Within industry, the consultant and the client always strive to achieve ‘best practise’. Operating within tailings facilities, this is executed by adhering to the latest and most-improved processes, learning from past events, being open with community, tailoring the dam to appropriate conditions, and attaining the best-possible dataset to design a strong and economical tailings dam.

GBG is proud to be working within the Australian Government handbook Leading Practise Sustainable Development Program for the Mining Industry, released in 2016.

Since then, GBG has been operating closely to the handbook and creating best-practise enduring value from its framework.

GBG leads by example and conforms with ‘early and ongoing consultations, information sharing and dialogue with stakeholders that are required during the design, operation, and closure phases’.

By aligning closely with industry best practise, GBG provides a framework to the client that falls in line with applicable audits and ongoing document control.

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With any plan, best practise is to gain an understanding of the surface. With CASA approved pilots creating flight plans and lodging permits, GBG will complete initial site surveys and provide base high-res images of the natural ground state.

If flying over a current TSF, GBG can provide LiDAR, elevation models and orthomosaics of the ‘time of flight’ ground conditions. Once a ground model is created, GBG can plan and execute geophysical ground investigations, complete and compile geological studies into the natural rock layering, and collate all datasets into a working 3D model.

GBG owns and operates their own geophysical equipment, so there are never timing issues around equipment availability. Some examples of results can include structural geology investigations, combined with magnetics and seismic surveys, ground truthed with boreholes and water monitoring wells creating a holistic subsurface picture to 150m.

Some benefits of having multiple input datasets include: providing flow paths of natural rainwater from LiDAR models, interrogating wall cross sections to analyse wall health, and foundation investigations that may provide detail on wall subsidence or beach cracking extending with depth.

GBG can also facilitate best-practise framework with collection of samples at the earliest of stages, for ongoing impact studies into the effect of the tailings on the subsoil or basement of the dam over the life of slurry deposition in a real-world environment.

Through all phases of construction, GBG can provide detailed consultation, industry advice, project management, laboratory works, geotechnical investigation, hydrogeological studies and site characterisation.

GBG understands the importance of timing when dealing with tailings projects and can therefore advise on any aspect of the project.

Stages may include: pre-feasibility, feasibility, site characterisation, elevation survey, subsurface geophysical survey, intrusive testing, 3D datasets, real-time monitoring, drone surveying, LiDAR, laboratory testing and ongoing subsoil studies over time.

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