Mining & Management Consulting

Our Projects

We proudly present some of our references:

Government of Mongolia, Ulan Bator, MONGOLIA - Technical and strategic advisory services to the Ministry of Mines and Heavy Industry

FWT was commissioned by GIZ/CONNEX with engineering services for the project Technical and strategic advisory services to the Government of Mongolia - Oyu Tolgoi - Water resources and geological aspects. With this contract, FWT transferred parts of the services to DHC.

The Government of Mongolia is negotiating with Rio Tinto regarding the cost increase and delay in the development of the strategically important Oyu Tolgoi mining project.

Activities performed:

  • Review of the Oyu Tolgoi Project Assessment relating to environmental and water resource issues
  • Recommendations for the re-evaluation of the Oyu Tolgoi copper, gold, silver deposit and accompanying mineral reserves compliant to international standards
  • Review the most recent feasibility study and develop of recommendations for a new Technical and Economic Assessment based on the results of the above reserves re-evaluation
  • Investigating the causes of the 16-30 month’s delay in underground production due to changes of the mining method based on difficult geotechnical conditions as well as the need for additional funding of US$1.2-1.9 billion and advising the government on a negotiating position
  • Advise, regarding the OT Project Risk Management System especially relating to geotechnical risks and measures taken for risk reduction and avoidance as well as mechanisms for notifying and consulting with Mongolian Government as investor
  • Advise during the development of the strategic negotiation approach in consultation and cooperation with legal and economic experts for the preparation of the actual negotiation rounds between the Government and Rio Tinto, when ever needed.

DMUV German-Mongolian Business Association, Ulan Bator, MONGOLIA - Elaboration of a Market Study - Mining Industry in Mongolia

Mongolia is one of the ten most resource-rich countries in the world. In the south of the country, which is only very sparsely populated with a total of around 3.4 million inhabitants, there are gigantic deposits of copper, silver, gold, coal, fluorspar and other raw materials in the Gobi desert, which are among the largest in the world. Coal, copper and gold are the most important deposits and account for about 89% of Mongolia's export economy and over 20% of the country's gross domestic product. Accordingly, mining is now the most important industrial sector in the country from an economic point of view.

The market study provides an overview of the current status of mining activities in Mongolia ten years after the conclusion of the German-Mongolian Raw Materials Agreement, with a special focus on the implementation of the raw materials agreement's goals for German industry under the current conditions.

Ministry of Mines and Heavy Industry, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - Geotechnical Engineering Training

On behalf of the BGR - Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, a training was developed and carried out for the the Ministry of Mines and Heavy Industry (MMHI), the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority of Mongolia (MRPAM) and the National Geological Survey (NGS) in the areas of geomechanics and geophysics to educate and raise awareness of potential hazards in open-cast and underground mining.

  • Assessing the geotechnical training needs of the MRPAM staff (e.g. interviewing MRPAMs staff during the preparation phase or knowledge test before the start of the training for participants).
  • Prepare a revised geotechnical training agenda that reflects the state of geotechnical knowledge and regulatory requirements of MRPAM. It is imperative that the training includes practical exercises related to the work tasks of the course participants MRPAM.
  • Creation of training documents before the start of the training.
  • 3-day applied geotechnics training course for MRPAM employees.
    • Geotechnical considerations for mining activities in general
    • An overview of mining methods – surface and underground mining
    • Mine development
    • The determination of open pit and underground mining parameters according to geotechnical conditions
    • Geotechnical aspects of a mine design project
    • Geotechnical drilling and sampling
    • Geomechanical rock properties
    • Green field design
    • Risk analysis
    • Stabilization measures
    • Brown field design
    • Regulations

Assessing the knowledge gains of course participants, eg based on a comparison of a test at the beginning of the course and a final exam. The final exam can be replaced by interim evaluations or evaluation of practical exercises submitted by trainees.

Optimisation of Energy Consumption

Skorpion Zinc Mines, NAMIBIA - Optimisation of Energy Consumption

In Namibia the mining industry is one of the major energy consumers. Since energy costs negatively influence the operating costs of the mines, in particular the processing plants, they invariably result in an overall increase of production costs. A substantial part of this energy is directly imported from South Africa, the cost of which has been increasing rapidly in the past years and will most likely continue on the same path in the years to come.

