Jonathan Cooper, Ausenco’s North American Water Resources Team Lead, shares key insights on the challenges and opportunities that come with mine water management in the latest issue of the North American Mining Magazine.
A strong water management strategy starts with a clear understanding of the mine’s water needs throughout its lifetime and considers everything from environmental limitations to weather patterns to changing operational demands. Jonathan emphasizes that water balance models are critical to identify operational risks and predict the performance of water management systems. These models are also useful in predicting water quality, a critical factor in permitting and mitigation planning.
Cross-functional collaboration also plays a key role―Jonathan points out that multidisciplinary input ensures water balance models reflect real-world conditions and accounts for the influence of operational variability.
As mines grow or evolve—through expansions, changers to ore grades, or shifting climate patterns—water systems must adapt. Jonathan encourages future-proofing infrastructure with flexibility in mind and stresses the importance of avoiding both over- and under-permitting.
He also highlights that solid baseline studies are a must. Choosing the right study area and building conceptual site models can help teams spot risks early and design better monitoring systems. And with climate change in mind, Jonathan advocates for scenario-based planning to build resilience into water systems from the start.
At Ausenco, proactive, data-driven strategies—like those Jonathan describes— are essential to delivering resilient, cost-effect and sustainable mines.