In 1984, a small office in Northern Johannesburg laid the foundation of what would become an engineering powerhouse servicing the global mining industry. “We are one of the few engineering firms out there solely focused on mining, metals, and minerals. It makes us unique,” says DRA Global’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, James Smith. “We can cover the full value chain, whether it’s an early study on a potential orebody, or looking at how to design and build a mine or process plant. We also work on the operational side through our operations and maintenance businesses. We can provide our clients with an end-to-end solution for almost any aspect of the mining world.”
40 years on from that small office, DRA Global stands tall with 4,200 people across 14 offices on five continents, expertise in almost every commodity, and an impressive track record of delivering significant mining projects for a growing global client base.
“We are now a truly global business with offices in Australia, North America, South America, and the Europe/Middle East/Africa region. There are few parts of the mining industry we haven’t touched in the last 40 years,” Smith tells us. “We have built significant capabilities and experience in platinum, gold, diamonds, base metals, bulk commodities and more recently in battery minerals, such as lithium, and the rare earth elements. There are very few commodities we haven’t been involved in.”
DRA has delivered over 8,000 studies, projects, and operations, including the installation of over 120 milling and flotation circuits, 150 crushers, and almost 25% of global SX/EW capacity. Areas of expertise include underground mining, mineral processing, and hydrometallurgy although DRA is able to deliver a full mine-to-port solution for clients.
“Few can cover the full value chain the way we do, while our experience operating mines and process plants makes us a better designer and builder of those facilities,” Smith says. “Our clients appreciate working with us because we prioritise their requirements and offer flexibility in our approach. Whether it’s working with a junior miner to tailor a fit-for-purpose solution to meet their requirements or a Tier-1 organisation that requires adherence to advanced systems and processes in their mine expansion plans, we adapt our approach accordingly for each project and each client.”
Road to Globalisation
It is a model that DRA Global is taking worldwide, but going into new regions means meeting new client requirements with different ways of approaching mining and engineering projects.
“When we entered South America, we had to overcome language barriers and a different set of engineering challenges. Our clients require engineering solutions for copper concentrators high up in the Andes,” Smith explains. “You have to change your approach from a technical and engineering perspective, but also ask how to best work within the challenges of the local environment and gain access to a new pool of local talent.”
When DRA Global enters a market, it does not just send ex-pats into that new market. Localisation is a key part of its model. DRA’s true legacy has always lain in the people who have built this Group by contributing their skill, passion, and dedication to the engineering profession – wherever it does business.
The culture that motivates those people has been core to DRA’s building blocks since the firm was established by founders, Brian Dowding, Tony Reynard, and associates. “But they would be the first to admit that it’s the many thousands of DRA people that contributed over the four decades that have made DRA great,” Smith says. “We see the value of localisation and local teams. We hire locally as we go into a new region, understand the culture of that region and the clients there, and adapt our model accordingly. We share ideas and capability globally but have a local feel to everything we do.”
“We bring expertise with us when we need it, but our focus is on building local skills from the ground up,” Smith says. “We have successful graduate programs to employ engineers early in their careers and invest considerable resources in training and development.”
The mining industry has not always been an attractor of young talent, but DRA invests in bringing young people into the profession. DRA engenders that commitment by offering its people unique challenges, autonomy in taking on those challenges, and a broad career covering a diverse set of opportunities.
“DRA people are known for their resilience and determination. We have built mines in the most challenging of locations, sometimes working in extreme conditions from sub-zero temperatures in the Andes to remote parts of central Africa and the vast deserts in North Africa and the Middle East,” Smith says. DRA engenders a strong sense of teamwork and camaraderie. “It’s not uncommon to see 25-year service awards – a testament to the loyalty and commitment of our people.”
The Future of Mining
“We recognise that to be successful at turning the future of mining into reality, we need to invest in talent development to ensure the next generation of DRA is well-prepared for an even more complex world,” Smith says.
As an example of this, last year the organisation launched the NeuroMine Mining Insights Centre through its Minopex business. It offers clients a cutting-edge solution that DRA believes will revolutionise its approach to operations.
“Our centralised Mining Insights Centre provides real-time monitoring, analytics, and expert domain-driven insights from a single, central location,” Smith says.
The centre is part of DRA’s focus on innovation, which is underpinned by technology and artificial intelligence developments across the industry. Indeed, talking with Smith it is clear he sees a fundamental shift on the horizon, which is why technical leadership is the pinnacle of DRA Global’s strategy.
“We will continue to claim our space as an innovator in our technical and engineering fields as we pursue our ambition to change the future of mining,” Smith says.
The global mining sector is constantly evolving, and one that is essential for the future of the global economy.
“To build a sustainable world you need metals, and metals are a key limiting factor for renewable infrastructure, battery storage and many other technologies needed for the green transition,” says Smith. “Our future is supporting that transition through the global mining industry as it becomes more sustainable itself. We strive to help clients find innovative solutions in that space, building more efficient mines that make better use of our global resources.”
DRA Global has achieved its successes alongside a strong base of industry partners it has constructed as it has gone into different regions around the world.
“We are fortunate to have equipment suppliers, consumable suppliers, and general services providers that support us everywhere we go,” Smith points out. “That kind of joint partnership is what you need to develop complex projects in complex environments. A big part of our success has been this global ecosystem of key industry partners we have built.”
“DRA has already established a strong presence in the global mining industry. The company is committed to maintaining and expanding its influence with a commitment to quality. It is not enough for the company to be good at what it does; it strives to be the best. This involves a continuous process of learning, innovation, and improvement to lead the way in technical and engineering expertise,” he said.
As DRA Global celebrates its 40th anniversary, Smith is keen to pay tribute to the people who have made the company what it is today.
“I look forward to continuing our journey of resilience, innovation, and growth,” Smith says. “Here’s to the next 40 years.”
