SRK Consulting, a firm of engineers and scientists, reports that its office in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is set to further broaden its focus on environmental- and social-impact assessment and geology.

This is due to the demand for these services in the DRC and the office having established further local capacity to provide expertise in these fields.

SRK Consulting DRC country manager Susa Maleba says that much of the office’s success stems from the way in which it facilitates public participation in social impact studies and in the way in which it consults with a range of stakeholders during the process.

“We have also made a name for ourselves in reviewing environmental- and social-impact assessments for many of the mining companies active in the DRC.”

Maleba emphasises the importance of engaging skilled local staff from the area as they have a good understanding of the country’s development issues.

“Like other SRK offices, our capacity is built on local expertise and global standards,” he says.

In addition to the ongoing consultation with established clients and private-sector companies, particularly in Katanga province, where SRK Consulting is conducting environmental- and social-impact assessments and biannual audits for some of the large companies, the company is also providing consulting services for the DRC government on several issues.

Having been registered and officially licensed with the Minister of Mines in the DRC, SRK is aware of the impotance of mining regulations. “Mining regulations in the DRC require careful assessment of the environmental and social impacts, as govern- ment is committed to ensure that the benefits of mining are shared with local communities and any negative impact is kept to a minimum.

Maleba therefore emphasises the importance for professionals offering these services to be officially licensed before they can operate.

He says that, as government pursues the implementation of its mining code to encourage foreign investment, the legacy of public ownership of mines is gradually being replaced by private ownership in the sector. This, in turn, is steadily increasing the number of greenfield projects led by private businesses.

“This bodes well for our office in Lubumbashi, where we expect more geological consulting work as State-owned companies become commercial and need to certify their resources in terms of international reporting standards and more feasibility studies being undertaken to secure funding for projects where global standards need to be met,” says Maleba.

Meanwhile, he says, the DRC has made considerable progress by putting in place a mining code and he stresses the need for all industry stakeholders to work together on a roadmap on how to implement the sector’s long-term development.

An infrastructure development plan should also be included in this process, he adds.

“In fact, we need a broad range of organisations – like the Chamber of Mines, the various chambers of commerce, universities and research centres – to work actively with government to define our priorities in terms of policy and industry development,” says Maleba, who is also the DRC branch chairperson of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM).

These organisations are also needed to proactively assist in building local skills capacity through education and training, like the SAIMM chapter in the DRC, which provides an excellent platform for training, notes Maleba.

SRK Consuting also hosts workshops to assist in building local skills capacity and to support the sector’s long-term development, such as the workshop it is planning with government and private mining companies in the DRC. The workshop aims to address issues during the transition from a State-owned entity to a commercial entity to ensure mutually beneficial results for all.

Maleba regards greater cooperation between the public and private sectors as an opportunity.

“Government has the mandate to ensure that all mining benefits the country and the private sector is guided by the Equator Principles to play a bigger role in community development. This creates a strong foundation for working together towards common goals,” he notes.