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Mining Water and Environment Solutions
MiningWater and Environment Solutions
The Company
BMT WBM Pty Ltd is a leading edge water and environmental consultancy with more than 40 years national and international experience assisting resource industry clients.
We employ approximately 185 staff, consisting of highly qualified engineers, ecologists, water quality scientists, field technicians and office personnel. Founded in Brisbane, Australia, BMT WBM has expanded to include offices across Australia, North America and the United Kingdom.
BMT WBM is part of the BMT Group of Companies. Formed in 1985, BMT is the largest independent maritime research and technology organisation in the world with over 30 offices over 5 continents. BMT provides services to industry, commerce, policy-makers, regulators and public sector operators in the fields of energy and environment, transport and defence on a global basis.
1900’s
BMT by the numbers
WBM started 1969
Modelling2&3D
BMT Companies21
BMT beginnings
early
Major mining clients across Australia and PNG
20+
BMT employees1200
40
BMT WBM offices
BMT WBM staff
11
185
Years of energy and resource industry projects
BMT WBM and Ports
BMT WBM has a long history of providing consultancy services to the mining sector and we work closely with our clients through all stages of a project to provide solutions to engineering and environmental challenges.
Engaging BMT WBM provides our clients access to:
• Our staff who are continually pioneering ways to do things better for our clients and our industry-leading work
• Our cross-disciplinary expertise allowing us to provide an integrated engineering and environmental solutions to our clients including field data collection
• Robust and defendable technical assessments using our in-house TUFLOW modelling packages and other state-of-the-art tools
• Our strong relationships with regulatory agencies and a proven track record with gaining approvals
• Our professional reporting, presentation and communication skills
BMT WBM in Mining
Our Capabilities
Environmental Assessments and ManagementOur key services include:
• Terrestrial vegetation and aquatic ecology baseline surveys and monitoring
• Rehabilitation monitoring and advice on habitat enhancement strategies
• Approvals documentation and management
• Environmental and Social Impact Statements and assessments
• Environmental audits and due diligence studies
• Environmental offset strategies and plans
Water Management Our key services include:
• Integrated water balance management studies
• Pit and lake water management strategies including rehabilitation
• Water efficiency audits and advice
• Flood hazard and risk assessments
• Coastal hazard and risk assessments (tsunami, storm tide, erosion)
• Incident investigation and reporting for spills, leaks and uncontrolled releases
Water Quality Modelling and MonitoringOur key services include:
• Hydrological and pollutant load modelling
• Receiving water environmental modelling (advection and dispersion)
• Sediment transport and siltation modelling
• Void lake water quality modelling
• Receiving environment monitoring program design and implementation, including real time data collection and database development
Our Experience
Client:
New Hope CoalProject Location:South East Queensland, Australia
New Hope Pit Dewatering and Receiving Environment Mine void dewatering was required to facilitate mine rehabilitation and operational works. Several options were considered for the dewatering and removal of void water, including on-site reuse, offsite reuse, discharge to Bremer River freshwater reaches and discharge to the Bremer River estuarine reaches. BMT WBM undertook a range of technical investigations to support amendments to the Environmental Authority to discharge mine void water into downstream environments.
Wafi Golpu Mine ESIAClient: Worley Parsons for Wafi Golpu Joint Venture Project Location: Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea
BMT WBM undertook sediment transport, water quality, flooding and aquatic ecological components of an environmental impact assessment for a new copper and gold mine in northern Papua New Guinea. The project involved field based data collection campaigns, development and implementation of catchment and hydrodynamic models, and impact assessment reporting.
Project Components and Outcomes:
• Catchment modelling to determine river flows and calculate dilution rates under different flow conditions
• Sampling and characterisation of pit water quality
• Development and implementation of a receiving environment monitoring program, including sampling of physio-chemical and biological indicators, and real-time monitoring of electrical conductivity in receiving environments
• Approval to release mine water into downstream environments
Project Components and Outcomes:• Baseline aquatic ecology, water quality,
sediment quality and aquatic biota tissue metal analyses and reporting
• Development of catchment and two-dimensional hydrodynamic/sediment transport models of the lower Watut River and catchment
• Assessment of the impact of flow modifications, water quality changes and fugitive sediment loading on downstream aquatic ecosystems
Blair Athol Final Landform Water StudyClient:Rio Tinto Coal AustraliaProject Location:Blair Athol, Queensland, AustraliaRio Tinto Coal Australia (RTCA) is undertaking closure planning for the mine site at Blair Athol, Central Queensland. Upon closure of the mine site, the final landform will likely contain at least one final void with a series of waterbody depressions scattered throughout the site (hereafter referred to as the ‘pit lake’).
