Modern Mining March 2016

COMPANIES

structural work. He also says that the new com- pany could potentially provide a platform into other parts of Africa, particularly the Francophone countries. The joint venture is already bidding on proj- ects in the DRC. “Clearly the mining market globally is in a downturn but there are projects around and we believe that our efforts will soon meet with success. Looking further ahead, we are positioning ourselves for the eventual turnaround in resources, which should lead to a very buoy- ant mining sector in the DRC, which is – without question – one of Africa’s leading mining coun- tries,” Widlake concludes. 

included being Mine Manager at Konkola copper mine on the Zambian Copperbelt and Business Leader at Modikwa platinum mine on the Eastern Limb of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. He served as COO of Rand Uranium for three years and immediately prior to joining EGMF was COO of Metorex. According to Widlake, James approached Murray & Roberts Cementation around 18 months ago with a proposal for a partner- ship. “We then carried out a due diligence – in which we were assisted by one of the big four auditing and accounting groups – to ensure that we would be teaming up with a group with similar values to our own,” he says. “Of course, the fact that Nick was known to many of us in Murray & Roberts Cementation – our company was a contrac- tor at Konkola when he was Manager – gave us additional assurance that our values would be aligned.” Detailing Murray & Roberts Cementation’s recent experience in the DRC, Widlake says the company has executed work at the Kamoto underground mine, part of the Kolwezi mining complex (where EGMF is responsible for the opencast mining of waste), and has also dewatered Ivanhoe’s Kipushi underground zinc/copper mine, located 30 km south-west of Lubumbashi. He adds that Murray & Roberts Cementation has a strong presence across the border in Kitwe on the Zambian Copperbelt, where one of its main clients is Mopani Copper Mining, part of the Glencore Group. Glencore is also active in the DRC through its subsidiary Katanga Mining, whose assets include many of the mines and treatment plants in Kolwezi. The copper and cobalt mining industry in Katanga will obviously be an important mar- ket for Cementation Mining Company, with several mining companies having plans to develop underground operations. Ivanhoe, for example, is continuing with its rehabili- tation of Kipushi and is also planning a large underground copper mine at Kamoa, west of Kolwezi. Beyond the Copperbelt there is also potential further north in the DRC – particularly in North Kivu and Orientale provinces – for underground gold and base metals operations. Widlake says Cementation Mining Company will be able to offer clients a total turnkey package including underground mining contracting, underground capital development and all associated civil and

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March 2016  MODERN MINING  27