A number of highly specialized short courses will be offered by top experts in their fields, immediately preceding the conference. These in-depth courses will be essential for professionals who want to stay abreast of the most recent developments and techniques in their areas of expertise. The short courses are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The organizer reserves the right to cancel a short course if the number of participants does not meet the minimum number required.
2-day short course: Price includes two coffee breaks, lunches and course notes
Regular registration: $695
Student registration: $175
Full day short course: Price includes two coffee breaks, lunch and course notes
Regular registration: $395
Student registration: $125
Half day short course: Price includes one coffee break and course notes
Regular registration: $195
Student registration: $75
Registration for the conference is NOT required for these Short courses.
A certificate of participation with PD hours will be granted following the completion of the courses.
Comparison of NI 43-101 to S-K 1300 Mining Standards and Disclosure Rules
Facilitators: Greg Gosson & Nikki Agyei, Wood PLC, Stella Searston, Mine Technical Services Ltd.
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently modernized their mining disclosure standards with a new Subpart 229.1300—Disclosure by Registrants Engaged in Mining Operations of Regulation S-K (S-K 1300). One of the SEC’s objectives was to align their disclosure requirements and policies more closely for mining properties with current industry and global regulatory practices and standards. The SEC’s mining staff were familiar with NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects as there was a carve-out in the SEC’s old Industry Guide 7 mining disclosure standard allowing Canadian mining companies to use mineral property information prepared under NI 43-101.
The new S-K 1300 rules, including their requirements for a Technical Report Summary are very similar to, and in some cases identical to, those required under NI 43-101. However, there remain many important differences to consider when preparing S-K 1300 content in annual reports and registration statements that will be filed with the SEC, using mineral property information originally prepared under NI 43-101 standards.
The S-K 1300 reporting standard has been in effect through the 2021-2022 annual reporting cycle and we are now seeing the SEC staff comment letters identifying non-compliant mining technical disclosure by registrants reporting under the S-K 1300 rules. Many of the compliance issues raised by the SEC staff are directed at mining company filings that incorrectly assumed all of their estimates and technical reports prepared under NI 43-101 standards would meet the equivalent requirements under S-K 1300.
This short course will compare the disclosure standards and reporting requirements under NI 43-101 to the equivalent standards and requirements under S-K 1300, emphasizing where there are differences. The objective is to assist Qualified Persons and public company management on what should be considered when preparing disclosure documents and technical reports that were prepared under:
– NI 43-101 standards and then filing them under S-K 1300 standards, or
– S-K 1300 standards and then filing them under NI 43-101 standards.
The course presenters will also identify some of the significant compliance issues that have been raised by mining staff of the Securities Commissions in Canada when they review documents that were filed under NI 43-101 standards. The course will use case studies to illustrate technical disclosure that was considered non-compliant and what was required to address the issues raised by the Securities Commission staff in Canada or the USA.
Short Course Objectives:
The objective is to assist Qualified Persons and public company management on what should be
considered when preparing disclosure documents and technical reports that were prepared under: NI
43-101 standards and filing them under S-K 1300 standards, or S-K 1300 standards and filing them
under NI 43-101 standards. Understand the types of compliance issues that are raised by Securities
Commission mining staff in Canada and the USA.
Target Audience:
Qualified Persons preparing technical disclosure under NI 43-101 and S-K 1300 standards.
Management of public companies that are dual listed in Canada and the USA, and their operational
staff preparing mineral property content that may be used in public disclosure.
About the instructors:
Greg Gosson, Ph.D., P,Geo.,Technical Director, Geology & Compliance, Wood plc. Bio: 40+ years
in mining industry in exploration, mine operations, and senior company management. Member of
CIM Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Committee; PDAC Securities Committee and Mining
advisory committee to Canadian Securities Administrators on NI 43-101 (MTAMC)
Nikki Agyei, P.Eng., Principal Mining Engineer, Wood plc, geostatistician, study manager on consulting
engineering projects in wide range of mineral properties under NI 43-101, S-K 1300, and other
international reporting standards.
Stella Searston, RM SME, F.AusIMM, AIG; Principal Geologist,Mine Technical Services Ltd.; Member of: CIM Mineral Resource and Reserve Committee; SMEResources/Reserves Committee. Technical reviews, audits, and specialist studies including due diligence and governance/compliance appraisals. Prepared technical aspects of listing and filing documents, independent expert and competent person reports for various exchanges, including AIM, HKEx, ASX, JSE as well as Canadian exchanges. Part of peer review of major mining studies (PEA, PFS, FS) Prepared/reviewed/compiled over 480 NI 43-101 technical reports, and over 20 reports under S-K1300.
ESG Unearthed: Environmental Social Governance in the Mining Industry
Facilitators: Liz Freele & Rachel Dekker, Sympact Advisory Inc
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has gained impressive prominence in recent years – as rankings and ratings agencies, proxy firms, and securities regulators increasingly influence your investors, host governments, communities and talent pools, there is little doubt that this acronym has gone from fringe to centre-stage across the mining industry. Annual industry studies now consistently rank ESG as both a top priority and a top risk – with many highlighting how poorly we are still performing, despite proof that companies that use systematic ESG frameworks instead of ad-hoc approaches enjoy an average increase in market value of 60%!
Meanwhile, the SEC, CSA and European Commission have all either already developed or are expected to issue new mandatory disclosures, from climate change to diversity and inclusion to human rights due diligence and more. 93% of the world’s 250 largest companies by revenue across 49 countries already disclose information on their environmental and social performance. The disclosure trend shows no signs of slowing down.
Navigating this rapidly evolving ESG landscape can be overwhelming – but it doesn’t have to be! Join us for this industry-specific crash course on ESG at CIM. Although there’s more and more ESG courses out there now, few instructors understand YOUR reality in the mining industry. But we do. Recently named a Top 25 ESG Champion by the Natural Resources Forum, at Sympact, we’re industry practitioners first. Let us help you grow your ESG knowledge base and tool kit, so you know where to focus and can better support your company’s success.
Sympact is a women-owned award-winning mining sustainability think tank & hands-on ESG consultancy. As practitioners first, from the field to the boardroom, we specialize in the design, implementation and evaluation of practical solutions and actionable strategies for ESG risk mitigation to help your company meet rapidly evolving societal and investor expectations.
Short Course Objectives:
Participants will grow their ESG knowledge base and toolkit, learn about emerging and evolving trends in mining ESG, with a focus on meeting stakeholder expectations of performance and transparency, and the management approaches to get there. Blending theory and practice, participate in interactive exercises and discussion, and leave equipped knowing where to focus your company’s strategy and resources to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of ESG and maximize your company’s success.
