Mining Services and Expertise
Industrial Water Management
In partnership with our clients, we develop and validate technologies that enable additional water reuse within industrial processes. This improved re-use reduces the draw from fresh water sources, ensures returns to fresh water sources, supports downstream ecosystem health, and enables use by downstream communities.
Our Capabilities
High Temp, High Pressure, Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment
- Testing of new membranes at >130°C and up to 1000 psi
- Help lower energy consumption and lower greenhouse-gas for Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD)
Water Characterization
- Development of measurement and monitoring techniques for contaminants and water quality
- Water chemistry including pH, alkalinity, EC, hardness, major cations and anions, metals, suspended solids, total organics and inorganics.
- Naphthenic acids fraction compound evaluation through solvent extraction and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy
- Bench scale testing of water treatment process including coagulation, flocculation, filtration, flotation, adsorption, phytoremediation, and oxidation,
- Testing of water sensors for measuring water chemistry
Recovery of Valuable Resources
We support clients in developing their recovery strategies by offering advanced ore characterization, elemental mapping, and standard chemical assessments. We also assess the effectiveness of various process additives including flotation aids, flocculants and dispersants in optimizing separation outcomes, while evaluating how these chemicals affect water quality, treatability, and the long-term buildup of constituents in process streams
Our Capabilities
Bitumen extraction services
- Batch extraction testing for oil sands, and oil sands additives
Ore characterization
- X-Ray-Diffraction & -Fluorescence, Scanning Electron Microscopy
Sensor Technology Testing
- Testing of sensors for measuring key parameters in ore recovery
- Bitumen extraction, flotation testing, Water chemistry and clay activity through methylene blue index (MBI)
Tailings Management & Education
Tailings present significant challenges in both active mine management and closure planning. We work with you in better understanding how the mineralogy of their process affects dewatering performance and assess the optimal process additives for their specific mineral types. We also support clients in estimating the long-term dewatering and chemical behaviour of their tailings through bench-scale screening tests.
Tailings Management
Tailings present significant challenges in both active mine management and closure planning.
One critical issue is the difficulty in recovering water from the tailings, which can lead to either insufficient water for ongoing process activities or excess water requiring containment capacity. We assist companies in better understanding how the mineralogy of their process affects dewatering performance and assess the optimal process additives for their specific mineral types. We also support clients in estimating the long-term dewatering and chemical behaviour of their tailings through bench-scale screening tests.
In-line flocculation
- Evaluation of process additives (coagulants & flocculants),
- Characterization of dewatering
- Net water release, capillary suction time, settling, filtration
Evaluation of long-term water release
- Settling, filtration, seepage induced consolidation test, triaxial consolidation
Tailings Characterization
- Dean & Stark for composition, water chemistry, clay activity by MBI, yield stress, Atterberg limits, XRD, XRF, SEM
Dewatering Technologies
- Settling, centrifuge, filtration
Testing of Sensor Technologies
- Water chemistry, clays activity by MBI, composition
Understanding current tailings treatments and regulatory environment
- Knowledge-to-practice (K2P) include public/private short courses including
- Monthly webinars to translate tailings management data from regulatory reports to industry stakeholders
- Bi-monthly newsletter
- Aimed at industry professionals
Slurry to Soil Research
- Geotechnical and geochemical characterization
- Investigating the intersection of chemical amendments and natural dewatering processes including atmospheric drying, freeze thaw, and plant emended dewatering
Improve your processes through automation and sensor integration
We drive innovation in technological development and enhancement through:
Manage your big data projects
Unlock the potential of your data with:
- A data visualization laboratory to overlay operational insights with wildlife habitat, traditional Indigenous lands, and reclamation progress
- A motion capture studio to create gamified, immersive training simulations for safer, more effective learning experiences
We walk beside our indigenous partners
We support our Indigenous partners in community-led environmental monitoring and development, and deliver customized capacity building programs.
We prioritize strong, trust-based relationships with Indigenous communities, delivering both on-campus and in-community training designed around their unique goals and needs.
These partnerships enable us to connect industry partners with Indigenous communities, fostering meaningful employment opportunities and driving sustainable economic development.