Hydrogeological Impact Appraisal

For Mining and Quarrying

Our hydrogeologists have undertaken hydrogeological impact assessments for a wide range of mining projects where groundwater protection, dewatering, control or supply is required. Minerals projects include:
• Surface coal mines
• Sand and gravel quarries
• Limestone and basalt quarries
• Gold mines
• Restoration of former quarries, coal mines and spoil heaps.

Tasks undertaken include:

• Environmental Impact Assessment

• Geological and hydrogeological investigations

• Site investigation and monitoring

• Dewatering impact assessments and scheme design, including hydrogeological impact appraisals (HIA) for groundwater dewatering abstractions

• Hydrogeological risk assessments

• Discharge consent and permitting

• Restoration schemes, deriving importation standards for soils using a detailed hydrogeological risk assessment model Hydrogeo has used ConSim software on several site restoration projects to quantitatively derive site specific importation standards for soils which are protective of the water and human environment.

• Backfill risk assessments

• Hydrogeo has undertaken over six backfill risk assessments for proposed surface coal mines in Scotland in accordance with the SEPA guidance document; Evaluating the potential impact of opencast coal mining on water quality

• Impact Assessments on Groundwater Department Terrestrial Ecosystems (GDTEs)

• Tracer (dye) testing in karst aquifers.