Amid the current volatile mining environment that is marked by tighter environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, fluctuating commodity cycles and rising project complexities, “few factors are as decisive as execution certainty”, says engineering consultancy VBKOM industrial engineering and project controls portfolio manager Tiaan Ackermann.

VBKOM is positioning itself in line with this evolution through what it terms ‘integrated techno-project management’ – a methodology that merges technical excellence, financial governance and operational readiness into one disciplined process.

The company’s approach, developed over years of cross-sector experience, aims to bridge the long-standing divide between engineering studies and project execution.

It applies a holistic framework that treats every mining venture as a unified techno- financial ecosystem, rather than a series of isolated workstreams.

“Our game changer is the concept of integrated techno-project management, which breaks down the traditional silos between technical engineering and project execution disciplines. This approach allows us to be part of the client’s ‘owners team’ and to execute the project from an owner perspective,” he explains.

“Instead of coordinating separate teams for geology, mine design and project controls, we treat a mineral project as a single, dynamic techno-financial ecosystem. This ensures technical risk is mitigated at the earliest stages, driving greater project certainty and maximising asset value,” says Ackermann.

This integrated model has already underpinned several large-scale assignments. VBKOM has acted as overall project manager for a phosphate project’s feasibility study and a coal project’s underground expansion, as well a platinum group metals (PGM) technology optimisation project for a major local producer, all in South Africa. VBKOM has completed numerous projects outside of South Africa, including a recent lithium mining study in Finland.

Across these projects, the consultancy’s project management and controls team has developed custom dashboards that consolidate risk management, scheduling and operational readiness into one decision-support platform, thereby providing clients with real-time visibility and governance.

Digital Integration, Environmental Risk Management

VBKOM’s digital transformation strategy is not about adopting tools for their own sake, but rather about “embedding technology within the fabric of technical management”, says Ackermann.

The consultancy leverages simulation, probabilistic modelling and 3D visualisation to quantify uncertainty and test multiple project scenarios before capital is committed.

“We don’t merely adopt digital tools – we are strategically embedding them into the way our technical personnel and engineers manage projects. Our focus is on simulation, decision support and advanced data analytics to ensure decisions are informed by data, not assumptions,” highlights Ackermann.

During project execution, VBKOM integrates financial systems, schedules and on-site data into customised dashboards that transform raw information into actionable intelligence for the consultancy’s project management office.

With mining houses under growing scrutiny to meet stricter ESG and decarbonisation mandates, the consultancy ensures that sustainability is a core component of project viability.

The firm’s consultants routinely perform independent ESG and financial gap analyses, supported by proprietary carbon-calculation services that help quantify and reduce environmental impact.

The consultancy has also diversified its project portfolio towards commodities essential for the clean-energy transition – including PGMs, copper and critical minerals, thereby aligning its strategy with the global demand for low-carbon resources.

Additionally, VBKOM’s consulting model applies front-end loading, quantitative risk assessment and operational readiness to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities that typically lead to cost overruns or delayed ramp-ups.

By integrating technical accountability with continuous risk tracking, Ackermann says the consultancy helps clients to avoid value destruction throughout the project lifecycle.

VBKOM’s growth strategy reflects regional consolidation and global ambition, as the company recently expanded into Sudbury, Canada, establishing a North American hub while maintaining its strong African base.

VBKOM senior marketing officer Chantelle Van der Walt highlights that this expansion represents not only geographical diversity, but the bringing of what she terms the company’s “African tenacity” to one of the world’s premier mining jurisdictions.

Simultaneously, VBKOM has formalised a strategic venture – VBKOM Africa, with a pan-African investment firm to enhance capacity and reach in African markets. This collaboration aims to allow for the delivery of larger, multidisciplinary projects to deepen the consultancy’s contribution to local capability-building.

Beyond these initiatives, the consultancy is also developing an underground mining strategy and expanding its geological exploration services.

“By designing strategic exploration programmes that derisk early-stage projects and optimise financial resources, the firm continues to extend its integrated methodology further up and down the mining value chain,” says Ackermann.

Van der Walt adds that, as the global race for critical minerals accelerates, delivering technically sound, financially robust and socially responsible projects will define the next generation of mining leaders.

“Ultimately, our approach maximises value through the entire process, supporting the transition from raw extraction to value-added beneficiation. By integrating ESG principles and optimising mineral extraction, we ensure that projects are not only profitable but also responsible and sustainable,” she concludes.