News

Wardell Armstrong have worked as Heritage Consultants to Network Rail assisting in securing listed building consent approval for a programme of repairs to the Grade I listed Sankey Viaduct.

A complex testing service that our metallurgical laboratory in Truro, Cornwall offers is hydrometallurgy.

Defined as “the use of aqueous chemistry for the recovery of metals from ores, concentrates and recycled or residual materials”, hydrometallurgy can be used both as a primary and secondary method of processing an ore to recover the metals of value and is likely to become an increasingly important part of future processing flowsheets as deposits continue to reduce in grade and become more challenging to process.

A 20-hectare site that was once used for steelworks and a tip for toxic substances, has gained planning approval for the development of an employment park, after multi-disciplinary services were provided by Wardell Armstrong.

Our team prepared the planning application on behalf of the Applicant, Storefield Group Limited, which was successful after a unanimous approval by the North Northants Council’s Planning Committee last month. We also carried out an environmental statement that was supported by a number of our inhouse technical teams. These included:

Earth Overshoot Day “marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that same year”. This year Earth Overshoot Day is August 2nd, and from this point forward our way of life is no longer deemed sustainable. In 1970 Earth Overshoot Day occurred on the 30th December, meaning in the space of 50 years we have increased our demand on the Earth’s natural resources by almost 42%, while the Earth’s biocapacity has diminished significantly.

Our multidisciplinary team recently provided archaeology, ecology, hydrology and air quality services for The Environment Agency and Volker Stevin as part of the £76million Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme.

In order to comply with planning permission, our archaeological investigations commenced before the construction work occurred, and led to interesting discoveries located alongside the River Kent, particularly within the centre of Kendal. Our archaeological services on this project included:

A 20-hectare site in Corby, Northamptonshire once used for steelworks and a tip for toxic substances, has gained planning approval for the development of an employment park. Wardell Armstrong led the planning application acting on behalf of the Applicant, Storefield Group Limited, and provided multi-disciplinary environmental planning services.

We were delighted to support the 10th Girls into Geosciences event at the University of Plymouth! The STEM outreach initiative introduces geoscience career options to 16–17 year old’s from across the UK.

Senior Hydrogeologist Helen Robinson joined a trip to Bovisand Bay where she explained field skills and how they are applied to real world scenarios. On the second day, Elizabeth Ward shared her journey from a Girls into Geoscience alum to a Mining Environmental Specialist at Wardell Armstrong.

Good sample preparation sets the foundation for high quality metallurgical testwork by ensuring that the material tested is both representative and consistent throughout the test programme.

Bad sample preparation = Bad Testwork ⛔️

The below video highlights some of the stages involved in the preparation of a sample for testing, including multiple stages of crushing, homogenisation and sample division.

International Women in Engineering Day is celebrated each year on June 23rd. Today, we are helping to raise the profile of women at Wardell Armstrong and in the industry who are building a better, more sustainable future, and showcasing the great career opportunities that are available.

Clean Air Day is an annual event that increases the awareness of air quality issues, in the aim of making our air cleaner and therefore healthier for our population. This year’s theme focusses on mental health: ‘Clean up our air to look after your mind’.

It is vital for our physical health that we breathe in clean air; however, research has shown that poor air quality also negatively affects our mental health too. Populations who live in areas of very poor air quality are more likely to develop mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, mood disorders, poor cognitive functions and have an increased risk of developing dementia. This is specifically dangerous for children living in heavily polluted areas, as air pollution can significantly impact their brains and behavior during early years development.