Water Services
Mining Water Studies
This unit focuses
solely on mining and processing. Key areas of work include:
v
Water aspects of
environmental impact assessment and feasibility studies
v
Mine dewatering
studies
v
Hydrochemistry and
contamination studies
v
Mine waste
management and characterisation
v
Waste disposal
investigations
v
Numerical
groundwater modelling
v
Mine closure
studies
Monitoring
GCS offers
quality monitoring services that are cost-effective and informative to allow
clients to better manage their operations. These services include.
v
Water quality
monitoring of surface water and groundwater
v
Microbiological
monitoring of surface water and groundwater
v
Groundwater level
monitoring
v
Air quality
monitoring
v
Bio-monitoring
v
Occupational
hygiene monitoring
Water Resources
The Water
Resources unit is key to unlocking sustainable water resources. Its services
include:
v
Groundwater and
surface water resource development
v
Water supply
investigations
v
Groundwater reserve
determinations
v
Aquifer protection
and remediation
v
Natural/mineral
water development for bottled water.
v
Conjunctive use
water supply schemes
Hydrology
Accounting for every drop of water is key to sustainability. Key
services include:
v
Specialist water
studies for EIA’s
v
Catchment hydrology
and resource evaluations
v
Integrated water
management
v
Flood hydrology and
flood lines
v
Storm water
management plans and designs
v
Dam yield analysis
v
Dynamic water and
salt balances
v
Water footprinting
v
Hydrological
modelling
v
Water management
and planning
Groundwater Resources for Agriculture
Potential study areas are identified and
assessed for suitability through Aerial Photo Interpretation (API) and remote
sensing. Ground geophysical investigations are performed to locate suitable
borehole or well positions on site. Various geophysical methods are employed
depending on the site specific geology and conditions. Catchment yield
potential is evaluated through reserve calculations to determine the
sustainability of groundwater abstraction.
During its 30 years of operation in Africa,
GCS has established a comprehensive list of drilling and aquifer test
contractors who can be employed to install and equip the boreholes. Once
installed, aquifer tests can be performed to determine the sustainable yield of
the aquifers. GCS performs drilling and aquifer test supervision to ensure
optimal design, construction, and data collection. Hydrochemistry is determined
to ensure water quality suitability for the intended use.
Agricultural studies allow for the integration
of water (surface and groundwater), soils and the environment. With GCS’ strong
background in these sectors, GCS specialists can offer a wide range of
expertise to the agricultural sector. GCS has an established history of
providing specialist inputs that facilitate a range of developments and the
specialist skills required for this work can be and have been effectively
applied to Agricultural projects.
Irrigation is a good example of an integrated
application of the soils and water spheres. This is especially true for the
direction in which agriculture is heading; precision agriculture. There is a
drive toward more cost-effectively managed agricultural resources by better
understanding one’s available water and soil resources. GCS has considerable
experience in the development and management of groundwater resources in Africa
and offers the following professional services:
v
API and remote sensing
v
Database development and management
v
Geophysical investigations
v
Contract management and supervision
v
Borehole design and construction
v
Resource evaluation (quantity and quality)
v
Catchment reserve calculation studies
v
Well field design, modelling, and
optimisation.
v
Borehole scheme management and monitoring
Environmental
Unit
The GCS Environmental unit handles a variety
of authorisation, licensing, and permitting processes in the mining,
environmental, renewable energy, water usage, and waste industries. The unit through
ongoing professional development, our environmental team stays current on all
statutory requirements and legislative amendments.
Regulatory Services:
A constitutionally protected
environmental right has increased the awareness of environmental law in every
aspect of decision making which might have an impact on the environment.
Companies operating within the South African environmental sphere have an
obligation to adhere to the legal obligations, norms, standards, principles,
and guidelines as contained in South Africa’s multifaceted network of environmental
legislation.
Regulatory services offered include:
v
Environmental and Occupational Health and
Safety Legal Compliance Audits
v
Due diligence audits
v
Compliance audits in respect of:
o Applications
for listed activities under the National Environmental Management Act, 1998
(Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA)
o Applications
for listed activities under the National Environmental Management: Waste Act,
2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008) (NEM:WA)
o Applications
for listed activities under the National Environment Management: Air Quality
Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004) (NEM:AQA)
o Financial
provision and closure determination in terms of MPRDA and NEMA
v
General environmental legal advice, legal assistance,
and legal reviews
v
Environmental Authorisations and Assessments
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in line
with the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) is a
systematic process to identify potential positive and negative impacts
(biophysical, socio‐economic, and cultural) on the environment associated with
proposed activity.
