Human health and ecological risk assessment for groundwater

Challenge

A large metals mining operation was issued by the regulator with a Notice to Conduct or Commission an Environmental Evaluation. SLR was engaged to undertake the necessary technical assessments and assist the client in preparing the required deliverables in compliance with the Notice.

Solution

To meet one of the requirements of the notice, a risk assessment was undertaken by SLR to assess the risk of harm to human and ecological health (including livestock) from potential exposure to mining-activity related substances in groundwater.

A combination of quantitative, semi-quantitative and qualitative approaches were implemented to provide an overall weight-of-evidence evaluation which allowed for potential sources of contamination on the mine site to be ranked from highest to lowest overall risk of harm.

Impact

The risk assessment will inform the prioritisation of future management measures, which was another requirement of the Environmental Notice.

Our work also included:

• Assessment of mine closure final voids and landforms
• Climatic risk assessments for water security and excess water
• Water infrastructure, flood defence, dams, diversions, dewatering, erosion sediment control, wetlands, remediation, pumping and pipelines.