Could you introduce WSP Golder’s presence in the continent?

Golder registered its first African subsidiary  20 years ago, but we have been working in the continent since the 1960s, following our Canadian and Australian clients into the region. WSP Golder takes a risk-based African strategy, which means we partner with clients whom we can have a long-term relationship with, clients who adhere to the best international standards, who share our values, our innovative spirit, and, most importantly, who want to do the right thing for society and the environment. If these criteria are met, we are happy to go anywhere our services are needed. Golder has worked in over 40 African countries, and we have a legal presence in key hubs, including the DRC (in Lubumbashi).

Could you tell us about the synergies created with the WSP acquisition?

In April 2021, WSP acquired Golder, a hugely important milestone for both companies. One of the attractions to WSP was the global Golder’s mining brand. Our mining business has now been supplemented with 47,000 colleagues around the world. The merger in know-how and capacity gives us much greater depth and specialization, both crucial in an industry that is challenged by the large volumes of work in rapport with little dedicated personnel – a combination that has rendered mining services rather thin. Additionally, being part of WSP allows us to offer a full, cradle-to-grave service, from pre-feasibility studies to advisory and financing, ESG,  detailed EPC and closure studies. Our lifecycle services are complemented by additional capacities like new renewable energy options, roads, railway, conveyors, or smelter work; areas where Golder did not traditionally have internal access.

What are the main demand trends for Golder in Africa?

To put it simply, if I could double my staff tomorrow, I would. Demand is booming, creating a lot of competition for talent. The pandemic has not closed down the mining operations in Africa, and the rise in commodity prices has driven increased activity across the continent. In West Africa new gold projects create demand for feasibility studies and environmental work, whereas in the Copperbelt the focus has fallen on expanding existing mines. For example, the Tenke Fungurume mine (TFM) will see billions in investment. Many Congolese mines seek to double their outputs and to do that they need new permits, new waste disposal sites and new water management strategies. Golder is working with all the main players in the country, doing the water and environmental inspection for Ivanhoe Mines, or checking new waste disposal sites for Glencore’s KCC, which is ramping up production. Meanwhile, in South Africa, we have seen a greater focus on reducing the impact of coal mines, so we do a lot of work on sustainable mining closure.

Could you help our audience understand better the concept of “water stewardship”?

Water stewardship has become a popular phraseology that is easily used but difficult to bring into practice. There has been a wave of new initiatives, driven mostly by the ICMM, that look at understanding the fundamentals of water. This entails having a proper monitoring program to draw data and engineer the right solutions.

The other important aspect to water stewardship is the understanding that water has an intrinsic value, and everybody has the right to water. Catchment studies are an exciting part of our work and they involve looking at the broader society, water needs, and water access. Innovative solutions focus on reducing water loss, for instance by reducing evaporation and optimising reuse.

What are the key challenges the DRC faces?

To respond to the global clean energy revolution, the DRC needs to produce more cobalt. The country already supplies 70% of global demand, and it can increase the output by almost 500% by 2050. The challenge is figuring out how to meet this potential. Thankfully, the legislation has stayed relatively stable in recent years.

On the ground, the major challenge during the pandemic has been to get materials in and out of the borders, but this is still reasonably well managed, with many trucks leaving mine sites to export ports in South Africa daily. Bringing equipment and construction materials into the DRC can be a little bit slower, but the regulations are in place and visas and permits are available. Overall, the government has been pragmatic in keeping the economy open, especially in the Katanga province.

Finally, perceptions about security and corruption issues have made it difficult to attract people into the country, which is a real challenge. Personally, I think that as long as there is a willingness to make things happen and see the country grow, working in the Congo is just about as easy as working in other parts of the world.

What are Golder’s top priorities this year?

Our main priority is brand awareness and making sure our clients recognize that WSP Mining as Golder Mining has the same people, clients, the same quality of services, and the same innovation mindset. Then we are working on cross-selling the extra services for the full mine lifecycle.