Fernando has broad experience in civil geotechnical and tailings engineering, with specialized skills in geohazards mitigation; design and construction quality assurance for large mining tailings projects across commodities such as uranium, aluminium, copper-zinc, magnetite, iron ore, diamond, mineral sands, gold, potash, and oil sands; and tailings management technology for external and in-pit deposition below the water table to protect the environment during emplacement and after closure.
His designs aim to minimise flow from the pit or facilitate flow around a low-permeability tailings core by maximising water recovery, which increases consolidation and reduces hydraulic conductivity. He also conducts dam safety performance reviews, geotechnical audits, and due diligence, and provides specific recommendations for in-pit tailings design to reduce negative impacts on pit slope stability (rock characteristics and pore pressures) and hydrogeological conditions.
Fernando serves as Engineer of Record, including for legacy mining sites, and has international experience in South America (six countries), Canada, Italy, and Australia, delivering multidisciplinary engineering services for mining, hydropower plants, water retention dams, tunnels, deep foundations, and civil infrastructure systems.
