Mining
The extraction of geological materials and minerals from the earth supplies key ingredients and components for many industrial activities and products that are pivotal to the global economy. However, due to factors such as volatile commodity prices, climate change and the intention to reduce carbon footprints, mining companies are facing increasing challenges when it comes to implementing new technologies, maintaining regulatory compliance and managing climate and social issues.
Owing to its specialist water-cycle and environmental-management capabilities, RSK can provide robust and complete environmental services throughout the entire mining life cycle to assist mining and exploration companies to flexibly adapt to the changing market conditions.
We collaborate with clients in this sector to help them to solve their practical, day-to-day issues and to develop long-term strategies for growth. Cost-reduction, community and sustainability strategies, environmental and social impact assessments and wastewater and remediation are just a few of the areas in which we offer solutions.
A snapshot of our services
RSK’s mining-specialist companies: GCS and Amphos 21, employ the intensive and research-focused expertise of more than 200 engineers, drillers and scientists. Thus, we can offer extensive and pivotal services to a global mining marketplace. Working primarily in Europe, Africa and South America, our companies and teams offer a wide breadth of mining hydrology, environmental geochemistry, geotechnical and geophysical services.
These services include understanding and monitoring water interaction with mining components; acid rock drainage and metal leaching; hydrobiological remediation; contamination management; detailing environmental liabilities; process optimisation; and wastewater treatment, permitting and procedures.
To complement its specialist capabilities, the RSK group has decades of industry experience in producing environmental and social impact assessments for clients across a range of countries and sectors.
We have recently begun using mine water for heat and energy in horticulture, manufacturing and other industries through group company Ground Heat, which specialises in technology that extracts heat from the ground
Unique attributes to offset client challenges
Despite being a fast-growing company, RSK retains its core business strategy that has enabled it to outstrip competitors: the ability to provide both consultancy and contracting solutions.
For the mining sector, we offer a combination of hydrogeological and geochemical expertise, a powerful mix that is also unique in the marketplace.
We know that mining companies seek to achieve regulatory consent and to increase the profitability of their operations, irrespective of where they operate. Issues that can drastically affect a mine’s output and its profitability include halted operations due to water-cycle problems and conflicts between regulatory compliance objectives and operational profitability.
Our diversified global offering in the fields of climate change, renewables, wastewater, remediation and environmental and social impact assessments gives us the knowledge and capability to provide solutions that address these issues, resolve them, and thus enable mines to successfully continue their operations.
Looking to the future
As climate change moves to the forefront of many worldwide agendas, RSK has built an offering to help clients with a multitude of climate-change-related issues, from reducing dependence on volatile fuel prices and insecure supplies to offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, reducing carbon footprints and helping businesses engage in the emerging carbon economy.
As a part of this process, we can produce energy audits and devise strategies that use our many years of industry experience in evaluating renewable energy projects (hydroelectric, solar and wind).
When it comes to integrating renewable energy, we help plan, implement and control systems; provide greenhouse gas accounting; and offer the financial analysis and valuation of renewable energy schemes.
For further details on how we can add value to your mine and on the specific services we provide throughout the mine’s life cycle, please see the expertise section below.