Tierra Group International

What Tierra Group International does

Tierra Group International is a privately held mining engineering consultancy that delivers specialized consulting, design, and construction management services to mining companies worldwide. The firm operates across five integrated practice areas — geotechnical engineering, water resources, civil engineering, environmental services, and geologic hazards — with flagship offerings in tailings storage facility design (conventional, dry-stack filtered, paste, and cemented), heap leach pad design, dam safety reviews, tailings stewardship, and construction quality assurance. Headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, with regional offices in Utah, Nevada, and Lima, Peru, the firm serves precious and base-metal miners (gold, silver, copper, zinc, polymetallic) on six continents and maintains named relationships with majors including B2Gold, Barrick Gold, Newmont Goldcorp, Goldcorp/Peñasquito, Endeavour Silver, Agnico Eagle, and Continental Gold. Founded in 2011 by Matt Fuller and Peter Kowalewski, the firm has operated debt-free since December 2016 and announced a merger with BBA Consultants on May 22, 2025, creating a global-scale mining-engineering platform with continued local delivery.

The firm's underlying technology stack combines senior human engineering judgment with established mining-engineering software: GoldSim for site-wide water balance modeling, Rocscience products for slope stability and geotechnical analysis, gINT for geotechnical data management, and Civil 3D for civil design and 3D visualization. Engineering methods adhere to Canadian Dam Association protocols and international standards, and the Peruvian subsidiary (Tierra Group International S.A.C.) holds ISO certifications (2022) and Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mines authorization to develop Mine Closure Plans.

Revenue is generated under a professional services model: project-based consulting engagements, master service agreements, and Engineer of Record mandates, priced per project on the basis of scope, complexity, location, and duration. Long-term stewardship contracts (e.g., tailings and water management at Peñasquito, Endeavour Silver's Mexican operations, and B2Gold's Fekola Mine) anchor a recurring revenue base. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with conference-driven brand visibility (PDAC, SME, Perumin, AME Roundup, Tailings & Mine Waste), referral-driven repeat business, and a lateral partnership with BBA Consultants expanding global engineering scale.

Name

Tierra Group International

Legal name

Tierra Group International, Ltd.

Website

https://tierragroupinternational.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tierra Group International is a mining engineering consultancy providing geotechnical, tailings storage facility, heap leach pad, water resources, and dam safety design and construction management services to global mining companies across six continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining Engineering Consulting Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Metal Mining (213114), Support Activities for Mining (213)

SIC

Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600)

akta.pro primary industry

Tailings & Water Management Engineering (TSF Design/Construction, Dams, Water Treatment) (IMAKAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mine Construction & Development Contracting (Shaft Sinking, Tunneling, Pre-Strip, Civil Works) (IMAKAKAG), Shaft Sinking, Raise Boring & Underground Development Works (IMAKAOAC), Tunneling & Underground Geotechnics (Ground Treatment, Support, NATM/SEM Interfaces) (IMAFAOAJ)

Keywords

• Geotechnical engineering
• Tailings storage design
• Heap leach design
• Mining consulting services
• Dam safety reviews

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Professional engineering consulting services provided to mining companies globally, including geotechnical, civil, environmental, and water resources engineering. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts, master service agreements, and hourly consulting fees. Services include design, construction quality assurance, dam safety reviews, and engineering studies at various levels from pre-feasibility through detailed design.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tierra Group International is a specialized engineering consultancy serving the global mining industry, providing geotechnical, water resources, civil, environmental, and geologic hazard consulting, design, and construction management. It is known for tailings storage facility and heap leach pad design, dam safety reviews, and tailings stewardship services.

