Our Experience

Bastion Geotechnical’s expertise extends to the development and implementation of geotechnical management systems and advancing efficiencies in the discipline through the use of developing technologies.

 

What we stand for

  • Collaborative and Regular Communication.

  • Adaptability and Flexibility to Change.

  • Innovation, Learning and Mastery.

  • Published Values, Methods and Guidance.

  • Create, Innovate and Envision the Future.

  • Competency Mentoring and Growth in Capability.

 

Independent and Expert Reviews

  • South32

    • Boddington Bauxite Mine Technical Assurance Review.

  • OM (Manganese) Ltd.

    • Masai 2B Stage 2 Geotechnical Design Verification.

  • Mine Technics

    • Limit Equilibrium Slope Stability Analyses for investigation of a relict landslide.

  • Norton Goldfields

    • Independent advice on Ground Control Management Plan, Ground Support Standards and other operational activities.

  • Absolute Geotechnics

    • Independent Technical Peer Reviews.

  • AngloGold Ashanti

    • Provision of technical assurance and internal peer review support for the Principal Geotechnical Engineering and global operational teams.

    Talison Lithium

    • Geotechnical Risk Assessment Workshop for the Ground Control Management Plan.

  • Rio Tinto Iron Ore

    • Provision of technical assurance and internal peer review support for operational geotechnical teams of the West Pilbara operations.

 

Major Mining Investigations

  • Endeavour Mining

    • Hounde Gold Mine: Back-analysis and Geotechnical Design Specification.

    • Kalanako Project: Geotechnical Design Specification.

    • Fetekro Open Pit: DFS Geotechnical Design Specification.

  • OM (Manganese) Ltd.

    • Chugga Far North: Geotechnical Design Specification.

    • Shekuma Stage 8: Geotechnical Design Specification.

    • Masai2B Stage 2: Geotechnical Design Verification.

  • Red Rock Geotechnical

    • Pilbara Iron Ore Open Pit Mine: Limit Equilibrium Slope Stability Analyses.

  • AngloGold Ashanti

    • Siguiri Remote Lease Project: Geotechnical design for the Pre-Feasibility Study for 7x <80m deep pits. Collation of geotechnical data, compilation of a geotechnical model, kinematic and probability of undercutting analyses and 2D slope stability analyses (LE).

    • Butcher Well Project: Training of field personnel in the collation of geotechnical data, evaluation and contribution of geotechnical inputs into the Scoping Study report assessing open pit and underground designs.

    • Tropicana Gold Mine Long Island Study: Collation of geotechnical data, completion of validation activities and reporting.

    • Iduapriem Gold Mine Highwall Steepening Project: Implementation of a photo-logging campaign on resource geology drilling photographs. Implementation of a Point Load Testing and geomechanics laboratory testing (UCSE, TCS, DST) campaign. Interpretation of fabric and large structure data derived from geo-referenced photogrammetry and aerial photographs.

    • La Colosa Project: Revision and update of geotechnical design for a proposed ~900m deep open pit.

    • Gramalote Project: Geotechnical design for the Pre-Feasibility Study for 4x <450m deep staged pits. Collation of geotechnical data, compilation of a geotechnical model, kinematic and probability of undercutting analyses.

    • Quebradona Project: Collation of geotechnical data, completion of validation activities and reporting.

  • BHP Billiton Iron Ore

    • Mining Area C Operations: Geotechnical design for multiple open pits in the Mining Area C deposit.

      Collation of geotechnical data, compilation of a geotechnical model, kinematic and probability of undercutting analyses and 2D slope stability analyses (LE).

  • Pells Sullivan Meynink

    • Pilbara Operations: Geotechnical design for multiple open pits in the Paraburdoo, Eastern Range, Brockman and Western Turner Syncline Mining Areas.

      Collation of geotechnical data, compilation of a geotechnical model, kinematic and probability of undercutting analyses and 2D slope stability analyses (LE).

  • Rio Tinto Iron Ore

    • Pilbara Operations: Design and project management of diamond drilling for geotechnical logging and hydrogeological testing in the Paraburdoo, Eastern Range, Channar, Brockman 2, Hope Downs 4, Marandoo and Yandicoogina (Open pits) Mining Areas.

      Geotechnical design for multiple open pits. Management of multiple consultants including Snowden, Coffey Mining and Pells Sullivan Meynink.

  • Delta Gold Limited

    • Kanowna Belle Gold Mine: Investigation using numerical modelling of the stress re-distribution as a result of mining.

 

Systems and Data Management

  • Pells Sullivan Meynink

    • Implementation and maintenance of a SQL Server Database. Geotechnical and hydrogeological data management (SQL Server Database: Geotechnical logging for rock and soil, laboratory testing).

  • Rio Tinto Iron Ore

    • Implementation and maintenance of the acQuire Database and reporting/visualisation tools. Geotechnical and hydrogeological data management (acQuire Database: Geotechnical logging for rock and soil, scanline, large structure and photogrammetric mapping, laboratory testing, inspections, Fall of Ground events).

