MINING EXPERIENCE

 

Over 50 years experience working in the mining field has given me unique perspective. Whereas water issues have been the main reasons for being hired, I have absorbed far more, such as rock mechanics, soil mechanics, beneficiation, hydrochemistry, construction and process engineering. I graduated from the mining department of what was once one of the country’s foremost mining schools, Berkeley, worked 2 ½ years in Peru and Chile for one of the largest American mining companies, Cerro de Pasco Copper Co., taught geology and hydrology for 13 years at the famous Colorado School of Mines and  spent most of my consulting career working for mining firms or engineering firms in their employ. I conducted my own heap leaching and placer gold business for six years.

 

Civil and geological engineer, Cerro de Pasco Copper Corp., Hydroelectric Dept. under B.C. Maine and R.I. Lowe. I inspected eight of their underground mines and worked on the conversion of Cerro de Pasco to open pit operations, notably improving the water supply for Paragsha Mill. For every mineral prospect, our job was to develop a power supply by collecting hydrological data, then design a high-head, low discharge hydroelectric scheme. Tailings dams were also our responsibility. (1957-59)

 

Engineering Geologist (part-time), Woodward-Clyde-Sherard & Assoc., Oakland, CA, John A. Trantina. Conducted explorations for non-metallic minerals in the Bay area, water resource studies in the Mother Lode country, including access to many old mines and placers. (1961-64)

 

Engineering Geologist for Ralph M. Parsons Co., Conducted a seismic exploration of rock quarry overburden for Exchequer Dam, foundation drilling and geology for Exchequer Spillway, and foundation drilling and geology for Snelling Dam, all on the Merced River. (1963)

 

Expert witness, Merced County Court, CA for Mr. Clifford Bashand, atty. Won the suit on the nature of gravel as a non-mineral resource, Los Banos Creek (1962)

 

With a research grant from the Mining Chemicals Div., American Cyanamid Co., Mystic, CT, I developed a theory of flow through fractured media to assist in marketing AM-9 grout. Estimated fracture porosity of many drilled sites. Reuben Karol (1963-66)

 

Consultant to Cement and Lime Div., Martin-Marietta Corp., NY NY, Carl A. Houser, evaluated a flooded quarry, and sought dry ground for a new quarry by conducting 400 drill-holes and water tests in Milan, Michigan. Karstic limestone underlays glacial lake beds. (1966-67)

 

Consultant to American Cement Co., Peerless cement Co., Riverside, CA and Detroit, MI, Cyril Jones, conducted areal study of groundwater and bedrock depths in counties near Dundee and Oakland, MI. Public meetings in London Township. (1967-69)

 

Conducted continuous operation of placer gold separation by sluicing effluent at four aggregate plants, Clear Creek and S. Platte River, Denver, CO (1970-76)

 

Geological, geophysical consultant to Dukco Mining Co., Swansea, CA silver mine. Clarence R. Streeter, Jr. (1970-71)

 

Inspected Gwembe Colliery, in Karoo of Zambezi Graben, Zambia (1972)

 

Consultant to Sernco, Inc., wrote EIS for mining impacts of Peabody Coal Co. mine in Roland Seam at Gillette, WY. Mr. Wally Shirra (1973-74)

 

Consultant to Mobile Premix Co., Denver, CO, Mr. Charles Eatchell. Conducted surveillance of drawdowns due to dewatering a gravel pit. (1973)

 

Consultant to Climax Molybdenum Co., John  McDonough, hydrology and pit slope drainage of Climax Mine, Colo. (1975-76)

 

Consultant to Wyoming Minerals Corp., John Eisenbarth, Evaluation of in-situ leaching operations, aquifer testing of Grover sands, Weld County, CO to establish no cross-contamination (1976)

Conducted placer gold exploration on Magdalena River, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica (1974-75)

 

Consultant to Rocky Mountain Energy Co., John Albers. Conducted 34 pumping tests in exploration drill holes into fault zone, uranium ore body for pit drainage evaluation, Copper Mountain Mine, WY (1975)

 

Consultant to Pincock, Allen and Holt, Inc., Mr Jim Saveley, Pit-sklope hydrology and fault zone drainage by horizontal drilling, Pitch Mine, Sargents, CO (1976-77)

 

Member, Panel on Mining and In-Situ Energy Recovery, U.S. Rock Mechanics Committee, Nat’l Academy of Sciences, Dr. Sid Green (1976-78)

 