– Understand the difference between sustainability and ESG, and the drivers for both
– Understand the major macro trends and evolving stakeholder expectations of ESG and materiality that will shape your business priorities and risks, as well as what to do and why
– Review current and evolving industry-relevant global standards and frameworks for ESG performance and disclosure, including mandatory disclosure and due diligence
– Review major ESG sources for investor decision-making including ratings, rankings and proxy firms, as well as how these are changing
– Undertake an exercise to evaluate your own company’s material ESG topics to prioritize
– Roadmap tool for grounding the theory, understanding your company’s gaps and developing a concrete ESG management strategy
[This course will not include governance training or technical training on topics such as GHG accounting, climate scenario analysis]
Target Audience:
Senior managers and anyone with responsibility (direct or indirect) for ESG in a mining company, including e.g. corporate disclosure, sustainability, finance, social performance and risk. Ideal for technical and non-sustainability practitioners.
About the instructors:
Elizabeth Freele, MBA – Managing Partner, Sympact Elizabeth is a passionate sustainability strategist whose industry year track record has supported junior explorers to mature mid-tier producers, from the field to the boardroom globally, in developing future-fit corporate responsibility, sustainability and risk management approaches. Elizabeth holds an MBA from IE Business School, a Certificate in Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard Business School. She is GRI certified and is a MAC TSM Verification Service Provider. She is also the host of industry podcast Prospecting Purpose.
Rachel Dekker, MPhil – Managing Partner, Sympact Rachel is a corporate social risk and impact strategist whose international work experience has included natural resource, agriculture, circular economy, and cleantech industries, including supporting site teams across the mining lifecycle. Rachel has an MPhil in International Development from the University of Oxford and has completed certificate programs in Social Innovation, Public Relations and Public Participation (IAP2). Rachel was a sessional lecturer at the University of Victoria, has published several corporate guides and is a regular facilitator.
Tailings Facilities – Credible Failure Modes – Part 2
Facilitator: Andy Small, Klohn Crippen Berger
In November 2021, a workshop was held as part of the Tailings and Mine Waste Conference in Banff, Alberta that addressed the topic of credible failure modes (CFMs). The delivery team for that workshop comprised consultants, owners, and regulators and included Angela Kupper, one of the principal authors of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, and Tamara Johndrow, one of the principal authors of the International Council on Mining and Metals document entitled “Tailings Management Good Practice Guide”. During the November 2021 workshop, several different perspectives were shared on CFMs. As a continuation of that discussion, the same delivery team would like to conduct another workshop (Part2)
We will begin with a summary of the 2021 CFM workshop and will then present case studies from several mine owners showing how they have addressed CFMs. Lessons learned from the nuclear industry will be shared, regulatory perspectives provided, and there will be a panel discussion with an opportunity for questions and discussions.
The short course will be presented by several leaders in our industry:
– Andy Small, Workshop Chair, Klohn Crippen Berger, Chair of ICOLD Tailings Committee
– Angela Kupper, Contributing Author to GISTM, Director, Principal Geotechnical Engineer, BGC Engineering
– Chris Anderson, Director of Tailings, Teck
– Brett Byler, Director of Tailings and Dams, Newmont
– Bruce Englesman, Principal Engineer, Partner SRK Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd
– Tamara Johndrow, Director Tailings and Water Resources, Freeport-McMoran, Chair of ICMM Tailings Working Group
Short Course Objectives:
Improve understanding of Credible Failure Modes
Target Audience:
Regulators, owners, operators, consultants, and academia that are involved with tailings facilities.
About the instructors:
Andy Small has delivered and has been a part of over 20 workshops and short courses, including at CIM. He is a senior tailings engineer with KCB and actively involved with CDA and ICOLD.
A Breath of Fresh Air – Redefining Mine Ventilation for Energy and Cost Savings
Facilitator: Euler DeSouza, AirFinders Inc.
Global awareness of potential problems with the long-term availability of resources has encouraged
a world-wide re-evaluation of energy consumption. The recent problems experienced with the
electricity supply in North America have resulted in a more urgent emphasis being placed on energy
efficient design and operation of all energy consuming equipment. Electricity is a main mode of
energy supply and the mining industry is affected by the increasing cost of this commodity. One of
the main electricity consumers in operating mines is ventilation. Ventilation systems may account
from 25-40% of the total energy costs and 40-50% of the energy consumption of a mine operation.
Some of the biggest challenges for mining industry sites are to enhance ventilation equipment
performance and decrease costs. A Ventilation Asset Performance Management Program is
introduced to bring sizable reductions in a mine’s overall costs and base electrical and energy loads.
In this course, using a pro-active approach to mine ventilation solutions, you will learn how to:
installations, resulting in substantial reductions in power consumption and in operating cost
implement simple, effective, innovative and proven cost reduction engineering strategies for mine
ventilation assets
– Apply mine ventilation improvements to build greater energy efficiency
– Implement system optimization strategies for energy management and cost reduction
– Correct inappropriate designs or system degradation caused by poor maintenance
– Design, commission, operate and maintain a reliable ventilation system
Short Course Objectives:
To introduce an innovative and pro-active approach to mine ventilation solutions including asset performance management programs, strategies for energy management, implementation of energy saving programs, effective cost saving ideas, initiatives and strategies and simple ways to cut ventilation costs
Target Audience:
Professional mining engineer, technologists, contractors and mine operators who are involved in the design, management and day-to-day operation of mine ventilation systems.
About the instructor:
Euler De Souza is one of the most experienced and trusted ventilation specialists in the industry with wide-ranging operational and technical expertise across different sectors of mining. He is President and CEO of AirFinders Inc., a company specializing on the design of ventilation systems for industry. He was affiliated with the Department of Mining Engineering at Queen’s University, as an Associate Professor for 33 years (1988 – 2021). Dr. De Souza is a registered professional engineer in the Province of Ontario, and holds B.Sc., M.A.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Mining Engineering. He has been involved in multiple engineering projects with industry over the past 34 years; he provides continuous technical advice to several operating mines; provides technical support to junior mining companies; collaborates with various consulting companies; and has provided support to regulatory agencies. He has produced over 500 publications. He has published 180 papers in refereed journals and in conference proceedings and has produced over 343 engineering related technical reports.
