Environmental risks stem from the release of chemical, mineral, and organic products into the environment, and more specifically into the soil, subsoil, groundwater, and air. In order to measure these pollutants, they must be characterized and their concentration must be determined in each environment where they have been introduced. Health inspections help establish standards for community health. Retention ponds and treatment systems are put in place to prevent or mitigate the transfer of pollutants into the environment.

Some of our biology researchers are working on crops and animal husbandry to improve the survival of harvested species, genetic diversity, and crop productivity. For example, they are working on solutions for bee colony collapse disorder and selecting strains of aquatic species with highly sought-after characteristics such as disease resistance and rapid growth rates.

Geomechanics is a mathematical geotechnical specialty that covers soil, rock, and groundwater mechanics as well as seismics. is used to optimize the design of mine workings. It makes it possible to characterize the rock masses that surround mine workings and model and monitor their behaviour. Geomechanics is also used to optimize mining extraction sequences and excavation reinforcements while measuring the associated risks, thereby maximizing mine worker safety and mine profitability.

Several geophysical methods are used in geological engineering to detect contrasts between the physical properties of mineral deposits and the rock that surrounds them. Gravimetry, radiometry, and measurement of geomagnetism and electrical conductivity, are among the methods used during airborne surveys of areas being explored.

Mineral exploration involves searching the earth’s crust for metals in sufficient concentration and quantity to warrant extraction and processing. The geological characteristics of mineral deposits are determined through new methods of exploration such as hyperspectral infrared remote sensing, computer vision, drone remote sensing, and indicator minerals. Geochemical methods can detect the primary signature and chemical dispersion of deposits in a wide range of inorganic and organic materials.

Ore is processed in several stages. The first, fragmentation, which includes crushing, grinding, and classification, is very expensive and energy-intensive. The second, sorting, involves recovering as many valuable particles as possible while removing gangue particles, which are deposited in a tailings facility or used as underground fill. The next stage is washing, which separates and filters ore in order to retain only its concentrate, which is then refined to increase purity.

Work conducted by some of our biology faculty specialized in wildlife management and conservation seeks to determine the habitat required to ensure their reproduction and maintain their ecological balance without compromising the benefits they provide to humans. They use telemetry, behavioural observation, forest cover assessment, sampling, and tagging to collect essential data on wildlife populations.