Consultant to Pincock, Allen and Holt, Inc., John Marek, Analysis of pit slope hydrology, Copper Mt. Mine, WY (1977-78)

 

Consultant to Lawrence Berkeley Labs, Paul A. Witherspoon, design and construction of deep drill holes at Stripa, Sweden iron mine for nuclear repository siting.Tests, sampling devices and seals design. (1978-79)

 

Consultant to Pincock, Allen and Holt, Inc., Stanley Miller, pit-slope hydrology for Climax Molybdenum Co., Mt. Tolman Mine, WA (1979)

 

Consultant to Cypress Mines, Inc., Chris Hartman, Evalaution of pit-slope stability and drainage by peripheral well system, Hanson Pit, Colo. (1979)

 

Consultant with Steffen, Robertson Inc., John Walsh, on Union Mines Platoro Gold Mine, dewatering evaluation by pump-testing old shaft. (1980-81)

 

Consultant to AMAX, Inc., Mr. Ralph Crosser, evaluation of seepage and designs of post-mining tunnel seals to mitigate acid effluent, Mt. Emmons Mine, Colo. (1980-81)

 

Consultant to Conoco, Inc., John McDonough, Evaluate in-situ leaching problems for Florence, AZ copper prospect in fractured porphyry (1981)

 

Consultant to Vadarado Mining Co., Leo W. Kennedy, Testing and dsign of placer gold operations near Golconda, NV (1981-82)

 

Evaluated hard-rock gold deposit in Costa Rica for investor, David DeGraff (1981)

 

Consultant to Astro Resources Co., Charles Volk, evaluated gold contents and designed

Recovery plant at Battle Mt., NV (1981-82)

 

Expert witness with Eastman and Smith Co. James Nooney, atty., testified and won suit concerning mine flooding by neighbor US Gypsum, in District Court, Port Clinton, OH for Celeotex Corp. (1981-82)

Consultant to Inspiration Copper Co., Miami, AZ, James Saveley, pit-slope drainage, Thornton Pit (1981-82)

 

Developed heap leaching process for gold in sulphide ores at Virginia Canyon, CO., completed permit process for personal endeavor (1981-82)

 

Visited scores of ancient gold mines and quarries, and active coal, phosphate, iron, silica and limestone mines in Egypt, working for AID, Cairo (1983-85)

 

Consukltant with Science Applications Int’l Corp. for Cigna Insurance Co. suit over flooding of K2 Potash Mine, Esterhazy, Sask., Mr. Gerry Garand, atty. (1988-92)

 

Consultant to W.W. Wheeler Co., on AMAX, Inc. tailings dam acid effluent abatement at Urad Mine, CO (1990-92)

 

Consultant to EPA Region X on groundwater hydrology of proposed wetlands treatment of Smelterville Flats contamination by Bunker Hill Mine, Carl Johnson, (1993-94)

 

Technical assistance to DOE, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Carlsbad, NM, hydrology of salt mine and overburden, nuclear waste transport (1994-95)

 

Consultant to EPA Region III on effectiveness of gravity separation of brass wastes from moulding sands at Lakeview Superfund Landfill, OH. Donna Duer, DOJ atty. (1995)

 

Consultant to Hydro-Geo Consultants, Vladimir Straskraba, review of groundwater impacts of Battle Mt. Gold Co.’s Crown Jewel Pit, WA (1995-97)

 

Consultant to Grosvenor Engineering Co., David Krebs, and Alliance Insurance Co., analysis of causes of shaft flooding of Mines Seleine, Isles de la Madeleine, Quebec (1995-97)

 

Consultant to EPA Region IX, John Hillenbrand, review of plans to control surface water and tailings effluent at Ray Mine, AZ (1997)

 

Consultant to Fracflow Consultants, Inc., Dr. John E. Gale, on causes of flooding and remediation of Potacan Potash Mine, New Brunswick (1997)

 

Consultant to Battle Mt. Gold Co., preparation for trial of hydrological issues of Crown Jewel Mine, Mr Craig Galli, atty. (1998)

 

Study of solution mining processes and cavern surveying methods for City of Mont Belvieu, litigation over gas storage caverns in Barber’s Hill, TX (1989-2002)

 

Trench excavation and geology of mica mine at Poncha Pass, CO for Tonto Apache Tribe, Payson, AZ  (2001-2004)

 

Preparation for trial on acid mine drainage issues of Cobalt Mine, ID and Holden Mine, WA, John Lindemann, atty. (2002-04)