Consequently, the major target of the Namibian mines currently is to address possible energy savings challenges and to investigate possibilities for the mines to generate their own electricity during peak times. This is in alignment with the mines’ strategic plan and objective to minimise the total energy costs through the reduction of energy consumption from both the national and foreign power grids. We reported on some of the key energy consumption optimization challenges addressed through a case study carried out in cooperation with Skorpion Zinc Mines and Refinery. In particular, we investigated the recovery and re-use of waste process energy and the production of additional energy from solar to decrease the demand of electricity import.

World Heritage Site Zollverein
Source: Von Avda - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0

RAG AG, Essen, GERMANY - World Heritage Site Zollverein - Modification of a Central Mine Drainage Station to Backup Site for Eternity

Currently on Zollverein main drainage station underground installed pumps are under operation. The underground pumping station is installed on 14th level which is approximately -950 m asl. The water quantity which had to be pumped on average during the last five years amounted to 12.4 m³/min. The mine water is pumped through two standpipes with 500 mm diameter installed in Zollverein 2 shaft to the surface and further to Emscher river which is used as open sewage duct. Thereby, the water containing sulphate coming from the southern area (approx. 7.5 m³/min) and the barium-containing water coming from the northern area (approx. 4.9 m³/min) are pumped separately.

The two shafts Zollverein 2 and Zollverein XII have to be modified into wells as dewatering backup sites by using cladding tubes in Zollverein 2 and a concrete advancing column in Zollverein XII when in 2020 the current dewatering discharge authorization into the Emscher expires. Both cladding and well tube should reach up to a depth of 650 m.

Activity performed: 

  • Project Management on World Heritage Site Zollverein - Modification of a Central Mine Drainage Station to Backup Site for Eternity (Planning and Construction)
Reserve Calculation and Mining Feasibility Study

Rudnik Uglja A.D. Pljevlja, MONTENEGRO - Reserve Calculation and Mining Feasibility Study

The Government of Montenegro and the Shareholders considered constructing a new Thermal Power Plant (TPP) to replace the existing unit. This investment decision should be based on a new calculation of the remaining coal resources and reserves of the Coal Mine Pljevlja as well on an updated calculation of the coal production cost. The task was to provid a technical and economic evaluation of coal resources and reserves for the Coal Mine Pljevlja, for developing optimization measures to reduce the current coal production cost as well as for a calculation of coal production cost for different production scenarios.

Activities performed: 

  • Evaluation of resources and Lignite resources calculation according to JORC
  • Technical and economical assessment
  • Evaluation of mine infrastructure, transportation and community development
  • Mine planning and optimization of operations
  • Cash-Flow Calculations
  • Development and evaluation of draft mining and supply contracts
  • Development of corporate business concepts for mining projects
  • Development and evaluation of draft mining and supply contracts
  • Recommendations for and supervision of infill drilling program
  • Performance of a Feasibility Study serving as basis for investment decision
Strategic Planning

Erdenes Mongol LLC, MONGOLIA – Strategic Planning

The objective of this project is to provide a comprehensive assessment of internal and external data to define the economic and technical condition of Erdenes MGL and its subsidiaries. For the development and implementation of future strategies and policies, the distinct shareholding situation of each subsidiary needs to be taken into account to assure the long-term viability of Erdenes MGL.

Activities performed:

  • Due diligence and feasibility studies for international mining projects
  • Evaluation of mine infrastructure transportation and community development
  • Workers’ health and safety, training of health and safety experts
  • Mine planning and optimization of operations under economic and operational aspects
  • Beneficiation and processing in mining for (Coal, Copper, Gold, Uranium, Pb, Zn and rare earth
  • Procurement and claim management
  • Investment strategy for mining and energy projects; cash-flow calculations
  • Development of corporate business concepts for mining projects
  • Community development aspects in mining
  • Optimization of environmental aspects in mining, international best practice
  • Process water management
Plant Construction

Doğançay Hydroelectricity, TURKEY - Plant Construction

A major task of Doğançay Hydroelectricity Plant Construction Project is the drivage of the about 7 km long power tunnel by using a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). Due to weak rock mass, the TBM has been jammed three times on the first 4 km.

