Restoring Reliability in Mine Water Treatment
When a new water treatment plant at a remote precious metals mine encountered operational challenges after construction, Integrated Sustainability was trusted to restore performance and build long-term reliability. The project demonstrates how combining design expertise with operational accountability delivers measurable results.
From Design to Delivery
Integrated Sustainability originally designed the facility to manage complex influent conditions:
- >5,000 m³/day of ammonia-laden water and >20,000 m³/day of metals-impacted water.
- Temperature-resilient ammonia removal strategies to maintain compliance during northern winters.
- Integrated chemical dosing systems for pH control, nutrient addition, alkalinity, coagulation, and flocculation.
The system was commissioned, and after initial operations, performance issues with the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) persisted while overall plant reliability posed risks for the client.
Operations Turnaround
Seven months into operation, Integrated Sustainability assumed full responsibility for the facility and delivered improved performance by:
- Optimizing the MBBR system and addressing outstanding commissioning challenges.
- Establishing site-specific SOPs and comprehensive onboarding and training programs.
- Delivering a 12-month maintenance and spares plan with a detailed gap analysis.
- Implementing data collection, calibration, and dosing adjustment protocols aligned to system performance.
- Mobilizing day- and night-shift operations to sustain continuity.
- Providing continuous engineering support (HSE, operations management, and engineering) throughout transition to de-risk operations and accelerate optimization.
Embedding design-informed operators accelerated transition readiness and eliminated the need for a full re-learning curve. This integration between design, commissioning, and operations reduced downtime and created a seamless link between design intent and operational practice.
Insights from the Field
As one of our operations specialists reflected:
“Because we were involved from the design stage, we understood why decisions were made. That context made it easier to troubleshoot issues and support operations in ways that went beyond just running the plant.”
This perspective highlights how aligning design knowledge with operations capability strengthens performance, reduces risk, and ensures operators understand both what the system does and the rationale driving its design.
It also underscores the value of operators who can step beyond a narrow scope — supporting decisions like piping alternatives, dosing variances, and discharge options — and act as problem-solvers and collaborators.
Client Value Delivered
The project underscores Integrated Sustainability’s commitment to advancing reliability through integrated delivery:
- Reduced operational risk with design-informed operators who brought embedded context.
- Improved reliability through proactive maintenance, SOP development, and knowledge transfer.
- Contractual performance commitments tied to defined KPIs, aligning accountability with measurable outcomes.
Why It Matters
Mining projects face increasing pressure to demonstrate strong water stewardship. Aligning engineering expertise with operational accountability ensures treatment systems perform consistently, safeguard compliance, and protect client value. This project demonstrates how resilient design, embedded operational knowledge, and collaborative problem-solving can restore confidence in critical infrastructure.
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