Centurion-based mining engineering consultancy Ukwazi aims to grow systematically from being a small mining consultancy to a medium-sized mining solutions provider.

Ukwazi director Hugo Tukker explains that the company was established by three mining engineers who identified a demand in the industry for the services they were able to offer.

"We started providing a service to the general mine industry in the area of mine design and scheduling using mine software packages. Owing to the strong demand for our service, we soon began employing additional mining engineers, surveyors and draughtsmen with practical backgrounds and, at present, have a staff complement of 19," says Tukker.

"Today. we provide a service that encompasses all mining engineering related aspects. We like to get involved early in the project's technical process, from the compilation of the geological model to understand what we are dealing with, right up to execution.

"These steps might include compiling a mining model, getting involved with trade-off studies and desktop studies, followed by prefeasibility studies, evaluation of all mining options and then progressing to feasibility studies, which could include mine design and scheduling, equipment selection, cost modelling and various stages of project management, followed by execution," explains Tukker.

"For example, at Impala Platinum's No 17 Shaft and Xstrata's Elandsplat projects we have been involved from initial feasibility studies right through to the execution phase where we are still involved with monthly updates, planning reviews and shaft optimisation.

Services are provided to most of the country's mining firms, from junior miners to blue chip mining houses. Its commodity experience extends from gold, platinum, copper and diamonds to coal, with services to the platinum industry comprising its main source of income over recent years.

"Within these various commodities we are also knowledgeable with regard to a number of mining methods and shaft access strategies," says Tukker.

"One of the main aspects which distinguish us from our competitors is that we provide an optimised mining strategy. In other words, we are not part of an engineering, procurement and construction management team, rather we position ourselves to be part of the owner's team in an advisory or technical capacity to optimise value and minimise risk on the mining section of mining projects," says Tukker.

The company's specialised software department has developed an underground design module (AUD), which is marketed by Gemcom worldwide, with more than 130 licences sold to date.

AUD is an automated design and planning module which is integrated into Surpac Gemcom. A second version, which will be released by October 2010, will be significantly easier to use as well as being more auditable.

And, even though the company has developed its own software, it is software independent and thus supplies technical solutions based on the best fit for the specific project and client's requirements.

"We believe that, based on our employees' practical and project experience, enhanced by mine design and scheduling software skills, we can provide a comprehensive mining engineering solution to industry," says Tukker.

"Looking ahead, we aim to maintain and expand our current client base and be a preferred supplier of technical and project related mining engineering services throughout Africa," he concludes