Heather Lammers

Teaching Assistant Professor

Career Summary

Dr. Heather Lammers is a geological and mining engineer with over 17 years of consulting experience in the mining industry, specializing in interdisciplinary analysis and design. She has international project experience in mine closure and reclamation and tailings and mine waste facility design and construction with consideration for sitewide water management, geotechnical and geochemical stability, cover systems, and geomorphic design. Her expertise includes developing and implementing risk-based design approaches for mine waste and water management throughout the lifecycle of a facility. Heather has demonstrated leadership through team building, project execution, development and implementation of business and corporate strategies, industry service, and academic research.

Heather serves as a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Mining Engineering Department at the Colorado School of Mines, responsible for expanding education and research capacities in mine closure and reclamation, tailings facility design, and critical mineral development and resource evaluation. She actively seeks opportunities that promote and facilitate student learning, professional development, and industry engagement experiences.

Heather also serves as a global subject matter expert and lead geotechnical engineer for mine waste and mine closure at Hatch Ltd. She works directly with internal and external project teams and communities to develop innovative solutions and implement best practices for environmental stewardship. She has directed mine closure and reclamation design and construction projects on four continents in varying climate zones. She has also led and advised tailings and mine waste facility planning, design, construction, and closure projects.

Education

MS and PhD, Mining and Earth Systems Engineering, Colorado School of Mines

BS, Geological Engineering, University of North Dakota

Current Research

• Mine closure and reclamation strategies with consideration for sitewide water management, cover systems, and geomorphic design.
• Mine waste and water management strategies for the lifecycle of a facility considering risk-based design approaches.
• Multi-criteria selection and assessment for evaluation of options and guiding decisions.
• Electrokinetics and their applied use for in situ tailings dewatering.

Courses Taught

Undergraduate

• MNGN 210 Introductory Mining
• MNGN 312 Surface Mine Design
• MNGN 314 Underground Mine Design
• MNGN 317 Dynamics for Mining Engineers
• MNGN 318 Statics and Dynamics for Mining Engineers
• MNGN 428/429 Mine Evaluation and Design I/II

Graduate

• MNGN 516 Underground Mine Design
• MNGN 563 Mine Water, Waste, and Closure

Professional Experience

 7/2023 – present Hatch Ltd.
Mine Waste and Mine Closure Subject Matter Expert
Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Senior engineer and advisor for mine closure and reclamation and tailings and mine waste management projects. Responsible for review and confirmation of technical completeness for corporate deliverables, and business and client service development.

• Adding a business line and portfolio for mine closure and reclamation.
• Building capacity in tailings and mine waste management.
• Training and developing engineers and scientists.

1/2023 – present Colorado School of Mines
Teaching Assistant Professor, Mining Engineering

Member of a new cohort of teaching faculty at Mines, and the first in the Mining Engineering Department, brought in to address changing education and innovation needs of the mining industry and society.

• Expanding education and research capacities in mine closure and reclamation, tailings facility design, and critical mineral development and resource evaluation.
• Developing and delivering surface and underground mine design courses and teaching and advising for senior capstone design courses.
• Promoting and facilitating student learning, professional development, and industry engagement experiences.

3/2008 – 10/2022 WSP (legacy Golder)
Senior Technical Principal

Lead strategist for mine closure and reclamation and tailings and mine waste management projects, working directly with internal and external project teams and communities to develop innovative solutions and implement best practices for environmental stewardship.

• Directed mine closure and reclamation design and construction projects in excess of $4M engineering labor value on three continents in varying climate zones.
• Led and advised tailings and mine waste facility planning, design, and construction projects.
• Confirmed technical completeness and achievement of project goals and objectives.

Publications

Conference Proceedings
Filas, B. and H. Lammers. 2023. Getting the Job Done: ESG Auditing and Reporting. Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) MINEXCHANGE 2023. Denver, Colorado, USA.

Book Chapters
Morrison, K. and H. Lammers. 2022. Chapter 1 – What Are Tailings? In Tailings Management Handbook: A Life-Cycle Approach. Edited by K. Morrison. Englewood, CO: SME.

Lammers, H., J.Steele and M. Pegnam. 2022. Chapter 18 – Site Characterization. In Tailings Management Handbook: A Life-Cycle Approach. Edited by K. Morrison. Englewood, CO: SME.

Lammers, H. and D. Brett. Chapter 36 – Construction Quality Management. In Tailings Management Handbook: A Life-Cycle Approach. Edited by K. Morrison. Englewood, CO: SME.

Casey, J. and H. Lammers. 2020. Session 2 – State of Practice. In Mine Tailings: Perspectives for a Changing World. Edited by R. Furey and J.F. Lupo. Englewood, CO: SME.