Medium-term erosion simulation of an abandoned mine site using the SIBERIAlandscape evolution model

This study forms part of a collaborative project designed to validate the l ong-term erosion predictions of the SIBERIA landform evolution model on reh abilitated mine sites. The SIBERIA catchment evolution model can simulate t he evolution of landforms resulting from runoff and erosion over many years . SIBERIA needs to be calibrated before evaluating whether it correctly mod els the observed evolution of rehabilitated mine landforms. A field study t o collect data to calibrate SIBERIA was conducted at the abandoned Scinto 6 uranium mine located in the Kakadu Region, Northern Territory, Australia. The data were used to fit parameter values to a sediment loss model and a r ainfall-runoff model. The derived runoff and erosion model parameter values were used in SIBERIA to simulate 50 years of erosion by concentrated flow on the batters of the abandoned site. The SIBERIA runs correctly simulated the geomorphic development of the gullies on the man-made batters of the wa ste rock dump. The observed gully position, depth, volume, and morphology o n the waste rock dump were quantitatively compared with the SIBERIA simulat ions. The close similarities between the observed and simulated gully featu res indicate that SIBERIA can accurately predict the rate of gully developm ent on a man-made post-mining landscape over periods of up to 50 years. SIB ERIA is an appropriate model for assessment of erosional stability of rehab ilitated mine sites over time spans of around 50 years.