The Supporting Mechanism
Pierce Engineering provides engineering services to underground and open pit mines with a focus on rock mass characterization, geomechanical mine design and third party review.
Services & Capabilities
Technical Advisement
Project Review and Evaluation
Due Diligence and Risk Assessment
Peer Review and Quality Assurance
Expert Witness Services
Mentoring and Knowledge Transfer
Training and Workshops
Matthew E. Pierce, PhD, PEng
I am a geotechnical and mining engineer specializing in the geomechanical analysis and design of underground and open pit mines.
Over the past 25 years I have worked with many of the world’s leading cave mining operations on characterization, design, cave management and the associated forecasting of caveability, fragmentation, recovery, subsidence, seismicity and inrush susceptibility. I have developed a number of specialized methodologies and tools for measuring and estimating rock properties and analyzing rock mass performance.
I became an independent consultant in 2016 after 18 years with Itasca Consulting Group and a yearlong role as director of the Rio Tinto Center for Underground Mine Construction.
"Dr. Matthew Pierce is a highly respected international expert in the solution of rock mechanics problems in mining. From Hecla Mining’s experience, Dr. Pierce’s expertise is broad – ranging from rock mass characterization, mine design, numerical modeling and providing practical, experienced-based mining advice."
— Mark Board, Vice President Technical Services (ret)
(Hecla Mining Company, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)