A statement from the two companies said they had previously worked on underground mining projects in North America, the UK, Russia, and the Philippines. Most recently, the two companies jointly completed simulation work for North American Palladium's Lac Des Iles mine in Thunder Bay, and together they are providing ongoing simulation modelling for the Goderich salt mine in south-western Ontario.

"The demand for simulation through computer modelling continues to grow rapidly," LTI president Pierre Labrecque said.

"Now that LTI will be operating as a business unit of SRK Consulting, we will be able to provide greater value to our clients by further collaborating with SRK specialists around the world."

Labrecque said LTI had a decade of experience in applying mechanical and industrial engineering methods to mining. By building discrete event simulation models, it helped clients plan expansions, evaluate design and process options, identify and overcome bottlenecks, predict performance, optimize development and production schedules, and assess the impacts of incorporating new equipment and technology into existing systems.

SRK Sudbury practice leader Gary Poxleitner said the closer connection with LTI on mine plan optimisation would increase "operators' and owners' confidence in the mine plans we develop with them to refine and improve their economic valuations".