Système hydrogéologique dʹun massif minier ultrabasique de Nouvelle-Calédonie

Ultramafic rocks outcrop over more than one third of New Caledoniaʹs main island. Under tropical conditions, thick lateritic mantles with nickel concentrations developed on these rocks by geochemical weathering. Groundwater in ultramafic mined massifs represents a valuable resource, but also a severe constrain for mining engineering. Previous works describe several water tables in the various layers of the weathering mantle. From a hydrologic study of the Tiebaghi massif, the hydraulic continuity across the weathering layers down to the bedrock is proposed. To cite this article: J.-L. Join et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).