According to the NEMA, sustainable development
requires the integration of social, economic, and environmental factors in the
planning, implementation and evaluation of decisions to ensure that development
serves present and future generations.
v
Water Use Licensing
GCS has many years of experience in the
compilation of Integrated Water Use License Applications in terms of the
National Water Act, 1988 (Act No: 36 of 1988) (IWULA) which has been gained in
a variety of economic sectors. The unit provides comprehensive services
relating to water use licensing and the water use regulation process,
including:
o
Integrated Water Use Licensing
o
Water Use License Auditing and Amendments
o
Water Use Registration
o
Transfer of water use entitlements (water
trading)
o
Water Use License Consolidation Application
o
Water Footprint Assessments
Specialised
Environmental Services
v
Environmental Management Systems
Organisations across the board are becoming
increasingly focused on achieving and demonstrating sound environmental
performance.
An Environmental Management System (EMS) is
part of an overall management system that includes organisational structure,
planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and
resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining
the Environmental Management Plan (EMP). ISO 14001:2015 Environmental
Management System forms an integral part of the EMS of an organisation.
Services include:
o
Environmental Management Systems
o
Environmental Management Plans
o
Performance Management Audits
o
ISO 14001:2015 development and compliance
v
Financial Provision and Closure
Applications
Closure refers to the process leading
to the issue of a closure certificate in terms of Section 43 of the Minerals
and Petroleum Resources
Development Act, 2002 (Act No 28 of
2002) (MPRDA). In terms of Section 41 (3) of the MPRDA, an applicant must make
the prescribed
financial provision for the
rehabilitation or management of negative environmental impacts. GCS makes use
of the Department of Mineral
Resources (DMR) Guideline Document for the
Evaluation of Financial Provisions made by the Mining Industry.
Closure Services include:
o
Closure Plans
o
Rehabilitation Plans
o
Measurement and Monitoring Plans
o
Financial Provisions for closure
v
Environmental Control Management
Based on the aspects and impacts identified in
the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), Environmental and Social
Management Plans (ESMP) are developed for each of the components, to be
implemented during project design, site preparation, and construction and
operation phases. The purpose of these plans will be to provide the clients
project and operational staff with working ‘manuals’ detailing the safeguards
developed to protect the environmental and social entities described in the
Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) by leveraging positive and
limiting negative impacts.
The Environmental Control Officer (ECO)
services offered include the auditing and management of the following key
elements:
o Objective/operational
policy – identification of broad environmental outcomes desired
o Target/Performance
criteria – measurable performance criteria to measure objective achievements.
o Management
and mitigation actions/Implementation strategies – definition of conditions to
be met and actions to be taken to achieve objectives and targets.
o Performance
monitoring – observations or measurements required to determine whether targets
are met and auditing to prove compliance with management strategies.
o Reporting
– provision of the chain of reporting and clear record keeping.
o Corrective
action and response
o Responsibility
– outline of personnel responsible for the management of elements or specific
components of the element
v
Aquatic, Terrestrial and Wetland
Ecology
The environmental unit provides a wide range
of ecological products and services to clients in the industrial, construction,
mining , oil and gas, rail, renewable energy and power generation sectors. We
adopt a holistic approach in the compilation of the various ecological reports.
Our teams also have expert knowledge in all relevant ecological factors, aiming
to provide the client with an integrated ecological plan which considers all
environmental factors as a whole, including the way that they are interlinked.
