Statement of Qualifications

Mankind lives on the earth. Everything built, either originated from, is built on, or interacts with, the earth. Geology is the science of the earth. Geotechnical Engineering is the application of geology and mathematics to use Earth’s natural resources to build infrastructure. Tierra Group International, Ltd. applies its geotechnical expertise to the conception, design, construction, and operations of physical structures for the mining industry, including:

  • Foundations
  • Tailings Dams
  • Water Dams
  • Heap Leach Pads
  • Mine Pits
  • Waste Rock Dumps
  • Hydraulic Structures (Canals, Channels, Pipelines, etc.)
  • Civil Infrastructure (Plants, Buildings, Roads, Bridges, etc.)

Tierra Group has applied its 100+ years combined professional geological and engineering expertise consulting on, or designing and constructing, dozens of these structures on six continents. This geographic variety has allowed Tierra Group’s Team to develop expertise designing facilities under challenging geotechnical conditions such as:

  • Laterites
  • Saprolites
  • Swelling or Collapsible Soils
  • Karst
  • Variable Geology
  • Highly and Active Seismicity (Earthquakes)
  • High Altitudes (4,000-m amsl)
  • Tropics

Tierra Group has innovatively adapted to these challenging environments using highly-trained professionals and state-of-the-art techniques and software to perform the following tasks and analyses:

  • Site Characterization
  • Soil/Rock Mechanics
  • Geologic Hazards - Landslide, Rock Fall, Avalanches, Seismic (Earthquakes)
  • Geotechnical Analyses - Slope, Stability, Seepage, Settlement, Consolidation, Deformation, Liquefaction
  • Civil Design and Specifications
  • Construction Documents
  • Resident Engineering
  • Quality Assurance
  • Operations Support
  • Forensics and Mitigation
  • Peer Reviews

Regardless of the geotechnical challenges posed, Tierra Group’s broad experience, intimate attention to site-specific conditions, and keen focus on developing innovative solutions, has earned us a respected reputation and loyal clients around the world.


Select Geotechnical Projects

New Jersey Mill TSF Scoping Study

Tierra Group completed the design for two 3-meter upstream raises to an existing paste tailings storage facility at New Jersey Mining Company’s New Jersey Mill site near Kellogg, Idaho. Work included performing a cone penetration testing (CPT) investigation of the…

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Ernesto e Pau-a-Pique

The Ernesto e Pau-a-Pique (EPP) Mine is located in the Municipality of Pontes e Lacerda, at 440 kms west of Cuiba City, Brazil. The mine is operated by Apoena Mining, a subsidiary of Aura Minerals Inc. Tierra Group was retained…

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Bald Mountain Mine

Tierra Group assisted the Bald Mountain Mine Project Development Team with an evaluation of potential uses for spent ore on legacy heap leach facilities. Tierra Group completed a collaborative trade-off study with site personnel evaluating spent ore use as overliner…

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El Limón Mine

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…

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Çöpler Tailings Storage Facility / Heap Leach Facility Technical Review

Tierra Group provided an annual third-party tailings storage facility and heap leach facility technical review at Anagold’s Çöpler Gold Mine in Middle Anatolia, Turkey.Tierra Group performs annual independent rockfill tailings dam and heap leach facility technical reviews.

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San Albino Dry Stack Tailings Storage Facility Design

Tierra Group supported construction of the San Albino Mine in Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua. Tierra Group designed a dry stack drum filtered-tailings storage facility. A siting study optimized the dry stack location and minimized CAPEX and OPEX. Tierra Group developed a site-wide water…

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Hod Mine Waste Dump and Surface Water Management Design

Tierra Group provided design review and technical direction at Hod Mine in the Artvin Province of Turkey. Work included detailed design of potentially acid generating and non-acid generating waste dump facilities, their appurtenant structures and stormwater management design for the…

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Newcrest Telfer Tailings Stewardship

Tierra Group provided Tailings Stewardship Services for TSFs and water dams at the Cadia, Terfer, and Red Chris properties. Responsibilities included data/report review; identifying and assisting the client with managing risks, liabilities, controls, and reporting; evaluating progress towards GISTM compliance;…

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San Francisco Mine

Tierra Group conducted geo-electrical testing to locate leaks present in the geomembrane liners underlying a Solution Conveyance Canal, Sumps 1 and 2, and the Intermediate Pond at Timmins Gold Corp’s San Francisco Mine in Sonora, Mexico. Leak detection testing procedures…

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Isabella Pearl

Tierra Group performed a technical peer review of the Isabella Pearl heap leach facility (HLF) owned by Gold Resource Corporation. Isabella Pearl mine is located at the west end of the Santa Fe mining district in the Walker Lane gold…

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Brushy Creek

Tierra Group provided a raise design for Doe Run's Brushy Creek tailings embankment, a facility first commissioned in 1973. Cone penetration testing, liquefaction analysis, seepage modeling, and slope stability modeling were performed for the embankment. Hydrology, spillway design, and impoundment layout…

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El Gallo Mine

El Gallo is a 3,000 tpd open-pit gold/silver mine located in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range in Mexico’s Sinaloa State. Gold is recovered through heap leaching and adsorption/desorption/recovery (ADR). Production commenced at El Gallo with the first gold pour in September…

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