Track_Shovel
It doesn’t have to be like that. Sure, context is important, but parroting phrases or other crap that the client has in the RFP is bullshit. They don’t want you blowing smoke up their ass, they want a technically sound product that addresses the exact issues they asked you to address. They also want you to show them how you’re going to get there, and achieve the objectives they set out.
I realize you’re on the tech side; I’m just venting my frustrations with the corporate/PM spheres.
I have a visceral reaction to words like elucidate, and other fluff. My writing has to be very to the point, and technically accurate. Because of this I carve up drafts from juniors like a Thanksgiving turkey.
Oh I’m with you on the prevention side; especially with oil sands - it’s a marginal product at best with huge env. Damage.
For reference, they don’t backfill because it’s stupid expensive and the operation wouldn’t be profitable. You would also likely have major subsidence issues.
You can reclaim TSFs, though. It is certainly not easy, but it is doable.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YpF-SE3AwEo
This rec is coming up on 15 years old, and is the top of the TSF. The sides of it date to the 90s or earlier, and look pretty good. Trees were about 20 ft or more tall on the sides the last time I was there. The top is shoulder height.
The primary issues related to the cost of placing a cover that is thick enough to entomb the tailings (assuming they have metal leaching potential) that plant roots won’t compromise. The other problem is geotechnical stability issues if you use trees to revegetate, as their roots can go deeper or you get blow down that creates a hole in the reclamation cover, creating an erosion channel over time.