The mining industry has several challenges related to water. It is an intense consumer of water resources in its mining and mineral processing activities. At the same time it needs to operate without water in underground mines. In addition, it is increasingly necessary to minimize their environmental impacts, because of the rising standards and legislation, as well as the increasing corporate responsibility for sustainable development.
Water Services and Technologies specializes in water management for the mining industry. The complexities involved in sustainable water supply, mine dewatering, geotechnical, environmental impact assessment, and remediation of soils and groundwater require experienced professionals with specific knowledge and experience in multiple aspects of the mining industry and their needs involving water resources. Water Services Brasil’s engineers, hydrogeologists, geochemists and technicians use a combination of field methods, laboratory analysis and advanced interpretation and forecasting tools to solve a variety of challenges throughout all the stages in the life of the mine: prospection, exploration, development, exploitation and reclamation.
HYDROLOGY SERVICES/BASIC HYDROGEOLOGY
- Initial Hydrogeological Assessment
- Springs inventory
- Hydrogeochemical evaluation for aquifers characterization
- Classical hydrogeochemistry
- Isotopes
- Design of deep tubular wells
- Design of piezometers and monitoring wells
- Planning and execution of aquifer tests
- Planning and execution of well production trials
- Planning and execution of tests to determine the hydraulic conductivity
- Slug and Bail tests
- Infiltration tests
- Water pressure tests
- Hydrogeological monitoring
HYDROGEOLOGICAL SERVICES FOR MINING
- Water Resources Assessment
- Surface and underground water balance
- Design and Operation of Underground Water Leveling Systems
- Development of conceptual hydrogeological models
- Elaboration of numerical hydrogeological models
- VISUAL MODFLOW, FEFLOW
- Elaboration of CAPEX and OPEX for the retraction system over the life of the mine
- Evaluation of hydrogeological and hydrological impacts
- Hydrogeological Monitoring
- Elaboration of report for request of granting for lowering of the water level
- Analysis of geotechnical data with emphasis on hydrogeology and also geotechnics
- Statistical analysis of RQD and frequency of fractures
- Correlation of the Fracture Frequency with Hydraulic Conductivity values.
- Elaboration of three-dimensional models of RQD, Fracture Frequency and Hydraulic Conductivity.
- Design of tubular directional wells for mine dewatering and supply.
- Drilling of directional tubular wells.
- Acid mine drainage.
- Migration and destination of contaminated plumes.
- Studies of geochemical evolution.
- Simulation of reactive transport.
- Evaluation of viability of mineral extraction by in situ leaching.
- Evaluation of viability of mineral extraction by leaching by the heap leach technique.
DATA MANAGEMENT
- Data organization systems
- Integration of GIS with database
- Data collection tools
- Monitoring systems
- 3D visualization
- Interactive web mapping
- Evaluation and isotopic mapping
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
- Studies on aquifers storage and recovery
- Determination of aquifers vulnerability
- Determination of sustainable levels of water extraction
- Interaction between surface waters and groundwater
- Delimitation of well protection areas
- Hydrological studies to request granting for abstraction of surface water, groundwater and effluent discharge
- Optimization of capture systems
- Identification of interference between wells
- Elaboration of reports to obtain grant of use of surface and underground water
- Measurement of flow in pipes of water circuits
- Design and installation of fluviometric stations and spillways to monitor the level of water, volume and flow of water bodies
- Assessment of water balance and water availability in industrial units and mines
- Critical analysis of water and effluent quality data
- Surface and underground water availability studies
- Water balance of surface and groundwater
- Studies of heavy rains and maximum flows
- River drainage and urban drainage studies
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND RISK ASSESSMENT
- Interference in water resources
- 3D mapping and visualization studies
- Evaluation of natural attenuation
- Contaminated plumes characterization
- Studies on transport and direction of the plume
- Risk assessment for human health
REMEDIATION PROJECTS
- Contaminated area evaluation and characterization
- Implementation of all phases of the environmental scope: Preliminary investigations, confirmatory, detailed and complementary
- Soil and water sampling
- Critical analysis of analytical data
- Monitoring wells installation
- Assessment of risk to human health
- Mapping the distribution of contaminants
- Modeling of water flow and transport of contaminants
- Design and implementation of remediation
- Removal of contaminated waste in soils
- Post-remediation environmental monitoring
ADVANCED FLOW MODELING AND GROUNDWATER TRANSPORT
- Saltwater intrusion studies and control
- Hydrodynamic modeling of groundwater and surface water
- Migration of LNAPL/DNAPL
- Passive remediation evaluation
- Transport of multicomponent and/or dense compounds
MODEL REVIEW AND AUDIT
- Review during model development
- Conceptual model revision
- Modeling for technical expertise
- Revision of remediation system
- Simulation of alternative scenarios
GEOCHEMISTRY SERVICES/MINE DRAINAGE MANAGEMENT
- Hydrochemical monitoring plan development and execution
- Solids mineral characterization and geochemistry
- Evaluation of acid generation/neutralization potential in solids (static and kinetic tests)
- Geostatistical analysis and 3D geological modeling for the characterization of mine wates
- Geochemical modeling
- Design of water and effluent treatment systems
- Risk analysis
- Elaboration of mine closure strategies
