Can you provide an introduction to Piteau Associates?

Piteau Associates is a leading international consulting firm that specializes in serving the mining industry. Our firm provides two main areas of service, namely geological engineering and mine design, and hydrogeology and water management. We have a global presence with offices in four locations in the US, namely Reno and Elko in Nevada, as well as Peru, Chile, South Africa, and the UK. We work with all major mining firms, mid-tiers, and juniors, and have an impressive team of technical staff with decades of experience in the industry. Additionally, we publish a high volume of guidelines and participate with several institutions in advanced education programs to support R&D.

Can you elaborate on the work that Piteau is currently doing in the southwestern US?

Currently, we have approximately 15-20 projects in Nevada, including the Robinson Mine. Our typical work in the region involves geotechnical engineering for open pit slope design and management, along with mine dewatering. We also address the demand for water resource work in Nevada, assessing hydrogeological impacts of mining, and developing studies to support mine expansions. We have a strategic alliance with Freeport-McMoRan in mine water management and pit slope depressurizing, and we provide services to all of the Freeport mines in Arizona.

What growth opportunities does Piteau see in the coming years?

One significant shift we are seeing in the mining industry is towards underground block caving, which allows for the exploration of more resources. Over the last two decades, we have seen significant growth in such projects, and we expect this trend to continue. As a result, we are looking to establish an underground block cave mining geotechnical practice and increase our block caving mining expertise. We believe that this area of growth will benefit everyone involved in mining.