Activities performed:

  • Recommendations for adjustments of the Hydropower Tunnel TBM drivage based on site inspection.
Conventional Open Pit Mining versus Concurrent Open Pit Mining

Sustainable Mining NamDeb, NAMIBIA- Conventional Open Pit Mining versus Concurrent Open Pit Mining

Concurrent mining describes backfilling one zone while depleting subsequent zones for production purpose. This leads to the following challenges.

  • If the Bedrock cleaning process is delayed then backfilling will be halted
  • A shortage of haul trucks, means priority is to feed the process plant, this results in the concurrent cycle being interrupted,
  • When the process plant is unavailable you have to stockpile material, and the concurrent cycle is interrupted because there is no waste/ oversize to backfill depleted zones.

Objectives of the study are to

  • Investigate and demonstrate the feasibility, challenges as well as advantages of Sustainable Open Pit Concurrent Mining versus Conventional open pit mining
  • Establish the conditions under which concurrent Mining open pit mining may be implemented as opposed to Conventional Open Pit Mining and why Mining companies currently opt for the latter
Feasibility Study

Okorusu Fluorspar Mine E-Deposit, NAMIBIA - Feasibility Study

The Okorusu Fluorspar mine explored a new fluorite deposit starting 2009. An independent South African Company, Geotech Africa, was asked to develop an open pit mining concept after modelling the E-deposit based on the raw drillhole data in 2013. The design proposed was basic and required further investigation into the viability of the mining concept. Due to existing open pit operations, the company proposed a study on the viability of exploiting the deposit using underground mining methods and the existing surface mining equipment The primary objective of this study is to serve as a scoping study through investigation of underground mining method concepts in terms of technical and economic viability and feasibility, given the challenging nature of the E-Deposit as well as possible further use of surface mining equipment. It will serve as a first scope optimisation study to indicate the viability of mining underground with existing equipment.

Capacity Building

Ministry of Land, Mines and Energy, LIBERIA - Capacity Building

Within a World Bank fundet Project the Consultant provided technical expertise to the MLME and developed and strengthened its capacities. The Consultant developed training concepts for economic capacity building regarding, amongst others, mine inspection as well as health, safety and environment (HSE).

Furthermore, he prepared and conducted a training program to strengthen the staff and support them in financial management and governance issues. The program was provided in several training sessions, which were held during the the Consultant’s site visit in Liberia. The staff was given practical exercises to improve and test the earned knowledge.

Activities performed:

  • Capacity building with regard to reviewing and assessing investment proposals
  • Capacity building with regard to fulfilling regulatory functions and monitoring the compliance with sector policies and contractual obligations in mining
  • Reviewing taxation and the fiscal system in the mining sector
  • Providing technical advisory services
  • Preparing workshops and conducting on-the-job trainings on the basis of real data and actual project experiences
  • Designing training and capacity building plans
Mine Planning for the Can Karliköy Lignite Deposit

ODAS Group, TURKEY - Mine Planning for the Can Karliköy Lignite Deposit

An infill drilling and sampling program was performed to update calculations of lignite resources by Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKI) for the Can Carliköy lignite deposit. The accomplished additional exploration work aimed at the calculation and classification of lignite resources and reserves according to the international reporting standard JORC.

Moreover, the Client intended to invest in a mine mouth thermal power plant (TPP). The Consultant prepared a mine plan for open pit and underground lignite mining in compliance with the lignite quality requirements of the TPP.

Activities performed:

  • Evaluation of resources and reserves
  • Recommendations for and supervision of infill drilling program
  • Lignite resources and reserves report according to JORC
  • Mining concepts and mine planning.
  • Process water management
  • Beneficiation and processing in mining
  • Recommendation for the sustainable development of the mining field.
Optimization of Copper Ore Production in Zhezkazgan

Kazakhmys Corporation, KAZAKHSTAN - Optimization of Copper Ore Production in Zhezkazgan

The mining operator Kazakhmys Corporation encountered extremely high costs for the maintenance of the technical equipment. This was due to inaccurate drillings, the use of too much explosives, insufficient road construction and lack of maintenance.

The Consultant´s task was the investigation of the causes of the high costs and the elaboration of cost reducing measures.

Activities performed:

  • Design
  • Calculation
  • Bidding process
  • Contract negotiations
  • Detailed design
  • Contract management
  • Economic evaluation of the production process and elaboration of cost optimizing measures