Groundwater Control in mining encompasses the planning, engineering, and operational measures used to manage the flow, level, and pressure of groundwater within and around a mine excavation to ensure safe, stable, and efficient mining conditions. Uncontrolled groundwater inflow is one of the most significant geotechnical and operational hazards in open-pit and underground mining, affecting slope stability, equipment productivity, blast performance, and worker safety across bauxite, gold, iron ore, and diamond mining operations.
In open-pit mines, groundwater at elevated levels within pit walls increases pore water pressures, reduces the effective strength of rock and soil, and dramatically increases the risk of slope failure. Groundwater control in open pits typically involves a combination of surface water diversion to prevent rainfall runoff from entering the pit, in-pit sumps and pumping systems to remove collected water, and dewatering wells drilled around or within the pit to lower the regional and local groundwater table ahead of mining.
In underground mines, groundwater control requires the installation of pumping systems, drainage drives, grouting of water-bearing fractures, and the use of waterproof shotcrete linings. The design of effective groundwater control programs requires detailed hydrogeological investigation including aquifer characterisation, hydraulic testing, and numerical modelling to predict inflow rates under various mining scenarios.
Regulatory approvals are typically required for groundwater extraction, and the management of dewatered groundwater — including treatment before discharge — is a key environmental consideration.