Simulation Study on the Environmental Impact of Rare Earth Ore Development on Groundwater in Hilly Areas: A Case Study in Nuodong, China

Mineral extraction can significantly affect the groundwater flow and hydrochemical environment. However, for hilly areas, significant ground elevation changes complex geological conditions make it difficult to accurately analyze predict impact of mineral mining. This study takes Nuodong rare earth mining area as an example. Based on field investigations experiments, GOCAD software (version 2022) was used establish a model in combination with GMS numerical simulation software, which build solute transport model. The indicated that absolute error between simulated measured water levels each observation well is 0.554 m. solute-transport showed maximum pollutant concentration ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) liquid injection area, stream village monitoring wells reaches 139.15, 27.9, <0.5 mg/L, respectively. During period, streams are affected by NH3-N, threatens safety mine residents. To control transport, two stages pumping were adopted reduce NH3-N concentrations groundwater. After adopting first stage, peak decreased significantly, decreasing from 27.9 mg/L 5.51 mg/L. results stage pump-out treatment, second adopted. pollutants discharged into less than 0.5 provide theoretical basis reference pollution after this area.