MINING EPCM
The high stakes game
Dan Gleeson speaks to five companies confronted with the complexities of designing and engineering mines of the future , today
Any contractor that comes into a mining project nowadays is aware they must meet more than just client expectations ; they need to walk a line where all stakeholders are aware of and content with their work .
This effectively sees specialist firms in the mining engineering , procurement and construction management ( EPCM ) space treated as a proxy for the mine developer / operator by those with a vested interest in the project .
IM spoke to a selection of companies from this group willing to address today ’ s long list of stakeholder pressures .
Addressing community concerns
“ Broadly speaking , we ’ re working more with clients as a team to produce more integrated solutions that meet the demands from a wider range of stakeholders ,” Steve Rusk , Vice President , Mining Minerals and Metals for Stantec , told IM .
For years , Stantec has been seeing increasing pressures around permitting issues and social licence to operate , with a client and contractor partnership being one way of addressing this . Rusk offered up an example here , where Resolution Copper ( the owner of the Resolution copper project in Arizona ) and Stantec recently partnered with White Mountain Apache community members to install renewable drinking water technology at the Fort Apache Reservation near Superior . This saw the two companies provide 64 “ hydropanels ” on the Fort
Apache Reservation , while supporting hydropanel installation programs in other Native American communities .
Hydropanels , Stantec says , are a one-of-a-kind renewable water technology that use solar energy to provide a safe and consistent supply of drinking water by drawing pure , constantly replenished water vapour out of the sky . The selfcontained system converts water molecules in the air into liquid water , which is collected and mineralised in a reservoir inside the panel , creating high-quality drinking water that can be delivered directly to homes , businesses and community-distribution centres .
In Sodankylä , Finland , at Anglo American ’ s Sakatti copper-nickel-PGE project , there is heightened environmental awareness due to the asset ’ s location in a Natura 2000-protected zone , AFRY ’ s Janne Tikka says ( credit : Anglo American )
Rusk added : “ Community involvement and support is an important part of what is a much broader project participation than in the past , and for the better .”
Adrian Chapman , Executive General Manager , Calibre , a member of WSP , says his company takes a similar community-led approach with its work in Australia on behalf of mining clients .
ESG trends have become primary drivers on major projects , even surpassing technical issues and challenges , according to Stantec ’ s Steve Rusk
30 International Mining | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023