Schnabel Introduces Mining as a Core Market Backed by Decades of Experience
With Schnabel Engineering’s strong history of work in the mining sector, the firm is excited to officially add mining to its core markets – a natural next step built on 70 years of geotechnical expertise, geological insight, and a deep understanding of earth systems.
Schnabel’s mining capabilities stretch back decades in the company’s history – led by highly skilled, diverse mining professionals who specialize in geotechnical and mining engineering – services now elevated with the new cohesive, powerhouse team of experts in the mining market.
“By combining our forces to share our capabilities between teams, we can serve our clients throughout the full life cycle of mining projects across the country,” says Morley Beckman, Mining Pursuit Market Director.
“Our team is willing to take on the most complex mine challenges that other firms shy away from,” adds Elliot Rouleau, Associate Engineer and Branch Leader of Schnabel’s Marquette, MI, branch.
Leveraging Decades of Civil Engineering Experience
Boasting decades of experience solving civil engineering and infrastructure challenges, Schnabel’s team designs with ground conditions in mind – with specialty experience in mine reclamation and rehabilitation, designing safe and long-lasting solutions. In addition, many of the firm’s mine reclamation solutions are focused on another core market: water.
“We are able to leverage our considerable experience and expertise in dams and hydraulics to engineer structures for mine rehabilitation, such as flow control structures, bulkheads, conveyance pipelines, run-on/run-off control, and instrumentation arrays to measure flow,” says Morley, who has more than 24 years of experience as a geotechnical and geological engineer, including seven years with Schnabel. “Our solutions are key to maintaining access to impounded mine pools for sampling and treatment, routing flow into and out of mines to manage acidification and other contamination, and ensuring that contaminated water is appropriately impounded and/or directed to conveyance and treatment. This same expertise also supports active mining operations, including the design and evaluation of tailings impoundments and other critical water‑management infrastructure.”
Schnabel’s mining talent oversees projects from start to finish, giving the team a competitive edge in the industry. They manage projects from inception (mine planning, initial subsurface investigations) through operations (mine design, tailings facility design, engineering oversight during operations) and into closure and rehabilitation.
“We understand and appreciate the full life cycle of mining projects,” explains Morley, who joined the Longmont team in 2019 as a dams engineer but quickly discovered her passion for abandoned mine reclamation. “We can help our clients transition from one phase into the next and anticipate the challenges that are influenced by prior phases of the mine’s life or the challenges that are yet to come.”
Mining Team Leads with Expertise, Passion and Safety
The mining team brings decades of experience across the full life cycle of mining projects, from early exploration to reclamation of sites abandoned for more than a century. They’re passionate about the work, committed to responsible mining, and driven by the impact they make on communities, the environment, and the people who rely on safe mining operations every day.
“Our team is highly skilled and has direct experience working on modern mines, as well as extensive experience in historical mine evaluation,” adds Elliot, who has more than 13 years of experience working in the mining industry, from exploration to operations to tailings and mine closure.
Not only do Schnabel’s mining professionals have a deep knowledge of their craft, but they are also truly passionate about their work.
“Our folks really love mining and are excited to come to work because of the challenges involved in mining projects,” Morley says.
Their role also brings incredible satisfaction.
“The work is deeply fulfilling,” Elliot adds, “and it feels good knowing that your expertise helps miners return home safely to their families each night – and protects both people and the environment from the downstream impacts of mine tailings or acid rock drainage. Although society often paints a negative picture of mining, the best way to ensure it’s done responsibly is to stay engaged. By being involved, we can help make sure mining is carried out in a way that safeguards communities and minimizes environmental impact.”
As with all projects, Schnabel prioritizes safety at all stages of every mining project. Each mining team member participates in Mine Safety and Hazard Administration (MSHA) New Miner training and annual refresher courses, as well as additional specialty training depending on the project’s unique requirements. The mining team also partners with Schnabel’s corporate health and safety team to prepare site-specific documentation, train employees, and ensure safety equipment is ready to go.
“We equip our employees with the right equipment, training, and communications for each site and each unique role,” Morley assures.
Mining Market Is Experiencing Promising Growth
With growing demand for critical minerals, advancements in technology, and increased investment in mine reclamation, the mining sector is evolving fast.
“Mining is a promising growth sector for engineering firms,” Elliot explains. “The U.S. mining industry is expected to grow significantly in the next several years.”
The team attributes several factors to mining market growth, including demand for critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt copper, and rare earth minerals, which are essential renewable energy technologies. They also note federal funding for reclamation projects as driving growth, with billions granted annually to states and tribes for projects that return legacy mining sites to productive use, as well as projects that address dangerous environmental conditions and pollutions caused by mining projects.
Other factors include technological advancements, such as AI and automation, which are enhancing efficiency and productivity in mining operations, and post-pandemic economic recovery driving demand for raw materials.
With active and abandoned sites spread across the country, mining directly impacts a wide range of industries.
“Minerals and metals support everything from construction materials to advanced technology manufacturing, making them essential for the nation’s economy” Elliot says. “Critical minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements, are required for electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, semiconductors, and AI-driven technologies. Demand for these minerals continues to surge as the U.S. accelerates its clean-energy transition and expands domestic manufacturing.”
Mining is critical for our economy, as the United States relies heavily on other countries to supply the critical minerals we need, Elliot says.
“The team’s mining work helps the country build secure and diversified supply chains for these minerals while driving employment across engineering, geology, equipment operation, environmental science, and emerging high-tech fields like automation and AI-assisted mining,” Elliot explains.
Driving the Future of the Mining Industry
Schnabel’s mining team stays up to date on all the latest and greatest tools and technologies in the mining world – such as the recent use of remote video and LiDAR drone to map inaccessible underground workings – through mining conferences with other pros who share their same passion for the mining industry.
“Networking allows us to strengthen our existing relationships with teaming partners, clients, and regulators,” says Morley, who is attending the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration MineXchange conference this week in Salt Lake City, UT, with Elliot and other mining team members. “It keeps us plugged in to changes in the industry, such as the evolving landscape of federal permitting in the active mining sector, or changes to EPA’s oversight of mine reclamation at Superfund sites.”
Given the mining team’s vast expertise, Morley trusts the team’s collective efforts will lead to well-deserved success for the firm. What does this achievement look like in the next five years? Morley says, “For Schnabel’s name to be firmly connected with all aspects of mining work. For our internal network of mining professionals to be active and engaged with one another and sharing their capabilities across the firm, and for Schnabel to have mining projects in all 50 states and internationally.”
Schnabel’s mining team is stepping into this next chapter with skill, passion, and a vision for the future. With decades of experience and commitment to responsible mining, they’re clearly ready to lead the firm into this exciting new territory.
By combining our forces to share our capabilities between teams, we can serve our clients throughout the full life cycle of mining projects across the country.