With new economic growth and prosperity in developing economies like Brazil, Russia, India and China, millions of new consumers are demanding improvements in standards of living. More natural resources are required to sustain modern lives: access to reliable electrical power, more cell phones and computers, and more raw materials for construction.

To meet these needs, the global mining industry is again on the rise.

Tetra Tech and its subsidiary companies have been serving the mining and minerals industry since the 1960s. We understand the many challenges inherent in the life cycle of a mine, and we have the resources and the global presence to complete today's most demanding projects.

Focus on Mining Customers

In the aggressive consulting marketplace, Tetra Tech’s mining practice has clearly outlined its plan to differentiate itself in the marketplace. What sets Tetra Tech apart is our customer focus…we work with them, not just for them!

More than just an engineering house, Tetra Tech’s “start with science” methodology allows us to tailor solutions to a customer’s need. This customized approach informs project planning throughout the life cycle, making the project much more likely to be built, more productive, and easier to maintain over the life of the mine.

A Full Range of Services

Tetra Tech offers a full range of services from resource/reserve estimates through to engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) development, operations, and closure. Because we build mines, we bring the “how to” to the very early stages of projects. In all those cases and more—from pick to pit to port—Tetra Tech can provide clear solutions to the mining industry’s needs.

Today’s mining projects are very focused on conserving critical resources like water and energy, managing and mitigating environmental impacts, and providing socially responsible economic development. Tetra Tech is uniquely positioned to apply our skills in water management, energy, and infrastructure to mining projects in any global location.

Program Management, EPCM, and Circumpolar Regions: Building on our Mining Foundations

New firms joining Tetra Tech in 2010 and 2011 brought additional capabilities and experience critical to our mining practice.

Tetra Tech is now helping our clients perform in the coldest and remote mining locations in the circumpolar region, providing innovative yet practical engineering and environmental design solutions in ice-rich soil and rock (permafrost). Tetra Tech brought new plant engineering and capital program management expertise for mining and other heavy industry. Tetra Tech can now offer full engineering, procurement, construction management (EPCM) and support services to start up, renovate, or upgrade mining facilities around the world.

• Read the July 2011 announcement about Proteus EPCM Engineers of Perth, Australia
• Read the August 2011 announcement about Metalica Consultores of Santiago, Chile
• Read the May 2012 announcement about CRA Engenharia Ltda. of Belo Horizonte, Brazil

These new additions joined other veteran mining service providers like Wardrop Engineering and Ardaman & Associates as part of Tetra Tech’s global mining and minerals practice.  Tetra Tech Wardrop’s worldwide experience includes a broad range of due diligence, scoping, and feasibility studies; to sustainable capital projects at mine sites; to building new mines. Ardaman offers expertise in phosphogypsum disposal, contamination remediation, and sinkhole investigation. Taken all together with Tetra Tech’s tailings management, geotechnical, and environmental permitting experience, the company can offer assistance at any stage of a mine and for most commodities and industrial minerals.

Addressing Key Operating Constraints of Water and Energy

Tetra Tech is uniquely equipped to help global mining companies address two significant operating constraints: access to water and access to power supply.

Adequate water supplies, water use optimization, and downstream water discharge are all issues of vital importance to the mining industry. The availability of local water supply is often a key part of the development decision, and the impact of ore processing activities on water quality is carefully considered in the design process. With careful water management planning, Tetra Tech can help minimize impacts throughout the mine project life cycle, and ultimately lower mine closure costs.

Large volumes of wastewater are generated in the normal course of mine operations. A deep understanding of water chemistry is critical for selecting best treatment processes for a specific mine.  Increasingly, many mining companies are looking to explicitly define water treatment requirements upfront as part of the front-end permitting and planning process.

Tetra Tech has helped clients such as U.S. Steel, Barrick, Newmont, NovaGold, and Victoria Gold address unique chemical profiles and discharge requirements to remove potentially hazardous substances including sulfates, arsenic, antimony, and manganese.

As a leading provider of wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower energy solutions, Tetra Tech can help mining clients power their mine operations even in remote locations.

Tetra Tech is also well equipped to help mining clients address community needs and social programs related to mining projects. Our corporate social responsibility and community relations experts have helped outline potential economic opportunities—including direct and indirect local employment concerns that are particularly sensitive in remote locations where many new mines are situated.

Clear Solutions for Mining and Minerals

Tetra Tech’s strength and experience in mining projects comes from our people. Our global professionals have a deep understanding of the risks as well as the opportunities in a mine project. We understand the challenges our clients face—from harsh, remote environments, to rigorous regulatory and reporting requirements, to demands for improving performance and operational effectiveness.

To learn more about the clear solutions our people are providing for mining projects around the world, read our Mining and Minerals project profiles and visit our Mining and Minerals page.