As the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) works towards leveraging its mining sector for broader economic upliftment, it will need to support the raising of standards across a wide range of mining disciplines.
This is clear from the themes of sustainability, transformation and attracting global investment which are prominent in the upcoming DRC Mining Week in Lubumbashi in June, according to Dominique Sambwa, Chairman of SRK Consulting Congo.
"Recent development and investment in cities like Lubumbashi and Kolwezi shows that mining is already having a significant impact on DRC's economy, infrastructure and future," said Sambwa. "To maintain its positive momentum, the mining sector needs to adopt and apply international standards, to underpin its operational resilience while also making it more attractive to investors and financial institutions."
Lithium Potential
In addition to being a leading producer of copper and cobalt, the DRC was also seeing exploration interest in commodities such as gold and lithium, said Wouter Jordaan, Partner and Principal Consultant at SRK Consulting, also a Director of SRK Congo.
The Manono - Kitotolo Lithium Project, for instance, is reported to contain 120 million tons of lithium ore at a grade of 0.6%. Production from this source could reach 720,000 tons of lithium, and there are also tailings from historical tin mining at Manono that could augment this figure.
"Since we established an SRK Consulting practice in DRC 15 years ago, we have seen a growing trend towards embracing higher standards in the mining sector," said Sambwa. "We have been proud to contribute by applying global standards through our work in the country, including exploration, resource estimation, mine planning, environmental permitting and social engagement."