Adoption Strategies and the Challenges for BEVs in Mines
Facilitators: Alexa Marko & Edward Fagan, 6Synct Consulting, Enrique Acuna-Duhart & John Le, NRCan-CanmetMINING
Implementing new battery electric vehicle (BEV) technology in an organization can pose multiple operational challenges. The risks associated with high voltage battery systems can generate negative perceptions amongst various stakeholders, from the mine managers to the machine operators. While this often stems from a knowledge gap, several factors are advancing the state-of-the-art for BEVs, including new case studies of battery electric machines, improved development/safety processes and updated standards and guidelines. This course provides an up-to-date understanding of the challenges and solutions for deploying BEVs in Canadian mines supported by case studies and industry expertise.
The course will provide an overview of BEV safety systems and a review of the current state of the technology. The course will also give an overview of the latest version of GMG’s Recommended Practices for Battery Electric Vehicles in Underground Mining guideline and the new CSA M424.4:22 standard for electric vehicles in mines.
Through an interactive workshop session, attendees will identify the adoption challenges within their own organizations and supply chains. The course will then provide a guide to the change management process and how to address the complexity of adopting BEV technology.
Over the course of the day, BEV industry leaders will also provide their insights on key topics, including the business case for BEVs, mine design and operations, ventilation and cooling, and battery safety. The course will then close with an interactive session that will allow group discussion on the future work required in the transition from diesel to electric vehicles.
Short Course Objectives:
Identify the negative perceptions with BEVs (current or upcoming ones) with the stakeholders in attendance Plant the seed in attendees for how to address safety issues and change management
PEO CPD note: This course provides Enginering knowledge that participants may consider for their CPD needs. A certificate of participation will be granted following the completion of the course.
Target Audience:
Underground mine operators Surface mine operators, Human resources professionals Stakeholders in environment, sustainability and community relations
About the instructors:
Alexa Marko is the Operations Manager at 6Synct Consulting. With her undergraduate Environmental degree, alongside her PMP (Project Management Professional) she is passionate about educating and supporting others to achieve sustainable project and organizational objectives. When she is not managing 6Synct’s battery integration projects, she’s supporting her students as a College Professor. She is passionate about continuous learning and looks forward to presenting at CIM on the importance of change management in new battery technology implementation.
Edward Fagan is a Mechanical Systems Analyst at 6Synct Consulting. Edward supports clients to develop sustainable technologies through project management, technical training and business strategy activities. Edward has supported the development of renewable energy devices in both academia and industry as a research fellow and adjunct lecturer. His core focus is on the challenges of energy management in mining equipment and the adoption of new technologies in the shift to electrification.
Enrique Acuña is an energy efficiency specialist with NRCan-CanmetMINING team in Sudbury and works in the transition from diesel to electric vehicles in mining. He holds a Masters in Operations Management and a PhD in Natural Resources Engineering. His focus is to develop tools and methodologies for improving energy efficiency and productivity in the mining sector associated with energy management.
Nam (John) Le, P.Eng is the Senior Engineer with CanmetMINING, a branch of Minerals and Metals Sectors of Natural Resources Canada. John is a Professional Engineer who has over 15 years experiences in engineering management and designing mobile equipment for underground mines. John successfully completed the entire cycle of designing, manufacturing, testing, and maintaining diesel and battery electric machines. Currently, he is focusing on battery, hydrogen, and diesel-electric technologies to improve and reduce carbon footprints in the mining industry.
Fostering Collaboration: Learning How to Meaningfully Engage and Communicate about Tailings Risks and Associated Management Practices
Facilitators: Alistair Kent, Merit Consultants International & Karen Chovan, Enviro Integration Strategies Inc.
There is growing recognition of the value in effective engagement and collaboration with rights holders and stakeholders to improve decision-making, build mutual trust, gain and sustain social acceptance, and align with ESG frameworks. With this workshop, we strive to help industry build on compliance and risk management practices by enhancing collaboration, and building trust.
Through presentations and interactive roundtables, the session will explore ways to break down silos, develop common understanding around mine waste management to support better decision making, and demonstrate how well-timed engagement practices and collaboration can build trust, enhance safety, and reduce fears. Engagement cases will be presented to help reduce common fears of openly communicating about risks, and we will also work through ways to reduce or address external concerns and/or misunderstandings.
Workshop Leadership:
– Elizabeth Freele, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Sympact
– Michelle Tanguay, 2Tango Environmental Services – Environment, Regulatory and Social Independent Consultant
– Lynnel Reinel, Lynnel Reinson Communications
– David Clarry, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Hudbay Minerals Inc.
– Dave Corriveau, P.Eng., MBA
– Christy Smith, Vice President, Indigenous and Stakeholder Engagement, Falkirk Environmental Consultants Ltd.
– Karen Chovan, P.Eng., CEO & Founder, Enviro Integration Strategies Inc.
– Alistair Kent, P.Eng., Merit Consultants International, A division of Cementation Canada Inc.
Short Course Objectives:
Participants will be introduced to concepts of engagement and communications, frameworks to engage and listen for different lifecycle stages, and generally learn to better understand how and when they can engage to inform company decisions, and to be assured that companies are doing the right things through current leading practices.
Target Audience:
Executives, managers, engineers, and environmental and social scientists involved in any lifecycle phase of tailings and mine waste facilities (planning through closure), as well as communications around pre-development projects.
Introduction to Machine Learning and its Application across the Mine Project Life Cycle
Facilitator: Alice Alex, Life Cycle Geo
An introductory workshop designed for professionals working in all stages of the mine project life cycle.
The participants will be introduced to machine learning methods that can be applied to exploration,
mine to mill optimization, and environmental planning. Practical demonstrations using python and/or
Orange will be performed using mostly geochemical datasets.
Morning session: Alice Alex, Diana Brown (Life Cycle Geo) & Samer Hmoud (CSA Global)
Data management and machine learning concepts will be introduced at a high-level and framed within
the context of the mine project life cycle. The workshop will highlight techniques that help improve
accuracy and efficiency of algorithms and/or workflows including best practices. Practical exercises will
use either python and open-source software such as Orange.
Topics covered:
Afternoon session:
Practical application of machine learning across the mine project life cycle will be featured. Case studies
will emphasize methodology, pitfalls to consider, challenges and successes of employing advanced
methods.
Topics covered:
The session will end with a panel Q&A with all the presenters of the short course.
Short Course Objectives:
To provide participants with hands on examples of employing machine learning techniques across a
mine project life cycle.
Target Audience:
Mining professionals working in all stages of the mine project life cycle and students.
About the instructor:
TBC
Mining 101
Facilitator: George McIsaac, G-MEC
This course is an introduction to mining and mineral processing. Basics concepts will be presented along with many pictures, videos, and anecdotes so that the participants will have a better understanding of public information provided by exploration and mining companies.
