Mining is one of the most highly regulated and environmentally sensitive industries in the U.S. Conventional mining operations, whether for coal, potash, or limestone, face growing challenges in water management, waste handling, site reclamation, and hazard mitigation. At the same time, federal and state priorities emphasize the strategic importance of domestic rare earth element (REE) and critical mineral (CM) production, both from conventional and, increasingly, unconventional resources.
These minerals are essential to modern technologies, from renewable energy systems to defense applications, and federal funding through government organizations such as the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Department of Energy (DOE), and Department of Defense (DOD) has increased dramatically to support onshore domestic supply chain resiliency.
SCS Engineers offers a unique combination of capabilities rarely found in traditional mining consultancies. Our integrated team combines geophysics, modeling, geochemistry, engineering, and regulatory permitting. Our in-house mining expertise in underground hazard identification and mapping provides a hands-on capability that many academic or purely environmental firms cannot offer.
Combined with our deep well injection experience, which provides safe and proven solutions for managing brines and waste streams, SCS offers a comprehensive approach to mining challenges. Our experience with federally-funded projects, including CoreCM, CarbonSAFE, and FAST-41 initiatives, further underscores our ability to manage large, complex efforts. This credibility is critical for our clients in the REE/CM space, where navigating the federal, state, and local funding and regulatory environments is a significant factor.
SCS has capabilities that are directly applicable to both conventional and emerging mining markets.
In conventional mining, SCS supports operators with environmental compliance, permitting, hazard mapping, and long-term closure strategies. Coal operators, for example, are under increasing pressure to reclaim mine sites to prevent legacy problems like methane venting, uncontrolled water discharges, and unplanned surface subsidence. Potash and limestone mines face challenges in tailings control, geotechnical stability, and reclamation planning. SCS provides integrated services that combine regulatory expertise, hazard identification, and unique engineering solutions to reduce operational risks and ensure compliance. SCS personnel have deep contacts and experience within these industries, and memberships in leading associations and coalitions, such as MiningMinnesota™, a leader in the conversation about responsible mining through advocacy efforts at the State and Federal levels.
Services include:
A few project examples indicate the breadth of our expertise.
Remediating Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is a complex process that may require a combination of engineering, chemical, and biological techniques. This whitepaper explains the treatment technologies our environmental engineers and consultants provide, as well as the resources and direction some states are taking to address AMD.
SCS Engineers provided technical services for a planned 120-MW power plant to be fueled on coal bed methane (CBM)/coal mine methane (CMM). This project was developed by Shanxi Jincheng Anthracite Coal Mining Group Co., Ltd., in the People’s Republic of China. SCS assisted in the development of a conceptual design for an optimal power plant configuration; the preparation of bidding documents; the evaluation of bids received; and the supervision and monitoring of the construction, commissioning, and initial operation of the power plant. Capture of methane emissions from coal mining operations, and their conversion to useful energy, results in three benefits: (1) recovering wasted energy; (2) reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; and (3) improvement of air quality in the region.
On another project, SCS professionals assisted with designing and constructing a soil bio-remediation facility for a large copper mine in northwestern Arizona. We analyzed waste stream characteristics for treatability; evaluated the need for and low-cost alternatives to bioenhancement; developed standard operating procedures for waste stream characterization sampling, preparation, and treatment verification sampling; and met with facility operators to provide input for more efficient operations.
SCS provided Quality Assurance services for an EPA Region 10 Superfund Site in Kellogg, Idaho. We reviewed 4 of 5 years of this $170 million environmental cleanup of a 21-square-mile mining and smelting site to confirm compliance with EPA contractual and regulatory guidance and the contractor’s Quality Management System standards. We made recommendations to the Program Manager responsible for project planning, staffing, and coordination of multidisciplinary design teams, as well as budget and schedule control, and evaluated remedial and contracting approaches for mining- and ore-processing-related contamination.
SCS also provides these services:
