The integration with Strata Engineering would create new opportunities for clients, Golder managing director Adam Kilsby said.

“Golder can now provide clients with all the specialist mining services required, from mine planning to mine closure and beyond and for both underground and open cut mining,” he said.

“Like Golder, Strata Engineering has a proven track record of reliable and consistent geotechnical services, with its services including geotechnical assessment and design through to due diligence and feasibility studies, onsite strata management and underground stress and ground deformation monitoring.”

The addition of the Charlestown-based engineering company follows last year’s integrations of mining consultancy Marston and sustainability solutions provider SEE Sustainability.

Golder’s global network has more than 8000 people in 180 offices worldwide.

Strata Engineering principal geotechnical engineer Rob Thomas said joining the Golder network would give Strata’s clients and employees access to greater opportunities and project diversity.

“This allows for the export of Australian mining know-how into both established and developing coalfields around the world, as well as importing knowledge gained from other countries into the Australian underground coal industry, particularly for deep, multi-seam and thin seam mining environments,” he said.

“Combining the engineering and support capabilities of Golder, Marston and Strata Engineering will provide the worldwide underground coal industry with a variety of technical solutions, from empirical to computer modelling, instrumentation, and site-based strata management and problem-solving services.”

Kilsby said the company would focus on leveraging the opportunities provided by the integration, giving Strata Engineering the ability to assist with a wider range of projects from concept to extraction across the global coal industry.

“Golder has rapidly expanded its presence in the Hunter Valley and we see strong opportunities for further growth, given the solid long-term demand for coal and the region’s other resources,” Kilsby said.

An employee-owned firm, Golder’s Australian operations began in 1972 and currently encompass 12 offices and six NATA-accredited laboratories, employing more than 1200 people across the country servicing a range of industries.