The course content includes:
By the end of the course, the participants will have basics knowledge of
Short Course Objectives:
Aspects of Geology, Mining and Mineral Processing will be addressed in the context of the discovery, development and production of mineral deposits. This course will provide a basic introduction of the critical technical factors impacting on the success of mining companies.
Target Audience:
This course is intended for people who are interested in a broad overview of how the mining business works from a technical perspective.
About the Instructor:
George is a mining engineer and a mineral economist, with 35 years’ experience in industry, research and development, consulting, and teaching. He specializes in the economics of the mine, combining design, planning, costing, and cash flow estimation, to optimize mine operations and exploration activities. He founded Geology & Mining Evaluation Consulting (G-MEC), a company providing services in strategic planning and economic evaluation to exploration companies and producing mines.
Seismic Analysis Applications in Underground Mines
Facilitators: Yousef Abolfazlzadeh & Amir Rostami, Mining One PTY Ltd
According to the formal review of mining health and safety that was led by the Ontario Ministry of Labour throughout 2014 to early 2015, seismicity and rockbursting was indicated as the most significant threat to the health and safety of workers in underground mines located in Ontario.
This short course deals with the application of seismic monitoring in underground mines to increase the safety by reducing the seismic risk through seismic analysis using mXrap software*. Topics covered are fundamentals of seismicity in mines, macroscale seismic analysis, seismic risk, microscale seismic analysis, re-entry protocol, and seismic array design. Several practical exercises will be provided for each topic. Details of each topic are as follows:
Session 1: Fundamentals of Seismic Monitoring in Mines:
– mXrap Software installation
– Seismic Event (definition, time, location etc.)
– Seismic Energy
– Seismic Moment
– Energy-Moment Relationship
– Corner Frequency
– Static Stress Drop
– How seismic source parameters are derived?
– Q/A
Session 2: Macroscale Seismic Analysis (Including Grid Based Analysis):
– Seismic Event Quality (How to filter seismic events?)
– How to use seismic events in Numerical Modelling?
– Magnitude-Time History
– Frequency-Magnitude
– Apparent Stress Time History
– Energy Index (EI) and Cumulative Apparent Volume (CAV)
– Es/Ep (Does it mean anything?)
– Q/A
Session 3: Seismic Risk (Rockburst Damage Potential):
– Seismic Hazard
– PPV Calculation
– How to use seismic hazard in Numerical Modelling?
– Q/A
Session 4: Microscale Seismic Analysis:
– Failure Mechanism
– Fault Plane Solution
– Seismic Moment Tensor Inversion (SMTI)
– Seismic Stress Inversion (SSI)
– How to use Seismic Stress Inversion in Numerical Modelling?
– Q/A
Session 5: Re-entry Protocol:
– Exclusion Zone
– Omori Decay
– Seismic work and seismic work rate
– Q/A
Session 6: Array Design:
– Sensors (different types, sensor limitation)
– Q/A
Several case studies of underground mines will be provided during the course to show the application of these analyses in a decision-making process for a safer mining operation.
*The drivers for mXrap installation will be provided to the attendees 1 week before the workshop.
Participants are required to bring their own laptop with the admin rights.
Short Course Objectives:
This short course is designed to provide essential seismic knowledge and hands-on experience of mXrap software to conduct seismic analysis to mitigate associated risks in underground mines. Participants will interactively analyze seismic data and will gain an understanding of the latest techniques and how to apply them efficiently and effectively to meet the operations objectives.
Target Audience:
Ground Control Engineers/Technicians, Mining Engineers, Mine Managers, Mine Geologists and mXrap users.
About the instructors:
Yousef Abolfazlzadeh is a rock mechanics engineer with substantial professional and academic experience in analysis and interpretation of mining induced seismicity. Yousef holds a PhD in Mining engineering from Queen’s University and a master’s from Laurentian University, Canada. Yousef joined Mining One as a senior geotechnical engineer in 2021. In his previous jobs, he was involved in various aspects of ground control engineering, seismicity and rock mechanics and worked with geotechnical data from some of the deepest hard rock underground mines in the world.
Amir Rostami is an adaptable and diligent Geotechnical specialist with over 9 years of experience. Amir is skilled in mine stability evaluation with strong knowledge in rock mechanics, seismicity and geostatistics. He is experienced in the practical application of seismic analysis with mXrap and numerical modelling software packages. Amir holds a Master of Mining Engineering from Queen’s University, Canada.
The Benefits of Integrating Pitwall Design into Strategic Mine Planning and Employing Geotechnically Optimal Pitwall Profiles. Demonstration Through Case Studies of Four Open Pit Mines
Facilitators: Stefano Utili, Professor of Geotechnical Engineering, Newcastle University & Nelson Morales, Polytechnique Montreal University
In open pit mining there is a clear trend of excavating mines of increasing depths, from less than 50 m deep in the 1920s to more than 1 km in recent years. Owing to the increased efficiency of mining equipment and improved exploration techniques and technology, the orebodies left to be exploited reach depths of even 2,000 km from the ground surface. The deeper a mine is, the higher the effect of pitwall steepness on the amount of waste rock excavated and, therefore, mine profitability. Hence, designing pit walls to be safe and at the same time as steep as feasible has never been more important. The steepness of mine pitwalls affects significantly not only mine profitability but also carbon footprint since mining operations are the primary responsible for carbon emissions.
Traditionally the design of pitwall inclinations is carried out by geotechnical teams with little interaction with mining engineers. Usually, the geotechnical engineer establishes the maximum inclination of any pitwall to be excavated within the various geotechnical domains of the mine. The design is performed following a prescribed Factor of Safety (FoS) chosen based on the risk profile of the mining company. Then, the mining engineer, using various software packages (e.g. Datamine Studio NPVS, Geovia Whittle, Hexagon MinePlan, Maptek, etc.), computes pushbacks and the ultimate pit limit by performing a strategic pit optimisation with the maximum acceptable pitwall inclination acting as a constraint. No further interaction occurs until the geotechnical team is asked to verify the stability of the final pitwalls produced by the pit optimisation software. However, it is well known that the maximum inclination of a slope is a function not only of the prescribed FoS but also of slope height as well. Therefore, imposing a pitwall maximum inclination irrespective of the pitshell depth implies that the current design methodology gives rise to suboptimal designs where often the pitwall inclination is either less (design overly conservative) or more (a below target FoS is adopted) steep of what could be.
