Navigating mining’s fast changing sustainability landscape begins with a full understanding of the entire value chain, says SLR Consulting’s Angus Bracken, Mining Sector Lead for Africa and the Middle East. Whether a project is at conceptual scoping, operational execution or preparing for closure, he argues that consultants deliver the greatest value when they can see, interpret and advise on every stage of the process.

Central to SLR Consulting’s mining advisory model is its integrated structure of eight Communities of Practice aligned to the mining cycle. These span strategic advisory, resource development, environmental, social and governance (ESG), climate change, water management, tailings and mine closure. This multidisciplinary approach allows the company to bring the right blend of expertise to each project.

“Clients don’t want advisers who only see one slice of the project,” Bracken says. “They want teams who understand the whole value chain - from strategy and financing to environmental performance and community engagement - and who can walk with them from the earliest concept right through to closure.”

He notes that full cycle visibility strengthens technical decision-making and supports the collaborative relationships that mining projects depend on. “Meaningful partnership is only possible when you understand what each stakeholder needs, including operators, investors, regulators, lenders and communities,” he continues. “That requires seeing the entire landscape, not just your own discipline.”

SLR Consulting has expanded rapidly in recent years. The company now employs 4,500 people across 135 offices in 28 countries, with a growing presence across key African markets including Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Kenya, Namibia and South Africa.

To reinforce integration across its network, the business recently combined Africa, the Middle East and Europe into a single ‘super-region’ to promote seamless collaboration and technical exchange. Bracken highlights that investors in the Middle East are increasingly focusing on African mining opportunities, making the company’s office in the United Arab Emirates  strategically important.

“Our model prizes local understanding paired with deep global expertise,” he explains. “We want the right team - local and global - around the table for every project; that is how we bring depth, context and perspective.”

Dieter Rodewald, SLR Consulting’s International Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Lead for Africa and the Middle East, stresses that building a mining project that is financially viable, operationally robust and socially responsible requires early and continuous alignment among all stakeholders.

“This is where SLR Consulting positions itself not just as a technical consultant, but as a strategic partner,” he says. “People often think environmental and social assessments are just compliance exercises. However, our work starts much earlier, helping clients navigate ESG imperatives from day one so that sustainability becomes embedded in decision-making rather than added as an afterthought.”

Rodewald notes that early partnership is increasingly vital as mining jurisdictions across Africa tighten and modernise their regulatory frameworks. At the same time, international financiers are imposing more rigorous ESG standards for funding approvals.

“If a client wants access to capital, they need to meet global good practice, not just national regulations,” he explains. “Financial institutions want assurance that the full range of project risks are understood and managed from the start.”

Many mining projects also face legacy issues that require careful handling. Rodewald recalls a case where SLR Consulting supported a client attempting to revive a project burdened by socio-political challenges inherited from previous owners. The new project team urgently need to reach financial close, finalise engineering designs and complete ESG baselines - but community mistrust threaten progress.

“We had to work with the client to take a step back and help them rebuild trust,” he says. “The solution was a grassroots engagement strategy that reset expectations and re-established transparent communication. Over just a few months, we saw marked improvement in community confidence.”

This experience underscores a critical lesson - social licence cannot be rushed and project timelines must account for community realities.

Looking ahead, Bracken notes that technology is opening powerful new avenues for mining in Africa - but only if the right partners are brought in early. He points to renewable energy integration as an area where early engagement allows independent power producers and mining operations to work together to reduce carbon footprints and secure long-term power supply.

“Digital innovation and artificial intelligence can transform monitoring and planning, through digital twins, predictive analytics and hyperspectral imagery, for example,” he adds. “Remote sensing and advanced satellite data can now support improvements in everything from exploration to tailings monitoring and biodiversity assessment.”

For both Bracken and Rodewald, the message is consistent - sustainability in mining requires strategic partnership, whole-of-value-chain insight and early engagement across disciplines. With this approach, mining projects can achieve more resilient operations, stronger ESG performance and deeper trust with the stakeholders who ultimately shape their success.