Permiam’s exploration team offer a range of services to help determine if there are mineral resources buried under the ground at shallow or deep levels.
Initial exploration activities, such as mapping, will start over a large area and then target smaller and smaller areas. The aim is to see if mineralisation is at levels large enough to be commercially extracted.
Exploration for minerals may involve:
Permiam can assist you with:
Detailed mineral resource evaluation can provide a basis on which economic decisions can be taken. Permiam can assist in assessing and reporting on the economic and financial aspects; cover the economic inputs and outputs of the project; the amount, type, and cost of capital available to a project - including net present value, internal rate of return, payback period, as well as risk analysis. Mineral resource evaluation should provide a basis on which economic decisions can be taken. At least, the main aspects can be identified if a mining project is evaluated, such as technical, economic/financial, social, and political. The technical aspects include all matters related to the geological setting of the deposit, characteristics of the mineralization (grade, tonnage), and technology that determines the production system. Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves are the basis for the future viability of a mining company’s operations. They form the basis for the mines’ long-term mining plans and are the underlying data for many of the company’s major investments. Mineral Reserves are reduced every year through mining activities and new additions to the Resources and Reserves are, therefore, vital to the longer term viability of the operations.
Permiam can find, delineate, and estimate the size and quality of mineral deposits using tools that minimize risks, cut costs, and reduce time frames. Base your decisions on our interpretation of the structural setting of ore deposits and our recommendations for specialized drilling, sampling, and assaying techniques. We use 3D modelling software combined with statistical and geostatistical methods to model commodity distribution. Our experts integrate complex datasets to generate and refine targets and identify controls on mineralization. We map open pit and underground mines and improve grade control, ore reserve modelling, mine plans, and near mine drill targeting. Our team has a wealth of experience in working with most commodities and mineral occurrences for exploration, mining, and for major international corporate clients, our reporting is in line with all international codes. Geologists will be responsible for a programme of exploration to establish the extent of the ore body so that the life of the mining operation can be determined and likely prolonged. In this respect the geologist will need to be familiar with the structure of the rock formations and have a broad knowledge of minerals, their properties and appearances. Their interpretation of the samples from exploration drilling programmes is critical to decision-making processes, as it ensures the continued profitability of the mining and metallurgical operations.
Permiam has a long track record of assisting companies throughout the world with their mining projects whether it be as technical advisor or as project audits for investment decisions. We have a highly experienced team of engineers able to address the needs of the modern mining industry gained through years of working around the globe. We are at the forefront of some of the strategic metals driving the EV revolution. Permiam engineers design safe and efficient mines, optimize these for removing resources in the most efficient and safe manner possible. We are able to design both open-pit and underground mines, supervise construction of mine structures, plan the transportation of minerals to processing plants, monitor production, and prepare reports. Permiam also ensure that mine operations are conducted in environmentally sound ways and assist project owners on land reclamation, water and air pollution, and sustainability issues.
Without water, mines cannot function. The imperative for more sustainable water management is consequently crucial to the future of mining, driven by both social and economic needs. With the global water shortage, there’s greater pressure for mining companies to reduce their freshwater demand, particularly in dry areas where local authorities may restrict or oppose water use. But water scarcity isn’t the only challenge facing mining operations. They must also manage flood risk to mitigate spilling, tailings dam failures and manage water quality to prevent pollution to the surrounding environment. Permiam can tailor a holistic solution for its clients and design a safe water management system including:
Permiam provides infrastructure and facilities planning services for complex development projects. We understand the physical challenges and environmental compliance issues associated with achieving the full potential of the mine - from landform grading and stormwater management, to public perception and site security, making the most effective use of your capital. Design services include:
Our team provides exceptional services for open-pit and underground mine planning, development and production scheduling, material handling, mine infrastructure design, backfilling, geotechnical engineering and cost estimating. We also offer a full range of expertise for environmental assessment, mitigation and monitoring, as well as mine closure, remediation and reclamation.
The Fundao and Brumadhino Dams in Brazil failed without warning in 2015 and 2019 and resulted in the loss of over 250 lives, caused immense environmental damage and reputational loss, and to date have cost staggering sums amounting to tens of billions of dollars, with multi-billion-dollar lawsuits still pending. Permian can assist with advance warning systems that detect dam movement as it happens, in real time. Our world class system’s technology enables it to achieve sensitivity literally millions of times greater than alternative systems. This enables activity within the dam to be detected in real time at long distances from the sensors, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the structure and offering potential early warning of dam failures with unprecedented effectiveness. The unique technology can be used to continuously monitor and detect micro seismic events occurring within the slope walls of open cut mines and other surface material deposits such as levees, giving advance warning of internal movement and the potential for collapse. Each sensor can detect micro seismic events up to 1 km horizontally and below ground. This eliminates the need for bore holes. Its unique ability is to “see through” in real time, the noise generated by machinery, vehicles and other ambient sounds, often many thousands of times greater than the micro seismic events themselves. This now gives the potential for mines to significantly increase their yields by allowing the working angles of slopes and sidewalls to be increased and yet still meet safety requirements. The 3D image of the internal strata continuously monitors real time changes and their location deep within the rock and spoil and, as excavation continues, early warning can be triggered well in advance of impending external movement or slippage – a breakthrough advantage over other techniques for slope monitoring.
Permiam use advanced technologies and their own expertise to determine the ore characteristics of samples and create the best mineral-processing flow sheets. From there, we help our clients develop mine plans using the best mineral processing models using the latest technology. We combine process and engineering know-how with modelling and simulation expertise to help develop the best designs possible.
The risks associated with extracting resources are high. One way exploration companies can reduce these risks is by securing offtake agreements. But what are they, and how do they work? At Permiam, we can assist our clients to move metals and associated raw materials from their mining activities to the end consumer by either:
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