Webinars – Free Live Learning Sessions
Join us for our series of free webinars on current Environmental themes.
Each webinar will feature a 30-40 minute presentation followed by a live Q&A.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Missed our past sessions? View our video library to see the recordings of our webinars
Past Webinars
October 31, 2018
Speaker: Margarete Kalin, Research Director and President of Boojum Research Ltd.
Talk: Mining, Ecological Engineering and Metals Extraction for the 21st Century
Abstract
This webinar is an introduction to a recent contribution to sustainable mining, remediation, and metal extraction to the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science, Problems and Solutions. Co-authors are M. Kalin, Michael P. Sudbury, and Dr. Bryn Harris. The mining industry developed in an age when resources, space, and water appeared limitless. A paradigm shift is needed in mining, remediation, and extractive metal processes. Human’s insatiable appetite for metals is estimated to produce annually 20 billion tons of waste rock and tailings, covering about 1000 km2 of land. The annual consumption of freshwater is estimated to be about 80 109 tons, most of it will be contaminated. A collision course is on the horizon, given shortages of water and arable land and the ever-increasing global population.
The key to a solution to the present unsustainable environmental management practices lays in ecologist’s view of mining wastes as extreme primordial environments. Natural recovery processes can be supported through ecological engineering measures. This starts with exploration and through to operations, ending with decommissioning. By providing physical and chemical support to promote existing ecological processes within the wastes, we can alter the surface of minerals, thereby decreasing contaminant generation and reducing the volume of drainage by promoting run-off. Supporting the growth of indigenous biota leading to an increased agglomeration of contaminants on the cell surfaces and upon death, the biomass with its contaminants sinks to the sediments. Through bio-mineralization in the sediment, the metals are stabilized, potentially generating in the long-term biogenic ore bodies. All processes are implemented within the mine waste and water management area.
Brief examples are given:
- Acid Reduction Using Microbiology through sediment construction;
- Alterations of the mineral surface on waste rock reducing sulphide oxidation by effective nutrient supply carried into the wastes by rain and;
- Biological polishing “in alkaline and acid mine wastewater by a pH adjustment (if needed) and adjusting nutrient imbalances;
- Estimates of reductions in waste generation using efficient metals extraction processes.
Boojum’s multidisciplinary team of scientists guided by experts of the industry, has laid the foundation for ecological engineering in publications and field demonstration projects. Moving forward we need to evaluate these demonstration project to use the results to build confidence in the approach of ecological engineering, only then can we achieve the paradigm shift needed for the future of the industry.
Learn about the speaker:
Margarete Kalin is the Research Director and President of Boojum Research Ltd. The R& D firm in collaboration with mining companies, the Canadian government, and research organizations, has developed and demonstrated an ecological toolkit, that leads to a self-sustaining decommissioned mine waste and water management area. Margarete received the Noranda Award for Outstanding Achievements in Land Reclamation from the Canadian Land Reclamation Association and the Teck-Cominco Environmental Award from the Canadian Institute for Mining and Metallurgy (CIM). She was nominated in 2005 as a Distinguished Lecturer by the CIM. She is certified as a QEP (Qualified Environmental Professional ) by the Institute of Professional Environmental Practice and as a Senior Ecologist by the Ecological Society of America. She has been an Adjunct Professor at several Canadian universities.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways
- Recognize the potential of ecological natural recovery mechanisms and their support measures
- Technologies to reduce water consumption and waste production
Who should attend
Mine managers, exploration geologist, academics in mining departments, ecologists in Restauration, and consultants in mine waste management.
(past) September 20, 2018
Speaker: David Kratochvil, President & CEO of BQE Water
Talk: Risk Adjusted Life Cycle Cost of Mine Water Treatment
Abstract
Mine lives are getting longer and water plays an important part in the project life cycle cost. Net Present Value (NPV) is a standard metric for the financial evaluation of long-term projects but it does not include any potential uncertainties or risks in an explicit way. Often, discount rates are increased or special discount factors are introduced to “cover risks” which generates confusion and reduces the credibility and/or confidence in the outcome of the evaluation. This webinar discusses the pitfalls of traditional NPV and risk assessments and presents examples of overcoming these issues with a Risk-Adjusted Life Cycle Cost (RALCC) analysis approach that can be adopted during all project stages.