The following ecological studies can be
performed by GCS:
o Wetland
Delineation, Classification and Functionality Assessments
o Wetland
Restoration, Rehabilitation and Management Plan Development
o Biodiversity
Action Plans
o Ecological
Flow Requirements
o Habitat
Assessments
o Aquatic Macro-Invertebrate
Assessments (SASS5)
o Ecological
Baseline Assessment
o Design and
Implementation of Bio–Monitoring Plans
o Floral,
Faunal and Avifaunal Surveys
o Grazing
Capacity Determination
o Ecological
Management Plans
Social
Services
v
Stakeholder Engagement
Public participation is a statutory
requirement in most, if not all, recently promulgated environmental
legislation. In South Africa, the National Environmental Management Act, 1998
(Act No 107 of 1998) (NEMA), forms the basis of stakeholder consultation. In
addition, the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act No 28
of 2002) (MPRDA) and National Water Act (Act No 36 of 1998) place the
responsibility on developers to ensure that stakeholders are involved in the
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process or Water Use License Application
(WULA) process, as it may be, for any new development.
v
Social and Economic Impact Assessment
In terms of NEMA and the MPRDA, an EIA must
determine the nature, extent, duration, probability, and significance of the
potential environmental, social and cultural impacts of proposed developments.
Social and Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA)
is normally undertaken as part of the EIA process. The public participation
process can assist hugely with data collection and analysis. SEIA attempts to
predict the probable impact of a development on the day‐to‐day lives and
activities of individuals and communities as well as the way in which they
interact with one another.
A number of African countries have already
included the requirement to combine the EIA process with a Social Impact
Assessment (SIA) in their environmental legislation. Combining the biophysical
and social components of impact assessment places GCS in a strategic position
to apply its wide variety of in‐house skills in a holistic manner.
v
Social and Labour Plans
Social and Labour Plans (SLPs) are a
pre‐requisite for the granting of mining or production rights in order to
ensure the effective transformation of the mining and production industries.
The SLP requires the applicant to report on a variety of elements, which
include training, skills development, and the economic development of the area
in which they operate. In this regard, GCS is able to assist clients in
identifying possible Local Economic Development (LED) projects as well as
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects. Our team of Social Scientists
assist in facilitating the interactions and partnerships between the client,
project host communities, regulators and other stakeholders to develop and
ensure mutual prosperity and long-term sustainable solutions.
Other social products offered include:
o Stakeholder
engagement and public participation
o Facilitation
of stakeholder and community interaction
o Communication
strategies
o Feasibility
studies
o Social
risk assessment
o Socio‐economic
impact assessment
o Baseline
social surveys
o Opinion
polls
o Community
newsletters
o Training
o Social
Audits (SIA and SLP)
o Sustainability
Performance
Environmental, Social and Governance - ESG
GCS offers the following ESG services:
Corporate
advisory services
v
Water Stewardship
o
CDP Water Disclosure assistance (responsive to
catchment-level sustainability)
o
Water-related risks - translating findings
into business-relevant strategy
o
Water Footprint Analysis WWF Water Risk
Assessment
o
Catchment water-user relationships and
sustainability assessment
v
Decarbonization/Climate Change
o
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Scope 1 and 2
determinations
o
CDP Climate Disclosure assistance
(science-based targets advisory)
o
GHG Scope 3 screen (value chain contributions
boundary determination)
o
Climate resilience in long-term planning (Mine
closure objectives)
o
Physical and Transition climate change risks
over three-time horizons (TCFD aligned)
o
Climate change risk assessment for Equator
Principles IV
v
Mine Closure
o
Environmental Risk and Liability Assessment
o
Hydrological Assessments and Design
o
Social and Economic Assessments with
stakeholder engagement
o
Water Treatment (active and passive treatment
applications
o
Engineered Bio-Remediation and Phyto
Remediation
o
Invasive Plant Control
o
Civil Design Town and rural Planning &
Architecture
o
Mine Land Rehabilitation
o
Hydrogeology and Hydrology
o
Geochemistry
o
Ecology & Soils
o
Pitlakes
o
Erosion Control
o
Seepage Management
o
Infrastructure/ Asset Management
o
Decommissioning of Tailings and Waste Rock
Dump
Other ESG
Services:
o
Economic Performance
o
Environmental Performance
o
Carbon Footprint Reporting
o
Risk Management Services
Contaminated Site Management (CSM)
Aim of Our
Investigations
The aim of contaminated land
assessments (Phase I, Phase II, etc.) are to improve and develop conceptual
site models which help
identify potential
source-pathway-receptor exposure linkages and highlight the potential risk
posed to the identified human and
environmental receptors.
Contaminated land assessments are
crucial in determining the main contaminants of potential concern (COPCs), the
migration
characteristics of the contaminants,
the source and extent of the contamination in soil and groundwater and if the
contaminants can
be broken down naturally without external
intervention.