  • Bastion Geotechnical Pty Ltd

    • Collaboration with industry partners including Minalyze, Imago amongst others to advance efficiencies in the discipline through the use of developing technologies.

  • AngloGold Ashanti

    • Implementation and maintenance of the GeotAgg Database and reporting/visualisation tools. Geotechnical and hydrogeological data management (SQL Server Database: Geotechnical logging for rock and soil, window/cell, scanline, large structure and photogrammetric mapping, laboratory testing, inspections). Software systems included GEM4D, SQL Server, 3DF Zephyr, Esri Survey123.

 

Mining Operational Support and Management

  • AngloGold Ashanti - Córrego do Sítio Gold Mine - Brazil (Underground and Open Pits)

    • Provision of operational geotechnical support for the management of geotechnical hazards in the underground and open pit mines. Duties included mentoring on the use of Map3D models, technical site visits, inspections and reporting.

  • Premier Coal - Coal Mine - Western Australia (Open Pits)

  • Provision of operational geotechnical support for the management of a Fall of Ground adjacent to a public highway.  Duties included review and interpretation of monitoring data in the context of visual observations of the Fall of Ground.

  • Talison Lithium - Lithium/Tantalum Mine - Western Australia (Open Pits)

    • Provision of operational geotechnical support for the management of mining in the vicinity of a Fall of Ground. Duties included review and interpretation of monitoring data in the context of visual observations of the Fall of Ground.

  • Rio Tinto Iron Ore - West Pilbara Iron Ore Mines - Western Australia (Open Pits)

    • Provision of operational geotechnical & hydrogeological support to multiple open pits. Manage & mentor team of geotechnical engineers & technicians. Duties included scanline mapping for optimisation of slope design, management of geotechnical hazards and Fall of Ground events, management of external consultants and contractors.

  • Kanowna Belle Gold Mine - Western Australia (Underground and Open Pit)

    • Provision of operational geotechnical support for the underground mine. Duties included quality control of ground support standards, cable bolt designs for intersections and stopes, stope and pillar designs, intersection audits and management of geotechnical hazards.

  • OM (Manganese) Ltd. - Bootu Creek Mine - Northern Territory (Open Pits)

    • Provision of advice for standpipe piezometer installation.

    • Large structure mapping of the Tourag open pit highwall.

    • Provision of advice regarding geotechnical drilling, logging and sampling of three diamond cored boreholes.

    • Provision of advice regarding prism monitoring.

  • Nathan River Resources - Roper Bar Iron Ore Mine - Northern Territory (Open Pit)

    • Inspections of operational area, review of mine design in the context of historical advice.

    • Provision of advice and documentation for a Ground Control Management Plan.

  • Hawthorn Resources - Trouser Legs Gold Mine - Western Australia (Open Pit)

    • Provision of operational geotechnical advice regarding working in the vicinity of a Fall of Ground. Inspection of the geotechnical conditions of the remainder of the open pit.

  • AngloGold Ashanti - Iduapriem Gold Mine - Ghana (Open Pits)

    • Facilitation of a Geotechnical Risk Assessment Workshop regarding undercutting of bedding planes. Duties included compilation of a 3D geo-referenced photogrammetry model and interpretation in the context of prism monitoring data and assessment of the impact on anticipated slope stability. Review of operational geotechnical conditions of a hard rock slope adjacent to a Tailings Storage Facility. Duties included compilation of a 3D geo-referenced photogrammetry model and interpretation for fabric and large structure and assessment of the impact on anticipated slope stability.

 

Training, Mentoring and Competency Development

2021 WA School of Mines Alumni Mentoring Program.

  • Mentoring of a post-graduate professional

OM (Manganese) Ltd.

  • Delivery of a one-on-one session upskilling on geotechnical logging methodology and sampling for laboratory testing.

Bastion Geotechnical Pty Ltd

  • Delivery of a tailored training course in the use of Map3D (BEM) Software for Geotechnical engineer as part of continued professional development.

AngloGold Ashanti

  • Provision of training, mentoring and competency development for the AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Principal Geotechnical Engineering and global operational teams including:

    • Colombia Projects (Gramalote, La Colosa, and Quebradona)

    • Brazilian Operations (Córrego do Sítio, Cuiabá, Lamego)

    • Argentina Operations (Cerro Vanguardia)

    • Guinea Operations (Siguiri Gold Mine)

    • Mali Operations (Sadiola Gold Mine)

    • Ghana Operations (Iduapriem Gold Mine and Obuasi Gold Mine)

    • Tanzania Operations (Geita Gold Mine)

    • Australian Operations (Sunrise Dam Gold Mine and Tropicana Gold Mine)

  • AGA Shotcrete QA/QC workshop – Belo Horizonte.

  • AGA Geotechnical block modelling workshop – Belo Horizonte.

Pells Sullivan Meynink

  • Provision of training, mentoring and competency development to junior engineers.

  • Delivery of training courses to Rio Tinto Iron Ore (Perth) for the use of Maptek Vulcan and acQuire software.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore

  • Provision of training, mentoring and competency development to junior engineers and operational teams at the Paraburdoo, Tom Price, Marandoo, and Brockman operations.