The DRC Mining week scheduled for 2021 will likely set the tone for the mining sector in 2021. The mining community is ready and looking forward to gathering in Lubumbashi from 15-17 June for the annual DRC Mining Week expo and conference.
According to Emmanuelle Nicholls, the Group Director, Mining and Natural Resources at Clarion Events Africa, who have been the organizers of DRC Mining Week for the last 16 years. DRC’s mining sector did well to cope with and address many of the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented, and as always, the extractives community proved resilient and innovative. Going forward, with the prices of key commodities such as copper, cobalt and gold, doing well, the outlook is good and we will have a lot to talk about in the run-up to and during the event.
She goes on to add that during this year it has become abundantly clear that mining groups and off-takers alike are starting to take seriously the global movement towards responsible mining by pro-actively reaching out to the local communities to improve conditions and support social development.One such example is the support by the Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) for the ‘Children out of Mining-Northern Kolwezi’ programme, an initiative carried out by international development organisation, Pact, in the Kolwezi region in the south of the DRC where ERG’s Metalkol RTR project is located.
The German car manufacturer VW also recently joined the ‘Cobalt Alliance for the DRC’ initiative as part of its efforts to improve artisanal cobalt mining conditions in this central African mining hub and to develop health and safety conditions by promoting better mine site management and environmental training for miners, starting with 12 artisanal cobalt cooperatives, also in and around Kolwezi.
On Safety and security important themes, Nicholls had these to say, “Safety and security will be important themes for our sessions as well as how we will look after our guests at the upcoming DRC Mining Week expo and conference in Lubumbashi in June 2021. Attendees can expect to attend and participate in up-to-date and relevant sessions, meeting the mining pioneers and partners that we have become known for during the last 16 years.
The programme will offer various activities for the delegates, with an important focus on responsible mining, while also taking anti-COVID measures onsite very seriously to make the experience a safe, yet, valuable one.”
