South Africa-based engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) firm Methano Group is positioning partnerships, skills development and multidisciplinary technical delivery as central to unlocking sustainable mining growth across Africa.

Speaking to Mining Weekly at Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026, CEO David Stanton highlighted the company’s broad service scope and its focus on collaboration across industry, government and communities to strengthen project outcomes and sector resilience. Methano Group, established in 2009, operates as a Consulting Engineers South Africa–registered entity and was founded with a strong developmental objective — to help address South Africa’s high unemployment rate through engineering-led project delivery and skills transfer.

The company’s offering is structured around six pillars: project management, design engineering, project support, multidisciplinary expertise, construction management and operational management. Across these pillars, Methano delivers services ranging from preliminary economic assessments and feasibility studies through to full EPCM implementation phases.

Design engineering capabilities span mining, mechanical, civil and structural, electrical, control and instrumentation disciplines, as well as process plants, water management and mine-related infrastructure. Supporting services include cost control, scheduling, procurement, document control, contract execution management and quantity surveying. The group also provides specialist input across mining engineering, winders, concentrators, smelters, and both surface and underground development.

In construction and operations, Methano delivers safety, health, environment and quality management, commissioning, geotechnical oversight, ventilation and cooling, environmental management and survey services. According to Stanton, this integrated model enables continuity from early study phases through to operational optimisation.

Mining Indaba 2026 is seen by the company as a key platform for engaging with new technologies, equipment trends and financing partners, while strengthening networks across the mining value chain. Stanton noted that interaction with mining leaders, policymakers, equipment manufacturers and investors supports innovation and improves return on investment across projects.

The event’s partnership theme aligns closely with Methano Group’s operating philosophy. The company places emphasis on collaboration with local communities and structured in-house mentoring to expand technical capacity and create employment pathways. Knowledge sharing and stakeholder-focused project strategies are viewed as practical tools to support long-term sector sustainability.

Stanton added that South Africa’s established leadership in deep-level mining technologies continues to enable safer operations and access to previously sterilised resources, but sustained progress will depend on stronger cooperation between industry, government, communities and supplier sectors. He also stressed the importance of advancing mineral beneficiation to maximise domestic economic benefit.

“Stronger collaboration across stakeholders is the key enabler for future mining growth,” he indicated, pointing to partnership-driven development as essential to productivity, safety and social value creation in the African mining sector.