To overcome the current limitations, participants will be introduced to a design methodology where pitwall inclinations are selected accounting for the pit depth and integrated into the strategic mine design (Utili et al., 2022). This methodology is made possible by iterating between pit optimiser and geotechnical pitwall design (Figure 1). The improvements in financial returns that can be gained by adopting the proposed methodology will be showcased for two case studies of real gold and copper mines. Also, in the current design practice, pit wall profiles are often designed to be planar in cross-section, especially within each rock layer with constant over depth inter-ramp angle. A new slope design software, OptimalSlope[1], can determine geotechnically optimal pitwall profiles of depth varying inclination for the design of each sector of the mine. OptimalSlope seeks the solution of a mathematical optimisation problem where the overall steepness of the pitwall, from crest to toe, is maximised for an assigned lithology, rock properties, and FoS. The adoption of overall steeper profiles thanks to OptimalSlope leads to a further reduction in the amount of waste rock and, consequently, the stripping ratio. For each mine case study, both financial gains (in terms of NPV) and environmental gains (measuring the reduction in carbon footprint and energy consumption) are assessed.
Recently OptimalSlope has been extended to anisotropic rock masses featured by several joint sets and beddings (Agosti, Cylwik, Utili 2022b). Participants will be introduced to the recently presented Cylwik’s method to estimate anisotropic equivalent cohesion (c) and internal friction (?) parameters for a jointed rock-mass from information on joint orientation and persistence for all the 2D cross sections of the pit relevant for design purposes (Cylwik, 2021). These direction dependent c and ? equivalent parameters – in terms of dip of the failure surface versus c and dip of the failure surface versus ? functions – can be input into OptimalSlope to obtain the optimal pitwall profile. A dataset of joints in a Cretaceous aged siltstone with 8 different joint sets and one main bedding where an open pit is to be excavated will be illustrated as a case study.
Short Course Objectives:
Introduce participants to: – the key principles of optimal geotechnical design of pitwalls – design of open pit mines based on early integration of geotechnical constraints into the mine design process and NPV gains to be obtained – how to maximise NPV and reduce carbon footprint iterating between pitwall design and strategic pit optimisation – use of software for automatic design of optimal pitwalls.
Target Audience:
Mining engineers, geotechnical engineers and mine design professionals.
About the Instructors:
Prof. Stefano Utili, OptimalSlope Ltd and Newcastle University, UK: Stefano is Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at Newcastle University (UK) and founder of OptimalSlope Ltd (https://optimalslope.com/). He is Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineering. Prof Utili is member of the International Technical Committee 208 “Slope stability in engineering practice” and has published extensively on the assessment of slope stability and the design of mine pitwalls.
Prof. Nelson Morales, Polytechnique Montreal University: Nelson is a Chilean mathematical Engineer with a PhD in computer science. Since 2007, he has worked in the application of mathematics to mining, with emphasis in the modeling of mining operations and the development of decision-making tools for miners. From 2007 to 2009, Prof. Morales worked at the Institute of Innovation in Mining and Metallurgy of CODELCO Chile. During the period 2009-2021, Prof. Nelson Morales led the mine planning area at University of Chile, by lecturing the mine planning courses, directing the DELPHOS Mine Planning Laboratory, performing applied research, devising and executing research and innovation projects, and developing software for mine planning.
Coaching Skills Program for Students and Young Leaders in the Mining Industry
Facilitator: Elie Abou-Jaoude, Researcher & Community Coach
From the exploration stage to mine closure, mining promoters must build and maintain trust with local people and communities and minimize the social and environmental impact of mine activities on their land. Taking a role in a mining project requires working with a diversity of stakeholders, each with unique sets of values, worldviews, and needs. Public participation is critical in order to gain social acceptability for mining projects, and there’s a current shift in industries towards a discourse of empowerment (IAP2, 2022). Empowerment means “placing the final decision into the hand of the public”, and in mining, it’s a collaborative partnership that integrates the stakeholders’ and local people’s needs and visions of development. Young leaders in the mining industry, particularly in engineering, are well taught the technical skills and knowledge to design solutions for ecological and social challenges in mining. Coaching skills can complement professionals’ technical background by strengthening the ability to actively listen, deepen awareness, ask powerful reflective questions, and design actions (ICF, 2022), with a culturally-sensitive and empathic approach. This course will teach the essential coaching competencies to have as a leader in the mining industry and will also encourage participants to introspect on their own path and career goals. Finally, concepts such as empathy, vulnerability, and emotional intelligence will be covered as the basic human skills to building and maintaining trust in the mining industry.
Short Course Objectives:
Participants will learn valuable coaching skills to communicate effectively in a work environment and achieve goals collaboratively with others. – Participants will learn how to introspect inwardly and manage their emotions mindfully when working professionally in a team or mediating a conflictual situation. – Participants will learn a humanistic and empowering approach to mining that requires skills such as empathy, vulnerability, and systems thinking. – Participants will earn a greater sense of confidence in their role as change-makers and transformational leaders in the mining industry.
Target Audience:
Students and Young Leaders in Mining
About the instructor:
Elie is a community coach, a facilitator, conference speaker, and researcher in the mining industry specializing in social responsibility, sustainability, and community empowerment in mining. He uses his background in mining engineering and coaching to develop experiential learning programs and workshops for young leaders and students on personal development and sustainability and has been teaching his programs to over hundreds of students internationally, in various institutions including McGill University. He has been presenting at CIM and other conventions since 2015 on the topics of human reliability, eco-social sustainability, and transformational leadership. Elie has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Science in completion from the Mining and Materials Engineering department at McGill University. He holds ACC credentials in professional coaching and has also obtained a graduate certification in Responsible Mining.
Data Science for Mining Professionals
Facilitator: Yuksel Asli Sari, Queen’s University
This course presents an overview of the key elements of data science for engineers. The course will start by explaining the introductory data science principles and why it is needed in the mining industry. The big picture of data science, machine learning and how they fit into various mining applications will be elaborated to demonstrate the potential of these relatively newer approaches in current operations. The topics to be covered include preprocessing techniques, feature selection, exploratory data analysis and visualization, overall categories of machine learning techniques and how to choose an adequate approach given a dataset and a specific problem, and introduction to some useful, versatile machine learning approaches. There will also be an emphasis on the interpretation of the results. This will be followed by a demonstration of case studies where data science and machine learning principles are used on real datasets for prediction and analysis.
Short Course Objectives:
– Demonstrate the potential of data science and machine learning techniques for mining operational decisions
– Give an overview of the data science processes
– Inform the attendees on the necessary treatment of the data before the analysis.
– Introduce non-complex but versatile machine learning approaches that can be used by attendees later with their own data later.
– Present case studies to provide some example usages.
Target Audience:
Professionals interested in learning about data science and its application in the mining industry. The people who would benefit the most from this course would be mining, mineral processing and other engineers who work in mining operations, as well as managers who want to use their data for making important decisions.
