Modern Mining September 2023

“More recently, we are also seeing interest from countries in the Middle East like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as they look to diversify from petroleum assets into industries like mining,” said Reddy. “This marks a significant shift away from the traditional investment base, often signalling an interest from countries and companies who are not always famil iar with the mining environment.” Local imperative This trend comes at a time when West African countries are applying min ing codes and protocols that align with their own economic development agen das and with best global practice in the minerals sector. This has put the focus on imperatives such as local economic

recent years with major global miners, strategically applying ESG factors into their businesses to achieve a lower carbon future,” said Reddy. “This approach is generally supported by African governments, and new entrants in West Africa are having to take this into account in their planning and implementation.” Among the implications of this is a closer focus on energy efficiency in mining operations, where mines are working towards reducing their carbon emis sions by being smarter in their energy use. Security of energy supply is a related concern, he continued, as many mining companies are looking to renew able energy sources to limit their reliance on national power grids. Hydropower, as well as solar and wind energy – combined with fast-evolving battery stor age technology – are likely to play a growing role in West Africa’s power supply equation. In conclusion, Doku emphasised that the increas ing complexity and risk involved in exploration and mining – not least from rapidly changing legal and ethical frameworks – requires the highest standards of technical quality and professional integrity. “These values have always been central to our philosophy at SRK Consulting, and are now more important than ever as West Africa’s mining sector develops to world class standards,” he said. 

empowerment, as governments put measures in place to enhance the local benefits flowing from for eign mining investment. “Our well-established office in Ghana, staffed by local professionals, has been able to respond to this trend for clients to be serviced by in-country expertise,” said Doku. “We have nurtured our own in-house skills and broadened our network of local associates in various mining-related fields including geotech, environmental, geology and tailings.” The Ghana-based team has even deployed professional services to neighbouring countries, including a contribution to a large iron ore project in Guinea. The office is constantly building its base of local skills, and developing this expertise through ongoing contact, training and mentoring within the global SRK network of experienced specialists across a range of disciplines relevant to mining. ESG and energy As with other mining jurisdictions, West Africa is seeing national regulations and international codes of practice that demand compliance with the latest guidelines on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. “SRK has done a great deal of pioneering work in

The continued growth and complexity of mining in Ghana is demanding more expertise to be available locally, says SRK Consulting.

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