The article is devoted to minimizing the negative impact of mining on the water resources of the mining regions. An assessment is made of leaching technologies with the involvement of non-conventional reserves for traditional methods of mining, reducing costs and lowering the level of environmental impact, including water resources. A reference is given on the use of leaching technologies for the development of natural and technogenic deposits in Russia. The mechanism of contamination of water resources with reagents and products of ore mining and processing is described. The typification of the processes of water migration of substances and components of underground leaching solutions is proposed. The zones of interaction between mineral deposits and water resources are differentiated. Fundamental differences of technology are formulated by the criterion of impact on water resources. An example of preventing the mixing of clean water and industrial effluents by creating a barrier in practice of a mining enterprise is given. It is concluded that the use of technologies with leaching of metals from ores at the place of their localization is promising.