About the instructor:
Yuksel Asli Sari, P.Eng. is an Assistant Professor at the Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. She received BSc, MEng and PhD degrees from McGill University. With her background in computer science, she focuses on computer applications in the mining industry. She has developed tools for open pit mine planning (finding pit limits, block extraction sequencing and block routing) and stope optimization (stope layout planning, stope sequencing). Also, she has designed mathematical models for dig-limit optimization, open pit mine planning with landfilling option and to determine the stope limits. She has worked on developing machine learning approaches to dynamic haul truck dispatching, pillar stability in cave mining, predictive maintenance scheduling and decarbonizing grinding circuits. She has taught the courses “Applied Data Science”, “Applied Machine Learning” and “Introduction to Programming for Engineers” to students from mining engineering and other engineering backgrounds. Her research interests include short term and long term underground and surface mine planning, data analytics and machine learning applications in mine optimization and mine automation.
How to Design, Implement, and Sustain an MOS – Management Operating System (Mining Ops / Maintenance)
Facilitator: David Truchot, President, Veltiosis Consulting LLC
Management Operating Systems (or MOS) are not well understood, and this course aims to share our expertise and some of the key tools to start identifying gaps and missing links that slow your organization’ successes and launch sustainable correction action plans. We will review with you best practices that are in use in the pits or in maintenance workshops and share some of this insider knowledge so you can start optimizing your operations.
Some of the key tools we will review are: Leader Standard Work, Short Interval Controls, DWOR (Daily Weekly Operating Reports), Skills Flex Matrices, Variance Reports, Robust Action Logs, and Root Cause Corrective Action tools & processes (RCCA).
We will provide you with a critical approach and a proven suite of tools that are used underground, in daily production meetings, at dispatch, or in maintenance workshops, day in / day out. We will also share with you some of the pitfalls and strategies to ensure your changes are sustainable.
The course materials are based on years of analysis, design and sustainable implementation of robust Management Operating Systems at various production facilities or maintenance organizations in many industries across the world (Mining, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Pulp & Paper and Aerospace).
Short Course objectives
– Learn what are the key components of a Management Operating System
– Use tools right away to identify key gaps in your organization
– Review 7 practical tools that are used in operations / maintenance
– Identify the limits of IT Systems over behaviors
– Understand the 3 components of change (process/system/behavior)
– Learn how to make change sustainable (understand why change fails)
– Prevent Recurring Issues & Control Costs
Target audience:
Mine Managers, Plant Managers, Operations Managers, Supervisors, Continuous Improvement Managers, Maintenance Managers, Maintenance Superintendents, Drilling Contractors, Mining Contractors, Ramping Up Mine Managers, Open Pit / Underground Mining Operations & Maintenance Management
About the Instructor:
David Truchot has been in consulting for more than 20 years; he has delivered sustainable management operating systems at more than 30 mines and manufacturing plants worldwide. His specialty is in designing sustainable tools and implementing change that are simple but that yield sustainable operational results, in the field, with your teams. He holds a Six Sigma Green Belt and speaks French, English and Spanish.
Making Your Next Project a Success: Combining the Best Principles of Operational Readiness & Asset Optimization for Massive Results
Facilitators: Joffrey Bouchard-Gorin & Eric Delorme, Ausenco
All successful projects start with a plan, and this course will introduce the key concepts required to prepare a successful Operational Readiness and Asset Optimization plan and explain the standard process that is required before any work can be started, as well as describe the importance of setting the proper goals and milestones along the way.
A day in the life of an OR Manager, surviving your first 30 days.
– Putting together a team.
– Identifying the key systems that need to be in place.
– Setting priorities, milestones, and critical tasks.
– Bringing down those proverbial walls and bridging the gap with the project team.
The infamous OR Plan, which format is right for your team, project size and overall timeline?
– What should be included in the OR plan?
– Who should participate in its development and review?
– How long should it take to develop?
– Congratulations the OR plan is now completed, now what?
How do I effectively setup a project controls tracking, reporting, and monitoring systems?
– How do I monitor the progress of OR?
– What are the most important KPIs and how do I communicate them to the OR team?
– How to master stakeholder management in large and small teams? it’s easier than you think!
– How do I set up my dashboards and monitor my progress?
– Should we create a dedicated OR schedule, and should it be separated from the project schedule?
How can OR position itself during the Commissioning, Start-up, Ramp-up phases?
– When and how should we outline the roles and responsibilities?
– How to survive a rocking ship (contract disputes, change orders and disagreements).
– Who is responsible for the document handover and how can OR help facilitate this step?
– How to conduct joint walkdowns and deficiencies reviews.
Asset Management Post OR:
– How to make sure the new processes, systems, data and tools are used the right way
– How to make sure people are complying and delivering their expected roles and responsibilities
– How to make sure the maintenance tactics are performed correctly
– How to make sure you collect the right history and you get the reports and KPI’s generating correctly
– How to make sure there is a continuous improvement process in place
What other aspects should be considered when optimizing my asset?
– Asset Management Framework
– Asset Management business processes
– Asset Management training & coaching
– RAM Analysis
– Asset criticality
– CMMS and add-ons Selection, procurement & implementation
– Reporting tools and asset management KPI’s tools
– Budget & accounting structure definition
– CMMS configuration
– Asset information (Specs & Manuals)
– Asset Bills of Materials and Spares identification
– Asset planned shutdown strategies
– Asset maintenance tactics development
– Spares min/max and ordering
– CMMS data upload
– Budget Forecasting
– Sustaining asset management audit program
Short Course Objectives:
At the end of this course the audience should be able to:
– Understand the roles and responsibilities of the OR Manager and be available to assist if asked to step into this role or support this role as required.
– Understand the process and the content of what goes into a successful Operational Readiness and Asset Optimization plan and be familiar with the main process, concepts and KPIs.
– Understand and communicate the main conceptual elements relating to project management and how it ties into operational readiness and asset optimization.
– Familiarization with project controls, project commissioning and turnover packaging.
Target Audience:
VPs, Project Directors, Directors, Consultants, Managers, Project Managers, Mine Managers
About the instructors:
Joffrey Bouchard-Gorin, Senior Operational Readiness Consultant at Ausenco: Joffrey is a bilingual senior OR consultant cumulating more than 10 years of professional experience in the Mining/Metallurgy industry, including 3 years at the supervision/management level. He has a successful track record of delivering quality work in multidisciplinary engagements, with experience working in high pressure, and deliverable oriented environments.
