Can you provide an overview of INTERA’s history and the services you offer?

INTERA is an employee-owned company of geoscientists and engineers with offices in the United States, France, Switzerland, and Australia, and active projects in 8 countries.  Our core values include safety, stewardship, integrity, and innovation. INTERA was founded in 1974, and one of our first projects involved development of a complex terrain model to demonstrate that emissions from smelter stacks at mine processing sites in the southwest US met the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s air quality standards. 

Our primary focus is assisting clients in addressing complex challenges related to characterizing and optimizing water resources, whether there’s too much, not enough, or the wrong type. We provide support to various industries including mining, water utilities, energy, semiconductor, brownfields, and government.  INTERA helps our mining clients to better understand the risks and opportunities associated with water throughout the mining life cycle by providing the tools and information to make well-informed decisions that reduce development and closure schedules, which reduces costs during the times mines are not profitable.  

Could you provide insights into your approach and how you assist mining projects across the mining life cycle?

INTERA has been advancing new approaches to better managing risks and decision-making by being straightforward about model predictions for water and solute transport and their uncertainties. These new approaches allow us to help our clients by estimating the uncertainty in the predictions as well as scientifically testing hypotheses about hydrogeological features, like faults or mine workings. These approaches can also estimate whether obtaining additional data will reduce the uncertainty in the predictions.  

We believe that proactive involvement from the outset is pivotal. By making investments in early-stage characterization and feasibility studies, we empower our clients to make informed decisions that significantly mitigate risks, reduce costs, and streamline project timelines across the entire mining life cycle.

What are some of the most significant challenges associated with water management in the mining industry?

One of the most significant challenges associated with water management is dealing with unexpected surprises. These surprises can have a considerable impact on project progress and a company's reputation. Surprises can occur during all stages of the mining life cycle. For example, discovering more water than initially anticipated at the project's start, discovering that dewatering operations are affecting a local water resource or slope stability, or discovering that proactive modeling and investigations could have helped to avoid a large, expensive groundwater remedy during closure. 

We help our clients avoid these surprises by providing comprehensive information and understanding at different project stages. This includes leveraging available data, even from exploration, for purposes beyond resource estimation, like baseline characterization, planning and optimization through the life of the project. Informed decision-making and effective communication with stakeholders, including the company, investors, neighbors, NGOs, and regulators, are crucial to avoiding surprises and reducing pain points across the board.

Given the complexity of regulatory frameworks in the mining industry, what advice do you offer to companies navigating these regulations?

Navigating the regulatory framework and permitting process for mines in the US can be challenging, particularly with the increasing demand for minerals and the requirement for responsible mining practices. To succeed, it is essential to start strong by assembling a multidisciplinary team of experts and investing in high-quality hydrogeological characterization and modeling upfront. This initial investment pays off by leading to optimizations during the operational stages, reducing project delays, reducing surprises, and minimizing the risk of regulatory backlash. 

Communication and transparency play a crucial role in the permitting process. Building strong relationships with regulators, the public, and local communities is vital. Demonstrating a commitment to responsible mining practices and showcasing a deep understanding of the site's environmental aspects, including water management, helps build trust and support among stakeholders. While the regulatory process can be lengthy, these strategies can help companies navigate it more effectively and establish a positive track record in responsible mining.

Can you explain the importance of mine closure plans and where you see opportunities for improvement in the industry?

Well-designed mine closure plans are key to responsible mining practices, and essential to securing funding, social license, and formulating long-term cost projections.  Mine closure plans also serve to reduce risk during operations and provide transparency when interfacing with stakeholders. Accurate baseline characterization is indispensable to sound closure planning. 
Legacy mines and cumbersome permitting processes in the US have dominated the mine closure narrative. Opportunities for improvement in closure planning and closure technologies lies in demonstrating, to the public and to regulatory agencies, successful mine closures, including the return of mined lands to their pre-mining use or other beneficial use.  

What trends do you see in mine closure?

Mining companies are trying to recover from the legacy of historical mining practices in the western US that have left scars on the landscape and risks to humans and the environment. Modern mining and the focus toward ESG includes a wider net of stakeholders, including locals that will be using the land and the resources beyond the life of the mine. Modern mining and technologies are moving toward natural landscapes, native vegetation, and returning the land to pre-mining conditions. These decisions and processes help reduce erosion and minimize remove the potential for lasting impacts on the environment. 

Could you highlight a specific project in the Western USA mining industry INTERA has worked on? 

INTERA has qualified persons in hydrogeology and geochemistry that lead characterization efforts for Technical Reports and Disclosures. We recently completed hydrogeologic characterization which included developing a groundwater model and a dewatering estimate for the initial assessment and preliminary economic assessment technical reports for a significant, undeveloped, underground copper project in AZ. The underground copper project in AZ is in an aquifer management area so the dewatering estimates for the mine will be critical for achieving permits as well as community acceptance. We are helping with several prefeasibility and feasibility studies for developing mines in the western US as well as hydrogeologic characterization for mines entering into the closure phase.