The data collected during the
investigation feed into the remedial options appraisal (ROA) and remedial
action plan (RAP) which is
developed
to address the site-specific soil and water pollution if it is found that the
site contamination poses undue risk to the
environment.
Phase I
and II contamination investigations include:
o
Risk based assessments
o
Remediation studies
o
Waste characterisation
o
Source and plume delineation
o
Due diligence studies
Services
offered:
v Phase I
Investigations
A Phase I
investigation is a quick and inexpensive investigation that highlights possible
areas of concern and to gain a better understanding of a site and the site
history.
Scope of work
for a Phase I includes:
o
Desktop Study
o
Site interview and walkover with manager
o
Determining the site history (spills/leaks or
loss)
o
Chemical data sheets stored on-site.
o
Any previous investigation undertaken on-site.
o
Determine if any maps or groundwater chemistry
databases are available.
v Phase 1.5 Investigation
This investigation is used to determine where
the impact is and what risk the impact poses to human health and the
environment.
Scope of work for a Phase 1.5 includes:
o
Targeting areas of concern identified during
the Phase I
o
Buried Utility Clearance of target areas.
o
Shallow soil augering
o
Soil Vapour Survey with a PID
o
Inspecting soil for visual and olfactory signs
of contamination
o
Submitting soil samples for analysis of
Chemical of Concern (CoC)
o
Hydrocensus to identify surrounding
groundwater users (Receptors)
v Phase II
Investigation
Based on the finding of the Phase 1.5
investigation, a Phase II investigation may be recommended if risk was
identified for nearby receptors. This investigation includes delineating the
contamination plume and collecting information to develop a conceptual site
model. Additional soil samples are collected and in most cases groundwater
monitoring wells are installed in areas of concern and down-gradient of the
suspected source of impact.
Scope of work for a phase II investigation
includes:
o
Soil sampling and analysis for CoC
o
Groundwater sampling and analysis for CoC
o
Plume delineation
o
Determining biodegradation capacity
o
Identifying sources of impact
o
Identify theoretical risk posed to receptors.
o
Identify potential source-pathway-receptor linkages.
o
Develop a Conceptual Site Model (CSM)
v Additional
Phase II Investigation
The purpose of the Additional Phase II
investigation is to further delineate the contamination plume and improve the
conceptual
site
model. Additionally, previously identified risk can be rules out or new risk
are identified.
Scope of work for an additional phase II
investigation includes:
o
Continued groundwater sampling and monitoring
o
Further delineation of the contamination plume
o
Determining the interconnectivity of different
aquifer systems
o
Determine indoor inhalation risk.
o
Determine the age of impact.
o
Determine the mobility of the contamination
and the potential for recovery.
o
Further develop the Conceptual Site Model
o
Identify current S-P-R linkages potentially
complete.
v Detailed
Quantitative Risk Assessment (DQRA):
Establish site specific target / clean up
levels to determine if the site poses a risk to the identified receptors by
using site specific information. An analytical model is then used to establish
the SSTLs for the different modelled scenarios, such as ingestion of
groundwater, leaching of contaminants from impacted soils to site groundwater,
direct dermal exposure to contaminated soil and vapour inhalation.
v Remedial
Options Appraisal (ROA) and Remedial Action Plan (RAP) Development
Should a site pose a very high risk to
receptors after completing an Additional Phase II investigation a DQRA and/or a
ROA is undertaken. During the ROA all possible remedial technologies are
compared to determine the remedial technology which would be economically
feasible, would improve identified impact and would practical based on-site
constraints. After all remedial options are compared a remedial technology is
recommended in the RAP which lays out the plan to undertake the chosen remedial
technology.
v Groundwater
monitoring
Groundwater monitoring is followed by the Phase II investigation where
low risk is identified to nearby receptors. The purpose of groundwater
monitoring is to monitor (a) changes in concentrations of CoC, (b) migration
patterns and changes in groundwater flow directions, (c) biodegradation
capacities and monitor natural attenuation (MNA) and (d) changes in S-P-R
linkages.
The scope of work includes:
o
Groundwater
Sampling for longer term trend analysis
o
Determining
Groundwater flow direction
o
Calculating
current biodegradation capacities and MNA
o
Identify S-P-R
linkages.