Eric Delorme, ing. MBA, Asset Optimization Director at Ausenco: Eric holds about 10 years of experience in maintenance and operations, 4 years in engineering consulting and 17 years in Asset Management consulting. Over his career, Eric has worked with companies in primary and secondary aluminum production, mining, metals, pulp and paper, manufacturing, airports, food processing and construction. He still provides service in the Maintenance Readiness and Asset Optimization areas.
Explosive-Free Method using Soundless Chemical Demolition Agents
Facilitators: Hani Mitri, Kelly Habib, Tuo Chen, Yizhuo Li, Elif Yapici Tanyeri, Kenneth Adams, Mine Design & Numerical Modelling Lab, University of McGill
This workshop will present the results of a 4-year project sponsored by Natural Resources Canada, Newmont Corporation, and Ministry of Economics and Innovation of Quebec. This multi-phase project aims at developing an explosive-free method for hard rock breakage using soundless chemical demolition agents (SCDA) or expansive cement. The workshop will begin with an overview of different explosive-free methods while highlighting the merits of SCDA for potential application in underground construction. Phase 1 is concerned with small-scale laboratory tests for SCDA pressure estimation and performance evaluation in various host conditions from steel cylinder to hard rock under uniaxial loading and varying ambient temperatures. The effect of subzero temperature on the SCDA performance is examined on granite cubes. Phase 2 encompasses large-scale tests of 1 m x 1 m panels from concrete and granite. These were carried out to examine the SCDA performance for rock fragmentation under high biaxial confinement. Numerical modeling used to design SCDA fragmentation patterns is explained. In Phase 3, which focuses on field work, a simple and practical method is developed to estimate mining-induced face stresses using rock core deformation analysis. This was used to help design SCDA borehole pattern at a mining face. The rock tensile strength, being a key parameter in fragmentation, is quantified with a new direct tension test apparatus. Field tests took place at two underground mines Hoyle Pond and Éléonore of Newmont. They included boulder fragmentation, slashing of intersections, and drift face advance. Future research/technology directions are discussed.
Short Course Objectives:
– Transfer knowledge and experience gained from a 4-year research/technology project to mining professionals, academia, and entrepreneurs
– Promote awareness of the potential use of expansive cements for hard rock breakage in underground mines as environmentally friendly explosive-free tool
– Seek the formation of an interest group for future meetings at CIM conventions
Target Audience:
Mine operators, mining contractors and researchers.
About the instructors:
Hani Mitri is Professor of Mining Engineering at McGill University and founder of McGill’s Mine Laboratory. His teaching and research relate to rock engineering, ground control, and mine design. He published more than 250 papers and supervised to completion more than 60 Master’s and PhD students. He is a registered professional engineer in Canada and a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM).
Kelly Habib has recently completed her Ph.D in Mining Engineering at McGill University in December 2022. She holds a BSc. in Chemistry from University of Ottawa, and M.Sc. in Mining Engineering from McGill University. Her graduate studies mainly revolved on the development of SCDA for rock breakage in underground mines.
Tuo Chen is a third-year Ph.D. student in mining engineering at the McGill University, Canada. He is a research assistant in McGill Mine Design Laboratory, and also a teaching assistant on rock mechanics course on campus. His main research interests are in reducing environmental impacts from mining procedure and improving the ground reliability and rockburst risks of underground mines.
Yizhuo Li is Ph.D. candidate of Mining Engineering at McGill University. She holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Western University, and M.Sc. in Mining Engineering from McGill University. She is currently working on the stress measurement for the underground mining in both numerical and practical approaches.
Elif Yapici Tanyeri is a 2nd year master’s student at Mine Design Lab in Mining Engineering Department of McGill University. She works as a teaching assistant in the department and has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree prior to her current studies. Her research project is related to the applications of Soundless Chemical Agents to rock breakage under cold ambient temperatures.
Kenneth Adams is a master’s student in Mining Engineering at McGill University. He has a decade of underground mining experience in the extractive industry. His research interests relate to rock mechanics and numerical modeling, and he is currently developing a novel testing system that will employ the use of a Soundless Chemical Demolition Agent (SCDA) to measure the tensile strength of hard rocks.
Fundamentals and Applications of Slurry Pipeline Flows
Facilitators: Ryan Spelay & Reza Hashemi, Saskatchewan Research Council, Pipe Flow Technology Centre
Introduction:
Slurry pipeline transportation is an area that has wide reaching applications in the mining and mineral processing industry. Managers and engineers in all aspects of the process can be involved with slurry pipeline design, operation or troubleshooting. The course will cover a broad range of topics. Starting with a uniform technical language and approach to slurry flow analysis, participants will learn about the principles governing the pipe flow of slurries and will be introduced to appropriate scale-up methods for the design of fine-particle (homogeneous) and coarse-particle (settling) slurry pipelines. Methodologies to deal with the unique challenges of clays and fine particles in tailings will be provided. This course is designed to offer a comprehensive overview of the key considerations for, and unique challenges encountered in the design, implementation and operation of slurry pipeline systems.
Description:
Slurry pipeline transportation is a field that is not adequately covered in undergraduate engineering courses. Consequently, engineers are generally ill-equipped when faced with the task of designing a slurry transportation system or troubleshooting an existing installation while managers are often not aware of the important parameters that need to be considered. This has both technical and environmental implications. The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) has conducted hundreds of slurry pipeline R&D programs in the last 60 years which has led to the development of predictive models applicable to the pipeline flow of settling and non-settling slurries. This course focuses on teaching the fundamental concepts of slurry classification and applying the basic principles of slurry pipeline flows to actual design situations. This course will provide an excellent opportunity for people involved in slurry transportation to meet in an informal environment, to share experiences and to foster a uniform technical language and approach for slurry flow analysis.
Course Delivery Strategy:
The course is ½ day (4 hours) in duration. It is divided into 4 x 1 hr sessions. Each session will consist of 30-45 minutes of lecture (via power point slides) followed by a 15-minute Q &A session. Breaks will be included between sessions where appropriate. Practical examples and case studies will be used to break up the presentations to drive home the key learnings. The content and concepts are high level and not overly technical. It will be presented in a straightforward and logical manner with increasing complexity throughout the course.
Short Course Objectives:
The key learnings of the course will be:
1. Slurry background and classification.
2. Slurry behaviour: Newtonian and non-Newtonian rheology.
3. Key parameters in slurry pipeline design: friction losses and minimum operating velocity.
4. Introduction to the SRC Pipe Flow Models for slurry pipe flow calculations.
5. Slurry pipeline instrumentation, practical examples and case studies to illustrate key concepts.
Target Audience:
All professionals, managers and decision makers involved in solids handling and slurry transport in the mining, mineral processing, chemical, industrial and engineering fields. Previous SRC courses have been attended by process engineers, equipment reliability and maintenance engineers, mining engineers, metallurgists, consulting engineers and equipment suppliers. An engineering background is recommended but not required. Experience working with mining and/or mineral processing slurry pipelines is an asset.
