As the Perth office turns 30, we start with a new leadership team in place to guide our future growth and profile key innovative projects below.
Our Perth team, led by Dr Nelson Amoah, a Senior Principal in Unconventional Tailings Management, are supported by nearly 150 highly Specialised Tailings Professionals across Australia. As ‘One ATC Williams’, our teams all over Australia are linked for company-wide sharing of skills and knowledge across all our projects.
Key Projects
Sunrise Dam
1998-2022
Underground and open pit gold mine
AngloGold Ashanti
- In 1998, the Sunrise Dam CTD (Central Thickened Discharge) was the third of its kind in Australia and the fourth in the world.
- Design of Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) comprising of a CTD tailings disposal scheme, which was pioneered by ATCW in Australia. The CTD scheme dramatically minimises earthworks volumes while catering for increased capacity.
- Until 2022, ATCW delivered full design services, including geotechnical and tailings testing, for all embankment raises, closure design, EOR duties, regulatory annual surveillance audits and monitoring of CTD performance.
EMR Golden Grove
2006-ongoing
Copper, lead, silver, zinc and gold mine
OZ Mineral, EMR Capital, 29Metals
- Annual surveillance audits 2013-2019.
- Since 2019, ATCW has designed embankment raises on TSF1 and TSF3, and a new TSF4, comprising a CTD tailings disposal scheme.
- Ongoing geotechnical consulting services, Construction Quality Assurance (CQA), and Quality Control (QC) with respect to Civil Works required to raise TSF 1 (Raise 5) and TSF 3 (Raise 4) embankments.
Sandfire DeGrussa Mine
2010-ongoing
Underground copper mine
Sandfire Resources Ltd
- Independent third-party review of the integrated tailings disposal facility.
- In mid-2012, CTD draft design for a secondary TSF for disposal of benign oxide tailings.
- Annual audits and geotechnical investigations, construction supervision for embankment raises and concept closure plans for the TSF.
Yangibana Rare Earth
2012-2019
Open pit mine
Hastings Technology Metals Ltd
- The Hastings deposit contains the highest proportion (85%) of heavy rare earths of any known deposit.
- TSF detailed designs, waste rock dump design, mine water management plan, mechanical design, geotechnical investigations, and dam break assessment.
Thunderbird
2013-ongoing
Mineral sand project
Thunderbird Operations Pty Ltd
-
Kimberley Mineral Sands Pty Ltd operates the Thunderbird Mineral Sands Project (Thunderbird), which is located mid-way between Derby and Broome in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
-
Thunderbird is one of the largest and highest-grade zircon mineral sands deposits in the world and contains valuable heavy minerals, including ilmenite, zircon, leucoxene, and rutile, which will be extracted and exported via the Port of Broome.
-
In 2013 we commenced work on scoping studies leading to BFS studies and detailed design of the TSF. Since then, we have provided hydrogeology reports, TSF detailed design studies, geotechnical investigations, tailings consolidation modelling, site technical support during construction, and the Operation and Maintenance Manual and have been assisting with the early operations to date.
Cataby Project
2012-ongoing
Iluka Resources Ltd
- Geotechnical testing and characterisation of tailings streams.
- Detailed design of an on-path cyclone stacked sand tailings stockpile.
- Various geotechnical investigation programs.
- Tailings beach modelling, density reconciliations and filling optimisation strategies.
Eneabba Project
2012-current
Iluka Resources Ltd
- Geotechnical testing and characterisation of tailings streams.
- Third party review of TSF detailed design including embankments and leak detection lining systems.
- Tailings beach modelling, density reconciliations and filling optimisation strategies.
Pilbarra-based client
2014-ongoing
Iron ore mine
- Detailed design of a 664 Mt capacity TSF and 5.1 GL capacity Return Water Pond (RWP).
- Extensive scope of work including geotechnical investigation, water balance studies, beach slope modelling, consolidation and evaporative drying modelling, detailed hydrological and water balance analyses, design (incorporating a dambreak and quantitative failure impact assessment), construction documentation and regulatory authority liaison.
- Detailed design, and construction documentation for the TSF, which comprised a zoned earthfill and rockfill main embankment, two downstream embankments to form the return water pond and return water system, BGM liner, concrete plinth, and grout curtain, inclined decant structure, outlet pipelines and valves and access roads.
Pilgangoora
2015-ongoing
Hard-rock lithium deposit
Pilgangoora Operations Pty Ltd
- Dam break and consequence category assessments,
- Facility closure, capping design for TSFs
- Technical support during construction of a new HME facility to the South of Pilgan Cell 1
- Investigation into QA requirements for the waste rock placement, required surveillance and monitoring post closure.
South 32 Worsley Alumina
2022-ongoing
Bauxite Mine & Alumina Refinery
South 32
- Comprehensive Dam Safety Review for South32’s Fresh Water Lake (FWL), Refinery Catchment Lake (RCL) and Landfill Embankment Dams, and their appurtenant structures.
- Gap analysis and additional geotechnical/geophysical investigations, preparation of retrospective design and construction reports, development of Leapfrog geological model, site wide hydrology and water balance modelling, water management systems upgrade, FWL scour system assessment and potential remedial works.
- Designer of Record (DOR) services for FWL and RCL Dams.
Narngulu Project
2022-ongoing
Iluka Resources Ltd
- Geotechnical testing and characterisation of tailings streams.
- Detailed design of an on-path cyclone stacked sand tailings stockpile.
- Various geotechnical investigation programs.
- Tailings beach modelling, density reconciliations and filling optimisation strategies.
Capel Project
2022-ongoing
Iluka Resources Ltd
- Development of TSF trigger action response plans including site inspection, geotechnical investigation of existing embankments, review of consequence categories, freeboard design and stability sensitivity analyses.
For more information you can email the Perth office here.
ATC Williams Perth Office
LEVEL 1, 251 ST GEORGES TERRACE
PERTH, WA 6000
AUSTRALIA
T. +61 8 9213 1600
