• 5 days, October 12 – 16, 2026, Košice, Slovakia

Course Material

• Only registered participants will get a link to the course material

Venue

The workshop will take place at the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS) in Košice, Slovakia, Watsonova 47.

Mine Water sampling will be done either in Nižná Slaná or Smolník.

Programme

• Monday, October 12, 2026 (9:00 – 16:30)
  Introduction
  Historical Background
  Mining Methods
  What is mining influenced water?
  Master variables (pH, redox)
  Pyrite weathering
• Tuesday, October 13, 2026 (9:00 – 16:30)
  Weathering kinetics and calculation example
  Secondary minerals
  Acidity/Alkalinity
  Chemical thermodynamics
  Flooding Prediction
• Wednesday, October 14, 2026 (9:00 – 16:30)
  Introduction to Mine Water Treatment Methods
     Active Mine Water Treatment
     Passive Mine Water Treatment
• Thursday, October 15, 2026 (10:00 – 16:30)
  Sampling of mining-influenced water (MIW) in Nižná Slaná or Smolník (bring your own food)
• Friday, October 16, 2026 (9:00 – 15:30)
  Interpretation of the samples‘ on-site parameters
  

Relevance of Mine Water Geochemistry

Geochemical reactions are essential for understanding the processes that take place during and after mining activities. Based on interactions between rock, oxygen and mine water, the formation of characteristic secondary minerals will be explained. The course further introduces the mechanisms of disulfide oxidation together with approaches to mitigate acid mine drainage. In recent decades, increasing attention has been directed toward the chemistry of mine water, reflecting the complexity of its reactions and environmental consequences. Accordingly, this course addresses the problems of mine water in general and its chemical characteristics in particular.

Why Mine Water Sampling?

Our one-day course offers a comprehensive introduction to the proper scientific and technical sampling of mine water and to the importance of interpreting measurement data on-site. The course is based on the guidelines drawn up by the FH-DGGV’s Mine Water Working Group, as well as the detailed specifications developed by the US Geological Survey. This practical course will equip you with the necessary skills to effectively monitor and assess the environmental impacts of mine water. The course is aimed at professionals and those with an interest in the fields of geology, environmental sciences and mining. Upon completion of the course, you will be able to collect mine water samples safely and reliably, interpret data on site and assess environmental risks more accurately. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your knowledge and skills in the field of mine water sampling and data interpretation. Register now and help to improve our understanding of mine water and minimise its negative effects.

Course Description

This five-day course is suitable for beginners as well as participants with some prior experience of mine water and its geochemistry. It provides a thorough introduction to the fundamental chemical processes governing mining-influenced water (MIW), with particular emphasis on the relationship between geochemical principles and correct mine water sampling.

Participants will learn to recognise potential flaws and inconsistencies in water analyses, identify the main dissolved species determining water composition and understand the mineral phases and geochemical controls responsible for the observed chemistry. They will also learn how sampling location, depth, timing, equipment, filtration, preservation and field measurements influence the reliability and interpretation of analytical results.

The teaching approach combines conceptual foundations with practical demonstrations and field-oriented examples. Participants will examine common sampling errors, assess whether analytical results are chemically plausible and develop appropriate sampling strategies for different mine water environments. Particular attention will be given to representative sampling, unstable parameters, stratified mine water bodies, quality assurance and quality control, sample documentation and the interpretation of field and laboratory data.

Real-world case studies form an integral part of the training. These examples demonstrate how unsuitable sampling procedures can produce misleading results and how geochemical knowledge can be used to select sampling points, determine suitable sampling depths and explain variations in mine water quality.

By the end of the course, participants will have gained a solid grounding in mine water geochemistry and the confidence to plan and conduct reliable MIW sampling in the field.

Costs & Registration

	October 12 – 16, 2026
	Slovak Academy of Science (SAS), Watsonova 1935/47A, Košice, Slovakia
	536 € (Regular delegate) | 268 € (Students) | 486 € (IMWA and SAS members) – including German VAT
	Course materials and drinks included in the price (except on the field day)
	Christian Wolkersdorfer
	Click this link to register

For enquiries, please send an e-mail to minewater@wolkersdorfer.info

About the lecturer

Prof. Dr habil. Christian Wolkersdorfer is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and has 36 years of professional experience. He is a mining and geothermal hydrogeologist specialising in mine water tracer tests, mine water geochemistry and remediation. Christian Wolkersdorfer currently holds a research chair in South Africa: South African Research Chair in Acid Mine Drainage Treatment at the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria. He has taught hydrogeology, mining hydrology and tracer hydrology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich and the Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany and as part of the AEG Master’s programme at the University of Tübingen. He held the Industrial Research Chair in Mine Water Remediation and Management at Cape Breton University, Nova Scotia, Canada. He received his diploma and doctorate from the University of Clausthal, Germany and habilitated at the Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany. Prof. Wolkersdorfer is a world leader in the field of mine water remediation and management, having conducted and initiated several projects related to mine water and hydrogeology in Canada, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, South Africa, eSwatini, Slovakia, Finland and Turkey. Prof Wolkersdorfer is also the technical editor of the journal “Mine Water and the Environment”, President of the International Mine Water Association (IMWA), Industry and Academia Coordinator for the Mine Water Division of the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA), a member of the Global Alliance and an honorary member of IMWA. He has published or edited over 260 articles and book chapters on mining, mine water and hydrogeology.