Mine Overlay Site Testing (MOST) Facility

The Mine Overlay Site Testing (MOST) Facility bridges the critical gap between small scale lab experiments and complex, costly and time-consuming large-scale constructed hillslope research in mine reclamation cover design. MOST focuses on cover systems testing for cold regions, fostering collaborations among experts in industry, research and consultants.

Researchers using MOST evaluate how water behaves in cover systems. It is the first facility of its kind to provide pilot-scale cover trials that replicate key processes, allowing researchers to evaluate and characterize key mechanisms controlling water dynamics in mine reclamation cover design. By using a partially climate-controlled environment, MOST is designed to accelerate what happens in the field over years to a period of mere months.