Following completion of the Underground Selection Phase Study (SPS) for Goonyella Riverside Mine, several priority Minimum Viable Solution (MVS) infrastructure elements required further engineering validation, optimisation and close-out.
These items were critical to reducing capital exposure, de-risking delivery, and defining a clear, staged pathway into the next phase of detailed engineering and implementation.
Waterline was engaged to support progression of these priority workstreams, ensuring SPS outcomes were technically sound, commercially defensible, and aligned with long-term production objectives.
The SPS had identified preferred infrastructure solutions to support underground development. However, key MVS components required:
Without structured validation and refinement, there was risk of:
The project required targeted engineering depth without losing momentum toward the next phase.
Waterline supported WSP / Palaris as a specialist subconsultant, progressing priority MVS items through a structured validation and optimisation program.
Our scope included:
The focus was not simply on completing studies, but on strengthening technical confidence and improving capital efficiency before further investment decisions were made.
Each priority package was progressed to a level that reduced ambiguity, clarified scope boundaries, and enabled informed decision-making.
By addressing critical uncertainties early, the project team transitioned into the next phase with greater certainty, improved alignment, and reduced exposure to downstream redesign or rework.
In complex underground developments, early-phase engineering validation is where capital discipline is either strengthened, or quietly compromised.
At Goonyella Riverside, Waterline ensured that key infrastructure decisions were not only technically sound, but commercially defensible and execution-ready.
The result: reduced risk, stronger governance, and a clearer path from study to implementation.
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