The site has a large external catchment, but the majority of flows from this external catchment are redirected around the site by two perimeter diversions, which are likely to remain in place after the mine is decommissioned.
BMT WBM undertook a preliminary assessment of the water balance of the pit lake under two scenarios: (i) with the existing diversions in place; and (ii) with the diversions removed.
Sonoma Coal Mine Collinsville, River Re-alignmentClient:CQ Coal GroupProject LocationCollinsville Queensland, AustraliaThe Sonoma coal mine reserves extend under a major tributary of Bowen River / Pelican Creek, located in the northern Bowen Basin. BMT WBM was engaged to undertake technical studies to inform the feasibility of relocating this waterway to enable mining to proceed through this area.
Project Components and Outcomes:
• Flood impact assessment, natural channel design, advice on stream stabilisation works and water quality management
• We understand that works are approved, pending implementation
Project Components and Outcomes:
• Assessments of water quantity and quality using a combination of catchment and hydrodynamic models for the assessment
• Assessment of how the final landform would function using 50 years of historical climate data
• The results of the assessment were subsequently used in the appropriate management of the final landform
Poitrel and South Walker Creek Mines Sustainable Water Releases Client: BHP Mitsui Coal Pty Ltd (BMC)Project Location: Fitzroy River, Queensland, AustraliaUnprecedented rainfall plagued Queensland in the summer of 2011 such that large volumes of water accumulated in the majority of the open mine pits in the Fitzroy basin.
BMC engaged BMT WBM to undertake a study to subsidise amendments to its Environmental Authority (EA) to discharge mine-affected water releases from their operation at Poitrel and South Walker Creek (SWC) Mines.
Project Components and Outcomes:
• Identified the environmental values of waterways within the receiving environments of Poitrel and SWC Mines and determined the water quality objectives to protect or enhance those environmental values
• Defined background and reference water quality conditions within and adjacent to the study area
• Determined potential criteria that allowed Poitrel and SWC Mines to maximise their ability to discharge mine-affected water under differing flow regimes
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BMT WBM Brisbane Level 8200 Creek StreetBrisbane Queensland 4000PO Box 203 Spring Hill QLD 4004Tel +61 7 3831 6744Fax +61 7 3832 3627Email [email protected]
BMT WBM Denver Suite 1208200 S. Akron StreetCentennialDenver Colorado CO 80112United StatesTel (+1) 303 792 9814Fax (+1) 303 792 9742Email [email protected]
BMT WBM MelbourneLevel 599 King StreetMelbourne Victoria 3000PO Box 604 Collins Street West VIC 8007Tel +61 3 8620 6100Fax +61 3 8620 6105Email [email protected]
BMT WBM Newcastle 126 Belford StreetBroadmeadow New South Wales 2292PO Box 266 BroadmeadowNew South Wales 2292Tel +61 2 4940 8882Fax +61 2 4940 8887Email [email protected]
BMT WBM Northern RiversSuite 6 20 Byron Street Bangalow New South Wales 2479Tel +61 2 6687 0466Fax +61 2 6687 0422Email [email protected]
BMT WBM Perth Level 320 Parkland RoadOsborne Park WA 6017PO Box 1027 Innaloo WA 6018Tel +61 8 9328 2029Fax +61 8 9486 7588 Email [email protected]
BMT WBM SydneySuite G213-15 Smail StreetUltimo Sydney New South Wales 2007Tel +61 2 8960 7755Fax +61 2 8960 7745 Email [email protected]
BMT WBM United Kingdom1st FloorInternational HouseSt Katharine’s WayLondonE1W 1AYTel +44 (0) 20 8090 1566Email [email protected]
BMT WBM Vancouver 401 - 611 Alexander StreetVancouverBritish Columbia V6A 1E1CanadaTel (+1) 604 683 5777Fax (+1) 604 608 3232Email [email protected]
BMT WBM has a proven record in addressing today’s engineering and environmental issues.We aim to continue to enhance our services, capabilities and areas of application to meet the community’s future development and environmental protection needs.
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