Mining

environmental permitting & regulatory support

Timely collection of site baseline data and early engagement of agencies and stakeholders is essential in the environmental permitting process for mines. We take a strategic approach to the process, helping you avoid surprises and anticipate regulatory requirements.

KC Harvey personnel have performed baseline studies and reporting and prepared Environmental Assessments (EA) and Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for state and federal agencies throughout the western United States. We have been successful in working with the agencies and clients to develop "first party" EISs submitted by the client directly to the agencies. This proactive permitting approach can be particularly effective for expansion projects, saving time and significantly reducing costs associated with a third-party contractor.

field services
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KC Harvey’s Reclamation Field Services division supports all phases of a project's life cycle, including pre-project permitting and reclamation planning, reclamation implementation, and post-reclamation monitoring and maintenance. KC Harvey's experienced staff includes experts in land rehabilitation, soil science, plant ecology, and rangeland management.

We provide stormwater management services for compliance and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, including Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)development; best management practices (BMP) design, installation, and maintenance; and monitoring and reporting support.

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Geochemical Characterization & Acid Rock Drainage

KC Harvey works with mine geologists to develop baseline, operational, and closure geochemical characterization programs designed to support mine waste handling and mine drainage management. We manage all aspects of geochemical characterization including developing sampling and analysis plans, coordinating laboratory static and kinetic testing, and analyzing test data to identify potential environmental impacts related to waste rock and mine drainage. Based onsite-specific data and operating plans, we design targeted management approaches to efficiently and effectively minimize the release of contaminants, including acid rock drainage (ARD), process residuals, and radionuclides.

We develop solutions for managing impacts to surface and groundwater which include active and passive mine drainage treatment systems, enhanced mine waste handling and encapsulation methods, and monitoring programs to support early detection and risk mitigation. Our modeling services include geochemical modeling using PHREEQC and Visual MINTEQ, groundwater modeling using MODFLOW, and coupling of geochemical and hydrologic and hydrogeologic models to develop contaminant fate and transport models.

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Mine Discharge & NPDES Permitting
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KC Harvey supports all aspects of mine discharge permitting, including surface and groundwater baseline studies, water balance modeling, permit application development, and discharge and compliance monitoring and reporting. We work closely with regulators to understand the most successful permitting strategies, and we support permit development by analyzing surface water mixing zones, modeling hydrogeologic systems, and developing proposed effluent limits. Our goal is to collaborate with mine operators and regulatory agencies to develop discharge permits based on reliable and practical treatment technologies which meet site-specific environmental requirements while minimizing water treatment capital and operating costs.

We have broad experience in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) discharge permitting for mine water, process water, and stormwater. We develop Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs), design stormwater and erosion control structures, and select site-specific best management practices (BMPs). Our Field Services personnel augment our consulting capabilities through construction, operations, and closure by conducting onsite stormwater sampling and monitoring, installing and maintaining stormwater and erosion control structures and BMPs, and reseeding for site stabilization.

Mine Reclamation & Closure
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KC Harvey supports all aspects of mine reclamation and closure, including planning for concurrent and final reclamation, developing reclamation, closure, and asset retirement obligation (ARO) cost estimates and negotiating financial assurances with regulatory agencies, implementing reclamation and closure activities, and monitoring and reporting on reclamation progress. Our Field Services personnel provide supervision, labor, materials, tools, equipment, maintenance and repair services, and all other facilities and incidentals required to successfully complete mine reclamation and meet closure obligations.

Revegetation requirements for mine reclamation are often challenging and require careful planning for optimal success. We support this critical aspect of mine reclamation by sampling, characterizing, and planning salvage of reclamation cover materials including soils and clay, conducting vegetation surveys to identify appropriate plant species for revegetation, and establishing demonstration test plots to refine revegetation plans for agency approval. Our Field Services personnel implement and oversee material salvage and revegetation activities onsite, monitor and report revegetation progress, and perform additional maintenance activities including control of invasive species and noxious weeds.

Process Water Management & Land Application

KC Harvey designs process water land application systems using a proven and practical approach which results in cost-effective and environmentally beneficial solutions. We utilize our experience in soil science and vadose zone hydrology to develop site-specific land application protocols.

Our understanding of process water chemistry from heap leach and milling processes and our extensive experience in revegetation under unique and challenging conditions enable us to design, construct, and monitor systems in compliance with regulatory requirements.