VAST

Who inspired you to think bigger in 2024? Every field has its pioneers - people whose ideas shape how we work and think. In geomorphic landform design, Nicholas Bugosh, the creator of the GeoFluv method, is one of our biggest inspirations and collaborators. Instead of big pyramid-looking waste rock deposits, his work introduced natural-looking landforms to the industry. Landforms that: • Do not require long-term maintenance. • Promote biodiversity. Nicholas’s vision was about creating landscapes that thrive for generations to come. On our recent study trip, I said to Nicholas: 'You must be proud to see these sites after 20 years and how great they look and function. You don't even know it's a closed mine.' Hearing this brought a smile to his face. His influence will return mining disturbed land back to people and nature for decades to come. And continue to inspire geomorphic landform designers worldwide -including us! 💡 Do you have a person who inspired your work? #mining #sustainablemining #sustainability #mentorship

These are the 3 coolest things about moss you have never heard about… 1. It grows in deserts and at the poles; 2. Eats and drinks dust and water from the air; 3. Stores more carbon than trees. This makes them ideal for mine site restoration as they also grow on bare rock and stabilise soil. VAST is coordinating the project, which aims to accelerate  the ecological restoration of mine sites. We have the start of a successful restoration recipe when combined with geomorphic reclamation. Follow the project here re:moss A shoutout to Daniel Pacurar, aka, the Moss Man, who is the brains behind the innovation. #nature #mining #biodiversity

This is my biggest takeaway from the University of Queensland’s course on soil, erosion and sediment control: 1.7 billion tons of soil is lost to water and wind erosion every year. Erosion is one of the key environmental challenges for the mining industry. This is a huge cost for mining companies, which geomorphic reclamation can help resolve. I took the course to level up my knowledge of erosion, sediment control plans and erosion modelling. #mining #mineclosure #geomorphicdesign

We founded VAST 4 years ago with a clear goal: We want to transform every post-mine landscape, giving it back to people and nature. And along the way, build a greener industry standard. So far, we’ve had the privilege of designing over 700 hectares of geomorphic landforms with mining companies like LKAB and Viscaria. Our team is spread worldwide, from Canada to Sweden to Spain. We can implement our landform design framework anywhere globally and would love to show you how. Onwards to the next 700 hectares. #nature #mining #biodiversity

This is Nicholas’s ah-ha moment. This is what erosion does when left unchecked. Conventional post-mined landforms struggle with erosion because they work against nature. After personally seeing many examples of landform failures, Nicholas created a geomorphic design method. Geomorphic landforms are: • stable, • blend aesthetically with the surrounding landscapes, • reduce maintenance, • increase biodiversity.    At VAST, we specialise in helping companies return current and future mines back to people and nature. Comment below if you would like to learn more. #nature #mining #biodiversity

This photo is of one of the world’s largest geomorphic reclamation projects. The La Plata coal mine in the United States covers 743 hectares of land. Their challenge? How can we return a huge landscape to people and nature without increasing costs? Their outcome? Millions of dollars in environmental bonds have been released for over half of the land, which has been reintegrated with nature, and the other half is on its way. When human ingenuity and good intentions come together, great things happen. At VAST, we’ve designed over 700 hectares of geomorphic landforms with mining companies like LKAB and Viscaria, helping them return their sites to people and nature. If you’d love to know how to integrate landform design in mines near you, comment below. #nature #mining #biodiversity

Can mining companies walk hand-in-hand with nature? Geomorphic reclamation plays a big role in getting us there. Why? • It’s a Best Available Technique (BAT) in the EU. • It costs the same as what is being done today. • It creates stable landforms that help biodiversity return. Companies like LKAB and Viscaria are already implementing it in Sweden, building investor confidence and community trust. At VAST, we specialise in helping companies return current and future mines to people and nature. #nature #mining #biodiversity