Geotechnical Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology is an essential component of civil engineering, mining, petroleum, or any other engineering concerned with construction on or in the ground. This discipline supplied by GCS in-house, uses principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics to investigate subsurface conditions and materials; determine the relevant physical, mechanical and chemical properties of the materials; evaluate stability of natural slopes and man-made soil deposits; assess risks posed by site conditions; design earthworks and structural foundations; and monitor site conditions, earthworks, and foundation construction.
The GCS Geotechnical and Engineering Geology unit draws its experience from several different divisions within the company including Water, Waste, Environmental and GIS
Typical Geotechnical Engineering projects begin with a review of project needs to define the required material properties. Then follows a site investigation of soil, rock, fault distribution and bedrock properties on and below an area of interest to determine their engineering properties including how they will interact with, on or in a proposed construction. We especially provide a very close combination between the above and Hydrogeology.
Site Investigations:
Investigations for:
o Housing developments (including NHBRC classification)
o Commercial, industrial, and port developments
o Pipelines and tunnels
o Roads, rail and infrastructure
o Dams, resevoirs, and pipelines
o Mining infrastructure
o Construction Planning Report
o Geotechnical and Geomorphical Terrain Evaluation
o Dolomite stability investigations for infrastructure
o Investigations for borrow pits and quarries and evaluation of construction materials
o Investigations for renewable engergy projects (solar, wind and hydro)
o Investigations of the stability of Slimes Dams (TSF)
v Analysis and Design
Geotechnical
analysis and designs for:
o Slope stability analysis and design
o Ground improvement.
o Design of lateral support and retaining structures
o BDesign of earth dames and canals
o Design, compliance, and inspections in accordance with GISTM regulations of existing and new TSF's
o Desgisn of cut-off walls and diaphragm walls
o Earthworks managements and quality assurance control
o Instrumentation and monitoring of structures
o MSite inspection and approval of foundation excavations
v Fields of experience
o Mine Waste Storage Facilities and Dams.
o Mine Pit and Slope Stability.
o Mine Rehabilitation Studies (cover design and compaction studies)
o Water Causeways and Culverts
o Bridges, Roads and Tunnels
o Power Lines
o Dolomite Stability and Undermining Investigations
o Rural and Urban Infrastructure Investigations (schools and hospitals)
o Housing Development Site Assessments
o Material Assessments and Usage
o Ground Improvement
o Construction Planning Investigation and Report
For all Geotechnical Engineering enquiries
please contact NinoW@gcs-sa.biz. https://gcsgeotechnical.co.za/
Renewable Energy
Geotechnical
Engineering
Geotechnical
Engineering Services to include:
·
Geotechnical
Desktop Studies, Feasibility Studies, and Site Investigations for solar and
wind farms.
·
Detailed
geological, hydrogeological and geotechnical data are often a notable unknown
factor in the design and operation of renewable energy projects, the lack of
which may pose a significant risk to the project. GCS offers a phased and
systematic approach towards site assessment, implementation and construction
supervision and the identification and mitigation of geotechnical constraints.
·
Site Investigations
including test pitting, auger boreholes, borehole drilling, in-situ sampling
and testing, penetrometer testing including DPL, DCP, DPSH and CPTu.
·
Geophysical Surveys
including resistivity, magnetic, electromagnetic, seismic, GPR and gravity
surveys. Pile Load testing of rammed piles.
·
Permeability
testing including percolation tests, double ring infiltrometer and Lefranc.
·
Geotechnical
drilling and in situ borehole testing including SPTs, pressure meter,
Lugeon/Packer tests. Plate-load tests and compaction assessment for founding
conditions.
·
All associated
laboratory testing and analysis for disturbed and undisturbed samples.
Water
Services
Water services to
include:
Hydrology
·
Hydrology impact
assessments
·
Flood lines &
flood risk
·
Stormwater
management plans
Hydrogeology
·
Hydrogeological
Investigation for water supply,
·
Geophysical
Investigation for Geological site characterisation,
·
Hydrogeological
impact assessments, and
·
Hydrogeological
baseline assessments.
Environmental
Management
Environmental
Services to include:
·
Environmental
Screening Assessments
·
Environmental
Authorisations
·
Water Use Licensing
·
Terrestrial and
Aquatic Specialist Studies
·
Closure Cost
Determinations
·
Decommissioning and
Rehabilitation Plans