Many mines in Africa have underestimated their social impact and often struggle to manage this constructively, consulting engineer and scientist firm SRK Consulting partner and principal scientist Wouter Jordaan tells Mining Weekly.
He says an added complication is the shift in corporate culture that can occur during mergers or acquisitions – a frequent occurrence in the mining industry.
“Communities will have expectations based on past engagement and agreements with a mine, and new owners need to continue building on these good relationships and repair relationships where needed.”
Another major ongoing challenge mining companies operating in Africa face, in terms of environmental, social and governance (ESG) management, is the legacy of environmental damage, where earlier mining may not have been conducted responsibly.
“This may add a financial and compliance burden, which requires closer collaboration with other stakeholders such as government,” says SRK Consulting DRC country manager and mining engineer Susa Maleba.
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