About the instructors:
Dr. Ryan Spelay, Principal Research Engineer, has 20 years of experience in slurry pipeline fluid mechanics and associated industrial operations. Dr. Spelay has extensive experience in multiphase mixtures, slurry pipeline transport and tailings operations studies as well as slurry flow modelling for the mining industry. Dr. Spelay is a lead developer of SRC’s pipe flow models and an instructor of SRC’s Slurry Pipeline Systems courses.
Dr. Reza Hashemi, Manager and Research Engineer, has 15 years of experience in slurry pipeline fluid mechanics, advanced measurements and associated industrial operations. Dr. Hashemi has extensive experience in slurry pipeline transport studies as well as slurry flow modelling for the mining industry.
Maintaining Chemical Stability within Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF) – What do we need to consider in the context of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management?
Facilitators: Sarah Barabash, Daniel Skruch, Derek Amores & Matt Neuner, Ecometrix Incorporated
The Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management requires that the design and management of tailings storage facilities (TSF) be founded on the basis of physical stability to ensure that catastrophic failure is avoided during operations and into perpetuity after closure. Geochemical and resulting water quality risks are also recognized as potential failure modes for TSFs and need to be addressed by the engineer of record (EOR) and others responsible for tailings management. Management strategies for TSFs can be confounded by the apparent juxtaposition of the geotechnical and geochemical properties of tailings in terms of overall reduction in failure modes. This short course is intended to provide environmental site managers, tailings managers, practitioners and engineers of record (EOR) a basic understanding of chemical stability considerations in tailings storage facilities (TSF), potential geochemical failure modes, and strategies to promote chemical stability while maintaining compatibility with the designs for physical stability.
Case studies and visual tools, as well as dynamic modelling scenarios will challenge participants to consider water quality risks, water management, construction approach, environmental impacts and de-risking of potential long-term liabilities. Key examples of tailings management and geochemical risks and mitigations will be provided over the life of mine from feasibility through to Closure, drawing from our industry partners and experience.
Short Course Objectives:
This short course is intended to provide environmental site managers, tailings managers, practitioners and engineers of record (EOR) a basic understanding of chemical stability considerations in tailings storage facilities (TSF), potential geochemical failure modes, and strategies to promote chemical stability while maintaining compatibility with the designs for physical stability.
Target Audience:
Environmental site managers, tailings managers, practitioners and engineers of record (EOR).
About the instructors:
Sarah J. Barabash, Ph.D. Director of Mining Services Senior Environmental Scientist Dr. Sarah Barabash is a Senior Environmental Scientist with Ecometrix with over 14 years of combined experience in research and consulting related to geochemistry, hydrogeology, mine waste management, water quality and environmental assessments. Since completing her Ph.D., she has worked as a consultant and research scientist and has been a principal investigator for a wide variety of environmental investigations, including mine waste and water quality assessments for proposed mine projects, detailed studies at operating and closed mines, and modelling of contaminant migration in surface and groundwaters. Sarah’s particular expertise is the planning and implementation of waste management programs, geochemical assessment and environmental monitoring studies. Sarah also works extensively with the mining sector on environmental assessment and permitting, as well as in the development and implementation of mine closure plans, and remediation and rehabilitation strategies.
Matt Neuner, M. Sc. Senior Hydrogeochemist Mr. Neuner is a senior hydrogeochemist with over 15 years of experience in environmental consulting. Mr. Neuner’s expertise is in developing geochemical and hydrogeological conceptual models, managing collection of reliable field measurements, and modelling geochemical processes as part of assessments of potential environmental effects of developments. His work often involves applying research or innovative methods to environmental consulting. He has designed field experiments of waste rock and tailings at various mine sites, stemming from his experience instrumenting waste rock test piles and lysimeters at the Diavik Diamond Mine. A current focus is on developing robust water quality source terms for mine waste facilities by using reactive transport modelling. He led an assessment and mitigation of gases around a new subway tunnel in Los Angeles and has supported engineers on related issues for tunnels in Canada and Australia. While contributing on various aspects of geochemical assessments of oil sands tailings, he has led numerous investigations of gas generated by biodegradation of hydrocarbons in these facilities. Mr. Neuner also has expertise in assessment and mitigation of leaking oil and gas wells, characterization of hydrogeology and geochemistry in aquifers underlying the Athabasca oil sands, investigations of groundwater systems in permafrost regions and mountainous regions, and assessing deep saline aquifers. His technical skill set includes geochemical modelling, custom instrumentation in field experiments, unsaturated flow, isotopic studies, dissolved gas assessment, and hydraulic testing and analyses.
Daniel Skruch, M.Eng. Senior Environmental Scientist Mr. Skruch is an Environmental Scientist at Ecometrix with over 10 years of experience related to mine waste geochemistry, mine waste and water quality assessment, management and modelling. Mr. Skruch’s role in these projects has included field and bench-scale investigations, data analysis and interpretation as well as hydrogeologic and geochemical assessments, model development and implementation. Mr. Skruch has been involved in the assessment of contaminant fate and transport, in the development of groundwater monitoring programs, and in the development of loadings models for the prediction of acid mine drainage and water quality effects at mine sites. Many of these projects have included significant data aggregation, analysis, and interpretation components to support predictions of future behaviour and mitigation of water quality effects.
Derek Amores, Ph.D. Senior Environmental Scientist Derek Amores has over 15 years of combined research and consulting experience in the field of Environmental Geochemistry. He has been involved in a number of geochemical investigations of water and sediments, and in mine waste assessments for several phases of mine development for clients in North America, South America and Asia. He has a solid background in geology and has specialized in contaminant assessments, particularly metals, in a multitude of environments including lakes, rivers and in engineered systems such as mine sites and urban soils and waterways. He has extensive experience in laboratory experimentation, field sampling design, data analysis and synthesis, and geochemical modelling applied to the assessment of mine water quality. Through the years, Derek has been involved in innovative applied research projects that are relevant to the industry, particularly the role of microorganisms in constituent remobilization and attenuation in mining environments and in the oil and gas sector. He has vast experience in the development and optimization of sediment/soil sequential extraction procedures applied to mine waste and other geomedia. He has special expertise in the assessment and modelling of acid generating tailings.
If you have any qustions, please email Guylaine Richard, Professional Development Officer: grichard@cim.org or professionaldevelopment@cim.org
