Earth Systems - Environmental Research and Consulting

CONSULTING SERVICES

ACID DRAINAGE

A core expertise of Earth Systems is in the identification, management and treatment of acid drainage associated with sulphidic rocks at mine sites and acid sulphate soils.

Key acid drainage management services provided by Earth Systems include:
• Design and project management of complete remediation and rehabilitation strategies for site closures and orphan sites.
• Identification and mapping of the distribution of potentially acid generating materials.
• Characterisation and quantification of the potential acid generating capacity and acid neutralising capacity of various geologic materials (Static acid-base accounting).
• Design, conduct and monitoring of various kinetic tests for determining the rate of oxidation / acid generation from reactive sulphidic materials.
• Site assessment of acid drainage risk and development of risk management strategies.
• Formulation of acid drainage management plans for regions, development projects, geological formations and mine sites.
• Development and implementation of acid drainage prevention, minimisation and control techniques.
• Assistance with the development of dry and wet cover technologies for managing acid drainage from tailings dams and waste rock piles.
• Strategic development of innovative and cost effective technologies for avoiding and minimising acid drainage (eg. GaRDS and NBT).
• Design and construction of aerobic and anaerobic wetland systems for final polishing of acid affected waters.
• Development and commercialisation of new approaches for treating acid drainage.
• Best Practice environmental training workshops for managers, supervisors and operators on acid drainage issues.

Acid and metalliferous drainage entering a tailings dam at a gold mine in the western US.

Recent projects undertaken by Earth Systems include:
• Project management, data collection and design of a remediation and rehabilitation plan for a strongly acid and metal polluted mineral field at Zeehan in western Tasmania, Australia.
• Assistance with the development of acid drainage remediation and treatment strategies for the Savage River Mine in north-eastern Tasmania, Australia.
• Assessment of site water quality and treatment issues at a gold mine in the Peruvian Andes for a multi-national mining company.
• Conducted a range of acid drainage risk assessments for metal, coal and industrial mineral mines throughout Australia and south-east Asia.
• Awarded a federal government grant (National Heritage Trust Funding) to conduct a field demonstration of a new ARD prevention technology developed jointly by Earth Systems and ANSTO (GaRDS technology).
• Development of a water powered limestone aggregate grinding system for semi-passively treating acid drainage.
• Providing advice on potential problems associated with acid sulphate soil in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.
• Various contract pit lake treatment tasks in Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland.
• Sales of patented acid drainage treatment equipment to mines in Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, the US and South America.