The Zambian government’s renewed commitment to supporting the country’s mining sector makes this an auspicious time for SRK Consulting to expand its Southern African footprint with the establishment of an office in Kitwe – located in the heart of Zambia’s Copperbelt.
“The opportunities for growth in Zambia are significant,” said Des Mossop, partner and principal engineering geologist at SRK Consulting (South Africa). “With a revised mining cadastre in place, and the fact that more than half of the country’s surface remains unexplored, Zambia is an attractive investment destination for exploration and mining companies.”
Mossop added that SRK has a long history of consulting in Zambia and believes that the timing is ideal to establish a stronger, more visible in-country presence. This decision is in response to the planned rapid acceleration of copper production – the Zambian government has announced that it aims to increase refined copper production from 900 000 tonnes to three million tonnes per annum by 2032 — and the rise in exploration projects in gold, iron ore, lithium, nickel and cobalt, among other minerals.
In addition, both American and Chinese investment into transport corridors is improving logistics in the country and minerals export from southern and central Africa. At the same time, the government is making efforts to create a more reliable power supply and additional infrastructure to enable further growth.
“Establishing an SRK Consulting office in Kitwe enables us to work more closely with our clients and respond more effectively to their needs,” said Able Tunono, the Zambian geotechnical engineer who will head the practice. “This new base is close to Zambia’s centre of copper mining, and also in close proximity to operations in the DRC.”
Tunono explained that the company is seeing mining expand beyond the existing Copperbelt into ‘new’ areas including the country’s North-Western province – which can be serviced from Kitwe. SRK’s work beyond the mining sector – in water, energy and infrastructure – means that it can integrate its wide range of skills to service clients’ needs, from exploration to mine closure.
The work of SRK’s geotechnical, civils, water and foundation engineering teams is also important to support mining activities, according to Paul Aucamp, partner and principal engineering geologist at SRK Consulting (South Africa).
“One of the significant risks faced by new mining operations is geotechnical risks that may increase project initiation costs for heavy infrastructure and tailings dams,” said Aucamp. “Water is also both a danger and necessity for mining operations; our civils teams provide expertise in surface and underground water management, pumping, disaster management relating to flood and storm water risks, and the provision of water for mine operations.”
SRK’s services include due diligence and compliance auditing, which are critical factors for companies planning to list on various stock exchanges, as well as for those that comply to the Copper Mark and other global standards such as GISTM, says Hennie Booyens, principal engineering geologist at SRK Consulting (South Africa).
Operating its practices under an employee-owned model, SRK Consulting is well-positioned to meet Zambia’s requirements for local employee representation in international companies. With Zambia’s strong mining heritage, the country offers excellent locally trained engineers, geologists, hydrologists and other expert consultants, according to Tunono.
He also highlighted the scope for SRK Consulting’s valuable experience in ESG-related projects.
“We plan to grow the practice with the assistance of local expertise to benefit Zambian communities, the local economy, and the natural environment,” said Tunono. “We aim to work with clients to develop sustainable mining operations that support mine stakeholders and broader society.”
Ahead of this year’s Zambian International Mining and Energy Conference (ZIMEC), SRK will host a workshop on 24 March to be held in host town, Kitwe, in conjunction with the launch of SRK Consulting (Zambia), where it will showcase their extensive mining experience to prospective clients.
