Where regulatory know-how meets industry insight
Mining is among the most heavily regulated and publicly scrutinized industries in the country. From hard rock mining to energy fuels and aggregates, we understand the challenges our mining clients face: domestic and international market cycles, water resource supply and protection, long permitting timeframes, and public perception of the mining industry. Our hard-won experience and track record give us a strategic perspective. This means that both permitting agencies and mining companies can trust our work, our professionalism, and our process.
Our mining consultants have knowledge gained from service to each mining commodity and at every phase of the mining life cycle. Agencies trust us to work side-by-side to process NEPA assessments and mining permits and rely on us for technical expertise nationwide. Our technical expertise in environmental studies and compliance has been a powerful tool in helping clients secure regulatory approval for their mining efforts, as well as reclamation and restoration operations.
SWCA has permitted mines throughout the US and has strong agency relationships that allow for streamlined permitting and knowledge of open-pit, underground, and in-situ for leasable and locatable minerals.
Association Involvement
National Organizations
• American Exploration and Mining Association (AEMA)
• Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME)
• Women in Mining USA
• American Society of Reclamation Sciences (ASRS)
• National Stone Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA)
State and Local Organizations
• Idaho, Nevada, Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Utah Mining Associations
• Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association (TACA)
• South Carolina Aggregates Association (SCAA)
• Georgia Construction Aggregates Association (GCAA)
Why Choose SWCA?
Relevant Services
UPFRONT STUDIES & EXPLORATION
- Geographic Information System (GIS)
- Resource Studies
- Plan of Operations and Permitting
- Environmental Compliance and Environmental Protection Measures
FEASIBILITY & PLANNING
- NI 43-101 Technical Report Sections
- Constraint Evaluation and Permitting Planning
- Due Diligence
- Stakeholder Coordination and Engagement
PERMITTING
- Data Adequacy Development and Technical Reports
- National Environmental Policy Act
- Environmental Impact Reports
- Agency, Tribal and Public Coordination
- Permitting Support and Oversight
OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
- Regulatory and Permit Compliance
- Resource Monitoring Studies and Evaluations
- Permit Renewals and Amendments
- Adaptive Management Planning
- Environmental Management Systems
CLOSURE
- Risk Assessment
- Reclamation Planning and Design
- Monitoring
- Bond Release Support
Project Spotlights
Mining
SWCA Partners with MAG Silver to advance the Deer Trail Exploration Project
Over the years, stewardship of the Deer Trail Mine has changed hands many times. However, it was in 2019 that MAG Silver Corporation, operating under the banner of Deer Trail Mine, embarked on a new chapter. They reached out to SWCA, previously listed on the past Division of Gas and Mining permit, to forge a new partnership.
MAG Silver’s mission aimed to uncover the hidden silver, gold, lead, zinc, and copper mineralization that lay within the property’s depths. Initially seeking cultural resource support from SWCA, the collaboration soon evolved to encompass a comprehensive array of endeavors. Under the leadership of Lisa Krussow, SWCA’s senior cultural resources team lead, alongside Andrew Harley, mining business line director, and Matt Petersen, senior planning technical director, the collaborative effort gained momentum. Since the initial project, SWCA has assisted Deer Trail Mine with a Plan of Operations (PoO), Environmental Assessments (EA), Categorical Exclusions (CE), and extensive biological and cultural surveys.
Mining Compliance
SWCA’s Andrew Harley Provides Insights to GBR’s Arizona and Nevada Mining 2023 Report
SWCA National Client Services Director of Mining Andrew Harley recently sat down with Global Business Reports (GBR) to discuss the state of mining in Arizona and Nevada, and the importance of sound environmental compliance in the U.S.
Harley’s responses were featured in GBR’s Arizona and Nevada Mining 2023 Report, which provides a comprehensive look at the mining industry in Arizona and Nevada, including insights from mining associations and companies, the Bureau of Land Management, and environmental consultants.
Mining
SWCA Helps Sevier Playa Potash Project Reach Major Milestone
Since 2011, SWCA has been providing Crystal Peak Minerals, Inc. with federal, state, and local agency coordination, resource studies, and plan of development support for their Sevier Playa Potash Project in Utah.
Uranium Mining
Deposits and Withdrawals: Evaluating the Impacts of Curtailed Uranium Mining in Northern Arizona
A surge in uranium prices in the late 2000s led to a huge influx of new mining claims on public lands in the vicinity of Grand Canyon National Park. That influx led to concerns about the potential impacts. Learn how SWCA assisted the Bureau of Land Management in completing the required environmental impact statement (EIS) that would provide the basis for a decision about whether mining should be allowed.
National Historic Preservation Act
Getting Back to Nature: Copper and Cultural Resources at the Holden Mine
Tucked in a deep valley in Washington state’s Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and bordering the Glacier Peak Wilderness sits tiny Holden Village, an inspiring place to renew and connect with nature. It is also the site of the old Holden Mine that left behind 8 million tons of tailings from copper extracting operations. Archaeologists, historians, and architectural historians from SWCA’s Seattle office worked to help avoid, minimize, and mitigate effects to the Holden Mine site during the remediation.
Meet The Experts
