Supporting the Mining and Geothermal Industries Since 1994

Sims Professional Services

Sims Professional Services

Preparation of many environmental documents and presentation of technical data to public agencies typically does not require a law license or constitute the practice of law and Sims Professional can provide all of such services.  If a professional license is required, Dr. Sims is licensed to practice geology in Arizona, California and Oregon, and he is licensed to practice engineering geology in California.  A geologist license may be obtained in most other states through reciprocity.​

Services Offered

Environmental

For mining operations and proposed mines, Dr. Sims has a broad knowledge of the technical and regulatory fields and he can prepare environmental documents, assist with preparing specific sections of documents, and review documents.  He can also represent your plans to agencies and the public using communication skills that he has honed as a scientist working with non-scientists.  

​Environmental science comprises the interaction of science, society and law.  When these interact, it is important to understand the audience.  It may be necessary to focus on facts that have legal significance while anticipating and being prepare for counter arguments that are purely emotional.  In all venues, it is necessary to explain technical issues in simple terms, and make a compelling case.

Dr. Sims has helped mining clients with developing alternative material sources, developing a model that predicted acid drainage potential prior to construction of a waste stockpile, developing a hydrologic model to dispute an assertion that mine waste discharge was a "point source" and therefore not eligible for government funded mitigation, and to provide aquifer analysis necessary to permit an industrial water well under the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan.  He negotiated injection well permit requirements specific to the Salton Sea geothermal field with the California Department of Gas and Geothermal Resources and the agency adopted many of his methods for defining the cap rock boundary.