Tailings Storage Facility & Engineer of Record (2012-present)

Tierra Group engineers provided engineering consultancy, design, and construction services for three Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF) (Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa West, and San José) to facilitate 20 years of uninterrupted mine operations. Tierra Group’s services spanned the full tailings lifecycle including siting studies, environmental impact assessments, permitting, feasibility through detailed engineering design, bid documents, resident engineering, construction quality assurance, operations and maintenance, decommissioning, closure, and reclamation.

Tierra Group served as the Engineer of Record (EoR) for the Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa West, and San José TSFs. As the EoR, Tierra Group developed detailed TSF water balance spreadsheet tools, reviewed monitoring data collected by B2Gold and later Calibre each month, conducted annual TSF inspections, and prepared an annual monitoring report to document TSF performance and dam safety.

San Jose Stage 4A TSF Design

Tierra Group prepared the Stage 4 TSF detailed engineering design.

San Jose Stage 4B TSF Design

Tierra Group completed the Stage 4B Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) final engineering design, including a detailed design basis, engineering analyses and design, and construction documents.

Aquifer Testing

Tierra Group performed a comprehensive pumping test data review of the mine's revised dewatering plan, with inflows up to 3,000 gpm.

Independent Design Review

Tierra Group performed an independent design review of an open pit design and provided design improvement recommendations.

Stability Evaluation

Tierra Group performed a geotechnical field investigation to support the San Jose TSF Stage 4 final design and evaluate pit slope stability. Tierra Group incorporated field data into a 3D geologic/geotechnical model that evaluated pit slope stability.

Pit Feasibility Investigation

Tierra Group conducted a geotechnical field investigation to characterize the geology and determine preliminary pit slopes for three new pits. Pit slope angles were used to support the feasibility pit design (performed by others).

San Jose Stages 4A & 4B Construction Quality Assurance (CQA)

Tierra Group provided the Stage 4A TSF expansion (dam raise) field engineering and CQA. The work included conventional downstream dam construction, centerline dam construction with mechanically-stabilized earth (MSE), and geomembrane liner installation.

Tierra Group provided CQA services (earthworks, geomembrane, and geotechnical monitoring instrumentation) for the San Jose Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) Phase 4B expansion.

Panteon UG Mine Pre-Feasiblity Investigation

Tierra Group conducted a geotechnical field investigation to characterize subsurface geology at a proposed underground mine.

Riscos de Oro Geotechnical Field Investigation

Tierra Group performed a geotechnical field investigation to characterize geologic conditions for a proposed underground mine. The field investigation was conducted to support design work completed by others.

San Jose TSF Emergency Action Plan

Tierra Group completed the San Jose TSF Emergency Action Plan (EAP).

San Jose TSF Operation, Maintenance, and Surveillance Manual Update

Tierra Group updated the San Jose TSF OMS Manual to conform to current industry standards, developed Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs) to support facility monitoring, and prepared deposition plans to support TSF operations.

San Jose Tailings Pipeline Realignment

Tierra Group reconfigured the San Jose TSF tailings and water reclaim pipelines to accommodate mine pit expansions. This realignment ensured continuous TSF operations using the existing tailings and water reclaim pumps.

San Pancho TSF Pipeline Feasibility Design

Tierra Group completed a tailings and water reclaim pipeline feasibility design. The pipeline will be routed around the El Limón municipality. Several pump stations may be required to transfer the tailings from the plant to the TSF.

San Pancho TSF Investigation & Detailed Design

Tierra Group completed final field investigations (geophysical survey and exploration trenches) to complement past explorations and support detailed TSF design. Engineering design included dam design, geosynthetic liner design, diversion channel design, tailings and water reclaim pipeline design, and a dam breach and inundation assessment.

Santa Pancha Mine Hydrogeology & Pit Slope Design Review

Tierra Group provided a hydrogeology desktop and field review. The review identified gaps in site data and provided recommendations for improving an existing site hydrogeology model and underground water management.

Tajo Volcan Open Pit Feasibility Investigation

Tierra Group conducted a geotechnical field investigation to characterize subsurface geology and determine preliminary pit slopes for a new proposed pit. Tierra Group evaluated geological, geotechnical, structural, and hydrogeological conditions to support pit slope stability.

Tigra-Atravesada Underground Mine Feasiblity Investigation

Tierra Group conducted a geotechnical field investigation to characterize the geologic conditions at the proposed underground mines.