Product overview

Tierra Group International is a mining engineering consultancy that provides specialized professional services to the global mining industry. The company offers a unified suite of integrated engineering consulting services organized around five core practice areas: Geotechnical, Water Resources, Civil Engineering, Environmental, and Geologic Hazards. These services are delivered through specialized offerings including Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) Design, Heap Leach Pad Design, Dam Safety Reviews, Tailings Stewardship Services, and Construction Quality Assurance (CQA). The company operates from four offices across the United States (Colorado, Utah, Nevada) and Peru, and recently announced a merger with BBA Consultants to expand global engineering capabilities. The firm focuses exclusively on consulting services rather than software products, with all offerings delivered by professional engineers and geologists through direct client engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Geotechnical Services Engineering geology and geotechnical consulting for mining infrastructure including foundations, tailings dams, water dams, heap leach pads, waste rock dumps, and civil structures.
• Water Resources Hydrology and water management services including water balance development, water treatment, stormwater management, and water supply systems for mining operations.
• Civil Engineering Civil design and construction for tailings storage facilities, water dams, heap leach pads, waste rock storage facilities, containment walls, and hydraulic structures.
• Environmental Services Environmental engineering and compliance services for mining projects including permitting support and environmental assessments.
• Geologic Hazards Assessment and mitigation of geohazards including landslides, rockfalls, avalanches, and seismic hazards for mining operations.
• Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) Design Specialized design and engineering for tailings storage facilities including conventional slurry, dry-stack filtered, paste, and cemented tailings facilities for mining operations worldwide.
• Heap Leach Pad Design Design and construction quality assurance for heap leach facilities including solution collection systems, liner design, phase expansions, and slope stability analysis.
• Dam Safety Reviews Independent dam safety reviews and inspections following Canadian Dam Association protocols and other international standards, including independent review boards.
• Tailings Stewardship Services Comprehensive tailings management including operational support, monitoring, inspections, and conformance with global tailings management standards.
• Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) Quality assurance and control during construction of geotechnical and civil engineering structures including field testing and inspection services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cost savings of $650,000 identified through peer review at El Aguila project without compromising facility design integrity
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BBA ConsultantscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2025Tierra Group International announced a merger with BBA Consultants on May 22, 2025. The combined entity brings global engineering scale and trusted local expertise to U.S. mining. BBA is an established engineering consultancy, and the merger amplifies Tierra Group's capabilities and market presence.
• Knight Piésold and Co.minorOthersKnight Piésold has been assisted by Tierra Group on key engineering assignments. The relationship is described as collaborative professional assistance on specific projects in the mining engineering sector.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Global engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm with a sizable mining practice covering tailings, water, and geotechnical work. Represents the scaled, multi-disciplinary incumbent that competes for the same mining clients.
• Golder Associates (now part of WSP): Pre-acquisition Golder was a direct peer in mining geotechnics, tailings, and environmental consulting; now operating within WSP's global engineering platform. Represents the scaled-incumbent competitive threat to Tierra Group.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with mining services including tailings management, geotechnical engineering, and environmental compliance — competing with Tierra Group on larger integrated mining mandates.
• Wood plc (Amec Foster Wheeler heritage): Global engineering and consulting firm with mining and metals capabilities including tailings facility design and dam safety — competing with Tierra Group primarily on larger integrated mining projects.

Direct peers

• Itasca International: Specialized geotechnical and hydrogeological engineering consultancy for mining, focused on numerical modeling, rock mechanics, and slope stability. Closely comparable niche mining-engineering focus.
• SRK Consulting: Independent mining consultancy offering geotechnical, hydrogeological, tailings, and environmental services to mining clients worldwide. Directly comparable business model, customer base, and project types to Tierra Group.
• Piteau Associates: Mining geotechnical engineering consultancy specializing in open-pit slope stability, underground rock mechanics, and tailings dam engineering — directly comparable to Tierra Group's geotechnical practice.
• Knight Piésold: Global mining engineering consultancy specializing in tailings, heap leach, water resources, and dam design — virtually identical service portfolio to Tierra Group. Knight Piésold is even mentioned as a partner/collaborator in Tierra Group's source data, confirming direct comparability.
• BBA Consultants: Canadian engineering consultancy that merged with Tierra Group in May 2025. Pre-merger, BBA served mining, energy, and industrial clients with comparable engineering services — making it both a peer and the acquirer.

Emerging players

• SLR Consulting: Global environmental and advisory consultancy with growing mining practice including tailings stewardship and geotechnical advisory — increasingly competing with Tierra Group for mid-tier mining engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bba_2
• Xx.com/TierraGroupIntl
• Facebookfacebook.com/TierraGroupInternational

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tierra Group International