Water Use in Mining with INTERA’s Patrick Williamson

Patrick Williamson, a Principal Hydrogeochemist with INTERA, provides a phenomenal discussion on the interrelationship between water and mining. Patrick deftly addresses a range of water issues present in mining. Plus, Reese Tisdale addresses the Rethinking Water conference and the role of private capital in the water sector in this month’s Bluefield on Tap segment.

In this session, you’ll learn about:

• Patrick’s fascinating background as an “oil brat”, exposure to geology as a result, and how that led him to environmental geochemistry and the water sector
• Why mining is important for modern life – “If it can’t be grown, it needs to be mined”
• Why mining is water intensive
• How water is used in mining
• What mine tailings are and why tailings ponds are used
• Dewatering in mines
• The difference between contact water and non-contact water and their treatment needs
• How water intensity of mining depends on the relationship among climate, commodity, and location
• The tension between water for mining, water for agriculture, and water for human populations
• The broad spectrum of water risks facing the mining sector
• ESG implications for the mining sector 
• Why water cannot be viewed as a consumable input anymore
• The biggest water transformations in mining over the last 20 years

Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include:

• Patrick’s LinkedIn profile
• INTERA’s website

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