The growing impact of mining on the broader economy of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is now clear to all who visit the country, especially in those cities like Lubumbashi and Kolwezi. Indeed, even the steady expansion of the DRC Mining Week is a sign that the minerals sector is now central to the country’s economy and its economic future.
In addition to DRC’s leading position as a copper and cobalt producer, there is now also scope for it to become a significant player in the lithium market. The Manono-Kitotolo project alone is reported to contain 120 million tons of lithium ore; at a grade of 0,6%, this could produce 720,000 tons of lithium. Tailings from historical tin mining at Manono are calculated to add considerably to this estimate.
As important as the sheer growth in mining activity over the past couple of decades, however, is the evolution of an increasingly complex and demanding framework of regulations and standards. This has been built a range of international benchmarks, as well as evolving national minerals policy and legislation.
Since SRK Consulting established its DRC practice in Lubumbashi 15 years ago, it has been interesting to be part of the changes over the years – and to contribute in our own ways to the industry’s development. Among the aspects that stand out for us is the value of pursuing quality, technical accuracy and integrity in the science and engineering of mining.
World-class standards
Since the country’s mining sector was opened to private investment in the early 2000s, there have always been world-class players who drive global best practice in their operations – irrespective of whether local legislation demands this of them. In the early days, one of the key concerns was for mining companies to ensure accurate and reliable resource and reserve estimations for their mineral assets in the DRC. This required the selection and application of geological codes – of which there were already a number – to establish a high standard of compliance. This benefited not only investors but other stakeholders like government departments responsible for regulating and taxing the minerals sector.
Compliance to these codes came to play an important role not only for individual companies and their shareholders, but it contributed to general investor confidence in how business was being conducted in the DRC. Applying best practice, however, is not possible without the relevant skills on the ground – especially among professionals in key exploration disciplines such as geology. For companies like SRK, then, the knowledge-sharing between our offices globally allowed us to develop vital skills and experience in-country.
Other aspects of mining operations in the DRC were also under scrutiny through the lens of responsible mining, driven by global standards embraced not least by international financial institutions. The environmental impacts of mining were increasingly subject to close inspection, and the compliance requirements become steadily tighter. Most of the time, the standards were well ahead of the laws, but all these frameworks played their part in transforming the business of mining.
Skills to drive standards
Once again, it was well understood that meeting standards and complying with regulations need not just corporate commitment; these goals need to be driven by dedicated scientists and engineers who can turn the theory into practice. This usually requires a combination of two essential opportunities: learning from those who have tried and succeeded elsewhere; and innovating on the strength of prior knowledge and leading-edge technologies. In the DRC, like elsewhere, these processes have been ongoing – driven by a powerful combination of local and external expertise.
A significant area of evolution in mining best practice in the DRC has been in the field of social impact, including areas of innovation in social engagement and responsible supply chain development. It has long been a quandary for governments to know how best to leverage the benefits of mining in uplifting and diversifying the economy more broadly. Today, it is encouraging that leading mining bodies on the global stage, such as the ICMM, are equally engaged in this quest – to make mining more responsible, and responsive to its host countries and communities.
Turning standards into action
What our global experience as consulting engineers and scientists has shown us is that the road to progress is built on consistent quality and high standards. This will apply to all aspects of mining, and beyond that to the many industrial and commercial developments that are spawned by mining – including infrastructure development, waste management and water stewardship. All these fields are essential to a growing economy, creating an ecosystem for wide-spread economic and social development.
The real test for how mining has benefitted the DRC, then, is not just the ‘quantity’ of growth – through exports, royalties, taxes and jobs – but the ‘quality’ of mining’s lessons which teach the value of applying the highest standards of responsibility and professionalism.
