Institute unveils new online course

VANCOUVER, BC (DECEMBER 12, 2024) — The Landform Design Institute is releasing today a new online “short course” on developing a design basis memorandum (DBM) for landform design and mine closure planning.

The course features eight video lectures recorded by the Institute’s founder, Gord McKenna, that explain how to prepare to write the DBM, how to craft the DBM vision, and how to implement the DBM.

The course provides direction on creating a design team that develops a Master Table of goals, objectives, and criteria, and sets out instructions on the governance of the design process, including collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Students complete three exercises that will be evaluated by a landform design expert and receive a DBM certificate upon completion. To register for the course, visit our online education portal.

The fee is $399 for non-members of the Institute. Members enjoy a 20% discount which makes the cost $319 for each student or individual member, or individuals employed by a corporate member. Registrants can take advantage of the discount by registering as LDI members for $90 as individual members or $10 for students.

“The DBM is a critical element of landform design, and the course includes working through a complete example of a DBM for a hypothetical mining landform,” said McKenna, who presented on the creation of a DBM at the 8th International Oil Sands Tailings Conference (IOSTC) on December 9, 2024, at the university of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.

Dr. McKenna is an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and lectures annually at UBC, Queen’s University, and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). Dr. McKenna is a geotechnical engineer and geologist with more than 30 years of experience providing professional consulting expertise to mines in Canada and around the world. He has presented on landform design more than 50 times and has led numerous design teams in the development of mine closure plans, landform and watershed designs, and technical guidance documents. He sits on 12 geotechnical and closure review boards currently and has published more than 110 papers.

The course accompanies the LDI guidance document released November 13, 2024, called Developing a Design Basis Memorandum for Landform Design. The course also complements two in-person short courses the Institute gave on landform design, in Calgary in 2019 and Edmonton in 2020.

BACKGROUNDER

Developing a Design Basis Memorandum for Landform Design

Landform design is an interdisciplinary approach used to create mining landscapes and meet specific land-use goals and performance standards. Developed in the 1990s, it addresses the issue that reclaimed mining lands were rarely approved despite efforts from various stakeholders. A key issue was the misalignment of expectations between mining companies, regulators, and local communities regarding the reclaimed lands’ design, construction, and performance.

The Landform Design Institute (LDI) is pleased to offer a new short course on the development of the design basis memorandum (DBM), which is a crucial element of the landform design process. The training content will provide insight to the governance of the design process, including collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, as well as giving direction on creating a design team that partners to develop a Master Table of goals, objectives, and criteria. We will end the course by working through a complete example of a DBM for a simple, hypothetical mining landform.

Upon completion of the course, students will:

Understand the Purpose of a DBM
Define what a DBM is
Gain practical knowledge to create and implement a DBM
Receive a Course Completion Certificate

General Format:

Each module is one lecture. You can watch as many times as you like.
Three modules have exercises. You can download the exercise templates from the website.
There are discussion options available for each module, as well as a community page where you can interact with other practitioners, including LDI members. The LDI has prepared a how-to report, which is suitably called “Developing a Design Basis Memorandum for Landform Design.” The format of the report mimics that of the course. It is available as a free download below.
The presentation mentions submitting your exercises at the end of the course. You may do so by email or submit directly online as you complete the modules. Once we receive your exercise, a landform design practitioner will read it and provide high-level feedback within 14 days.
The landformdesign.com website provides a wealth of information and access to other publicly available references on DBMs. A lot of information on landform design on the website is available to the public, and even more to members. If you work for an LDI corporate member, ask us and we can provide you access to the members-only site.
Please contact Jasmine at the Institute if you have any questions about memberships, problems with the course logistics or website issues. We’re standing by to help. Contact support.

The recently released how-to guide for developing a DBM will be helpful throughout this course. Please take a moment to download your free copy here: Developing a Design Basis Memorandum for Landform Design.