Helping a new gold mine meet environmental standards by investigating potential hydrogeological impacts
The Coolgardie bioregion in Western Australia is a transitional zone between coastal and arid inland regions. Though a sensitive environment, it supports farming and ranching, and also our client’s enterprise—gold mining. Gold was first discovered here in 1892, and the region is still yielding mineable deposits. When Breaker Resources, identified a greenfields gold mining opportunity east of Kalgoorlie, they called on our team to help investigate the possible environmental impact.
Our team looked at the ecological makeup of the area, investigating the flora, vertebrate fauna, aquatic ecology, subterranean fauna, and conducting soil assessments. We also focused on the hydrogeological aspects of the mine and how mining operations would interact with surface or groundwater. These investigations and assessments informed the environmental approval process and ultimately supported the decision to build an operational gold mine.
With 24 threatened plant species, 8 threatened mammal species and 3 threatened bird species, any mining operation in the Coolgardie bioregion must employ mitigation strategies to reduce impacts. We are proud to provide services that can support economic growth, and job creation, while leaving as small a footprint as possible.
At a Glance
- Offices
- Client
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- Breaker Resources
Paul Bolton, Team Leader, Terrestrial Ecology
I enjoy the aspects of conducting surveys and environmental assessments in such a geographically diverse region.
Liz Abbey, Senior Geospatial Advisor
I’m proud of the collaborative way we bring people and spatial data together to provide superior outcomes for our clients and the community.
Dr. Erin Thomas, Associate, Senior PAM Project Technical Lead
I’m proud to be part of a team that’s supporting the health of aquatic and subterranean systems for a more sustainable future
Brooke Hay, Principal Environmental Scientist
My team and I do our best to preserve what species remain on Earth. Even if we are contributing in a small way, it can make a difference.
We’re better together
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