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Home > Training > MWH Mining Short Courses > Lessons Learned and Closure Concepts

Lessons Learned and Closure Concepts

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Description:
This workshop will draw on lessons learned from completed mine closure projects to provide an overview of important closure concepts and considerations. Participants will learn about:

a) How to plan for and implement closure programs

b) Essentials – from a technical and a business perspective – for closing correctly

c) Socially sustainable mine closure

Objectives:

This workshop will provide an overview of the benefits of planning early for closure, setting closure goals, integrating the closure plan into the mine plan, assessing the levels of acceptable residual risk, and determining standards and criteria to satisfy regulatory requirements. In addition, stakeholder topics including socially sustainable mine closure will be covered.

Through the use of examples and case studies, participants will gain an understanding of what technical and social issues must be considered well before production ceases, critical design concepts for closure and how closure is implemented. Since water is often at the center of post-mining liabilities, many of the case studies will illustrate water-related topics. The workshop will draw heavily on lessons learned from mine closure projects in the US.

Participants should bring their mine closure issues / challenges for discussion. During the panel discussion at the end of the day we will choose one issue (more if time permits) with the objective of discussing and developing a strategy to address the issues.

Target audience:

This workshop is for mine operators, engineers and planners who:

  • Want to understand the current trends and best practices for mine closure.
  • Want to understand how to approach and structure a mine closure plan.
  • Have or anticipate having technical or social closure challenges at their site.
  • Want to plan and implement a socially sustainable mine closure
  • Want to optimize their current mine plan and closure strategy.
  • Are seeking to make best use of the remaining mine-life to limit their company’s liabilities.

About the facilitators:

Andrew Watson, P.E., Closure Practice Leader, MWH
Mr. Watson has 20 years of experience in the design and construction of infrastructure, dams, tailing storage, heap leach, waste containment facilities, and other civil works. He has worked on a variety of assignments in the U.S., South America and South Africa, performing engineering design, inspection, and project management functions. His experience includes leading mining projects from conception through construction, including the planning, engineering and implementation of mine closures. He seeks practical solutions to engineering challenges using risk-based decision-making and has been retained by mining companies to advise on life-of-mine planning, closure planning and estimation of post-closure liabilities. Mr. Watson has published and presented several papers on mine closure as well as water and waste management at mines.

Clint Strachan, P.E., Sr. Geotechnical Engineer, MWH
Mr. Strachan is a geotechnical engineer with over 30 years of experience in the design, permitting, construction and closure of mine facilities. He has engineered tailing impoundments, heap leach facilities, water storage dams, sedimentation dams, and storage ponds at mines around the world.

Much of his experience has been with mine facilities and tailings impoundment closure and reclamation, including planning for closure during operations, reclamation plan preparation and permitting, closure cost estimation, execution of actual closure, and monitoring of site performance after reclamation.

Susan Joyce, MSc., Principal and Co-founder, On Common Ground Consultants Inc.
Susan Joyce is a sociologist with 20 years of experience working on social aspects of the extractive industries. She is a leading specialist for socially sustainable resource development and is recognized for her expertise in human and indigenous rights. Susan’s work spans strategic assessment of relations between communities and development projects, strategic planning for CSR and human rights with a focus on leadership in areas of social performance, building long-term relationships and the creation of sustainable benefits for local communities. Susan works at corporate and project levels to support clients to transition from compliance to leadership and innovation in social performance.

Resa Furey, Market Analyst, MSc., MWH
Resa Furey specializes in market research and analysis, including research and trend analysis of the global mining and metal markets. Her analyses form the foundation for strategy development and business planning for MWH’s mining operations. Resa has a strong marketing background that includes media and community outreach experience in North and South America and Europe. She is involved in strategic initiatives from idea conception to completion, including MWH’s Alternative Tailing Disposal (ATD) and mine closure benchmarking programs. She has created multiple short-courses to showcase MWH’s technical leadership and has written and published articles on water and chemical mass balance, tailing deposition, alternative tailing disposal and mine water treatment.