Learn about the speaker:
David Kratochvil is a chemical engineer with more than 20 years of experience in the treatment of mine wastewater and metallurgical bleed streams. He is the President & CEO of BQE Water, a Vancouver based company focused on reducing life cycle costs and risks associated with water and improving the performance of metal extraction projects.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways
- Identify the shortcomings of conventional NPV and risk assessments – what does a new method need to address?
- Introduce the concept of RALCC analysis for mine water treatment and management
- Understand the fit for using RALCC for a single project and for a project portfolio
- Provide highlights of project examples where elements of RALCC analysis were used
Who should attend
- Engineers, project managers, technical personnel
- Regulators
(past) June 27, 2018 13:00-14:00 EDT
Speaker: Laurie Reemeyer, Principal Consultant, Resourceful Paths
Talk: Integrated mining and processing systems design for eco-efficiency
Missed this session? View our video library to see the webinar
Abstract:
The mining industry faces increasing economic, environmental, and social challenges as easier deposits deplete and ores become more difficult to mine and process, and more stringent environmental and social standards must be met. While these factors increase costs and risks, they also present opportunities for a more integrated approach to mining, processing, materials handling, and waste management. Two areas of particular risk are in tailings and water management. As mining and processing tonnage rates continue to increase, the disturbance footprints, water, and energy consumption, and scale of tailings storage facilities also rise. These factors can be mitigated by more selective mining, ore sorting, and pre-concentration, and more intensive tailings dewatering. Such alternatives must be considered in conjunction with the selection of mining methods, metallurgical flowsheets, major equipment selection, and key process design criteria. Models for integrated design and possibilities for reducing environmental impact are reviewed.
Learn about this speaker!
Laurie has 23 years of experience in operations and consulting globally. While working for base metals producers, he developed an interest in optimizing economics across mining, concentrating, smelting, and refining value chains. His roles included Manager Metallurgy at Century Zinc Mine in Australia and Director Process Strategy at Amec Foster Wheeler in Vancouver. In 2016, he formed Resourceful Paths Consulting to focus on improving sustainability in mining, especially in areas of tailings and water management, energy efficiency, and resource recovery. He is a Professional Engineer, with a Bachelor of Engineering (Minerals Process) from the University of Queensland and an MBA from UC Berkeley.
Takeaways/Learning objectives:
- People will better understand metrics of sustainability relating to mining, and how the design of mining and processing systems can lead to lower impacts.
(past) May 30, 2018 13:00-14:00 EDT- view our video library for webinar
Speaker: Janice Zinck, Director, CanmetMINING
– Green Mining Innovation, base/precious metals, rare earths, chromite – CIM President
Co-presenter: Dr. Rory Cameron, Research Scientist, Natural Resources Canada
Talk: Mining Value from Waste: From Concept to Reality
Missed this session? View our video library to see the webinar
Abstract:
The concept of tailings reprocessing is not new. However, due to technical, policy, and regulatory complexities, successes have been limited. The recovery of metal values from tailings is generally viewed as the primary incentive but is unlikely to be successful unless it is combined with a concomitant reduction in environmental liabilities and the development of downstream market opportunities for tailings products. CanmetMINING is developing an initiative called “Mining Value from Waste”, which aims at bringing together the Canadian R&D community to develop a more cohesive and sustained effort to develop demonstrable reprocessing technologies to address a variety of mine wastes. While currently principally focused on tackling the enormous existing and historic tailings liabilities, it is expected that this effort will grow and eventually transition to include processing opportunities for eliminating or vastly decreasing the generation of new tailings. The webinar will present an overview of the initiative, tailings reprocessing case studies, as well as technical results of one of the sub-project areas on bioleaching.
Learn about this speaker!
Janice Zinck is a director at CanmetMINING, research, development, and innovation arm of Natural Resources Canada. Janice has more than 25 years’ experience in the leadership of multidisciplinary programs to address mineral resource development-related to environmental and processing challenges. She has been involved in many national and international multi-stakeholder initiatives where she has developed strategic priorities, partnerships, and collaborations. She was instrumental in the creation of Canada’s Green Mining Initiative and more recently the national program on rare earth elements and chromite development in Canada.
