FEATURE
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The DRC is just too important a jurisdiction from a resource volume and grade quality perspective for any serious player in the global mining sector to ignore” says Peter von Klemperer, the Head of Mining and Metals at the Standard Bank Group, and the exclusive Diamond Plus sponsor at the DRC Mining Week that returns to Lubumbashi from 19-21 June this year. With more than 180 companies exhibiting at DRC Mining Week, the event will once again provide an open dialogue between government, mining operators and technologies services providers to strengthen productivity in the region. Originating in the original iPAD DRC Mining & Infrastructure, which was first held in Kinshasa in 2004, the mining focus of the event became more important and was moved and rebranded to become DRC Mining Week in Lubumbashi in 2015. DRC Mining Week is a long running, award-winning and flagship expo and conference that is celebrating 15 years. For the 15th edition the organisers have added an extra day for partners and customers, so that they enjoy a 3-day expo and conference, maximising their time in the DRC.
“Standard Bank supports a large number of resources clients in the mining sector in the DRC and DRC Mining Week provides us with an important platform to engage with clients and key stakeholders in the DRC’s resources sector. Standard Bank has been involved in the DRC for over 20 years, funding operations and managing banking for a range of clients, from established developed-world players to newer Chinese clients” says Peter.
award-winning and flagship expo and conference that DRC Mining Week has become. We invite the sector to join us in celebrating 15 years as a reliable partner that has grown with the industry and established itself as the only mining platform for the whole industry in the heart of the Copperbelt.” More than 3500 international mining experts and local stakeholders from more than 50 countries are expected to attend.
Compelling business case “The business case for DRC’s mining sector remains compelling” says DRC Mining Week event director Elodie Delagneau, “for example, the demand for battery metals such as lithium and cobalt is on the rise and the country’s low production costs, the average cost of producing cobalt in DRC is 30% lower than the rest of the world, allows miners to absorb the additional higher royalty payments introduced in the new Mining Code.”
Larger expo areas The event will feature a strategic highlevel conference again that will focus on challenges and developments in the industry including a special power focus day, finance options for mining houses, the Mining Code, looking to the future of the industry, the upskilling of local mining talent, private and public partnerships as well as project updates.
“Furthermore,” she continues,“challenges always present opportunities, with the DRC mining sector’s energy deficit creating a huge gap to fill for the right power solution providers.” According to Miss Delagneau, “we are so proud of the long-running,
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The in- and outside expo areas keep growing every year and in 2019 will feature more than 180 suppliers, including country pavilions from at least five countries, with Zimbabwe already confirmed and others in the final stages of confirmation. Of the more than 80 mining and exploration companies expected at DRC Mining Week, the following sector
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