated water management and integrated water balance modelling at mine sites, In: Valente, T., Mühlbauer, R., Ordóñez, A., Wolkersdorfer, Ch.: International Mine Water Association Conference – Time to Come, 932–938, Proceedings of IMWA 2025, 6-11 July, Braga Portugal & Oviedo Spain, convened by International Mine Water Association, ISBN 978-3-9825293-3-2.

Mine sites throughout the world are similar but different. They have different topography, climate, geology, target minerals, mining methods and processing methods, but mining and processing are always affected by water, and water in the environment is always affected by mining and processing on site. At every stage in the project pipeline, from Conceptual to Order of Magnitude Study (OoM) to Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS), from Feasibility Study (FS) to Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM), from commissioning to operations, and then to expansion and closure studies, there are reasons to consider water management holistically, in an integrated way, to ensure success in operations and to mitigate risks. Simulation modelling can be used to support decisions during design and operations, and with 25 years of evolution of integrated water balance modelling, there are now clear patterns that show when integrated balance modelling is especially useful.

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