Publication: Mining Review Africa
Issue: Issue 1 2026

Africa’s mining sector is entering a phase where technical excellence, sustainability, and cross-disciplinary collaboration are essential. As regulations tighten and ESG scrutiny increases, mines require engineering partners who deliver innovation and accountability. For more than a century, Knight Piésold has supported Africa through integrated mining, water, power, and infrastructure expertise. Technical directors Andrew Copeland (Mining), Robert Greyling (Water and Power), and Andrew Cleghorn (Infrastructure) explain how responsible engineering and long-term sustainability are shaping the continent’s mining future.

Recently, Knight Piésold expanded its local presence within Southern Africa, establishing offices in the Copperbelt in Zambia and the DRC, as well as in Namibia and Botswana. These offices enable deeper local capacity development and ensure the delivery of world-class services tailored to regional needs.

Mining: Tailings and water systems

Copeland notes that the mining division’s core focus areas are tailings and waste rock storage, heap leach design, geotechnical stability, and water management, supporting clients from feasibility through closure. Key innovations include aligning Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) design with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM), advanced deformation modelling, long-distance slurry pumping, and improved rheology testing. These respond to regulatory pressure and rising ESG expectations.

The division also plays a critical role in mine closure planning, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) plans, and community focused water management strategies that ensure operational safety and environmental compliance.

Water and Power: Hydropower and dams

Knight Piésold’s Water and Power division focuses on hydropower, dam engineering, water conveyance tunnels, large diameter pipelines, surface water management, and wastewater treatment.

Greyling notes strong growth in large-scale water transfer projects and private hydropower implementation in emerging markets. Demand is rising in Africa for renewable, reliable energy that supports mining operations and communities.

He highlights the urgent need for dam safety improvements, particularly on ageing infrastructure facing increased flood risk and changing water demand profiles driven by climate change. Repair and rehabilitation projects therefore require expanded spillway capacity and optimised reservoir operation.

To address these demands, Knight Piésold uses advanced hydrological and structural models to optimise dam size, spillway design, and reservoir performance. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is applied under varied loading conditions to assess dam stability. For hydropower, systems are designed to match renewable energy needs, while risk-based assessments ensure resilience and minimise failure risk.

Greyling notes that although technology and modelling tools enhance data acquisition and design quality, experienced engineers remain essential for interpreting outputs to ensure cost and environmental optimisation.

Infrastructure: Roads and mine services

The infrastructure division delivers the full spectrum of built environment and transport systems required for mining.

This includes roads and bridges, water and sewer networks, bulk earthworks, mine services, and project management support through construction supervision. Advanced digital design tools and Building Information Modelling (BIM) improve coordination and minimise errors.

Cleghorn explains that a major innovation is the ability to package all mine-related infrastructure into an integrated delivery framework. For greenfield projects, haul roads, water supply systems, power corridors, and camp infrastructure are designed as part of a unified master layout. BIM, hydraulic modelling, and geospatial data allow optimisation, reduced interface risks, and cost-efficient, resilient infrastructure.

Integration across divisions

Internal communication systems flag cross-disciplinary opportunities, while marketing is coordinated across divisions to maintain a consistent approach throughout the project lifecycle.

Partnerships with contractors, governments, and community stakeholders are common, as is collaboration with international Knight Piésold teams to facilitate skills transfer.

Multi-disciplinary projects often involve other major consultants, creating shared technology transfer, state-of-the-art design implementation, exposure to updated modelling approaches, and attraction of top engineering talent.

Cleghorn reinforces that integration is intentional. Joint design reviews, shared risk registers, and unified deliverables ensure coordinated solutions.

Environmental and social teams are embedded to design infrastructure that supports community well-being and aligns with regional development objectives.

Technology for sustainability

Digital tools underpin sustainability across all divisions:

• Mining: satellite monitoring, digital twins, and real-time tailings performance tracking.
• Water and Power: terrain modelling, 3D structural design and detailing, hydrological-hydraulic simulation, and dam safety monitoring.
• Infrastructure: BIM, hydraulic modelling, and GIS analytics to reduce waste and environmental impact.

Knight Piésold is advancing technologies shaping modern engineering practice, including:

• 3D design tools and AI-driven predictive monitoring with automated data acquisition systems for geotechnical and structural instrumentation
• High-resolution satellite imagery, LiDAR, drone and robotic scanning
• Cloud-based data management platforms with shared client access
• Application of global standards such as ICOLD, CDA, GISTM, SANCOLD, and ANCOLD

Building communities

Community benefits are prioritised:

• Mining: safe closure, EPR plans, and rehabilitated landscapes
• Water and Power: hydropower, flood control, and water supply systems
• Infrastructure: socially aligned roads, pipelines, and water networks supporting municipal development

Opportunities and challenges

Mining Opportunities:

• Critical minerals in high demand, driving new mine development
• Focus on safe closure and legacy management (e.g., rehabilitating old TSFs)
• Increasingly positioning as a multidisciplinary mining engineering firm
• Copeland sees exciting growth, expanding capabilities across tailings, geotechnical, water, and mine infrastructure

Challenges:

• Regulatory scrutiny, ESG expectations, and technical complexity of tailings management
• Investing in research, in-house modelling tools, and capacity building for risk-informed designs

Water and Power Opportunities:

• Renewable energy and hydropower development in emerging markets
• Bulk water supply and conveyance projects driven by water security and resilient infrastructure
• Rehabilitation and dam raising projects
• Focus on clean/renewable energy and sustainable development

Challenges:

• Repair and maintenance of ageing infrastructure
• Environmental and social concerns for new dam development
• Financing waterpower projects and investment risks
• Skills shortages within the sector

Infrastructure Opportunities:

• Africa’s infrastructure push creates opportunities in roads, pipelines, and municipal water systems
• Growth in green infrastructure and climate-resilient designs

Challenges:

• Funding constraints, permitting complexity, and balancing speed with sustainability
• Preparing through multidisciplinary teams, digital tools, and local talent development

Developing future leaders

Copeland explains that at Knight Piésold, partnership goes beyond client-consultant relationships, reflecting shared commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, and community legacy.

“The most resilient mining operations are designed responsibly, operated transparently, and closed with care.” Greyling adds that team building is based on trust, competence, and accountability, with staff gaining global project exposure and advancing from junior roles to specialists.

Cleghorn emphasises building infrastructure for generations, focusing on smart, inclusive solutions aligned with client goals, community needs, and environmental realities, with collaboration central across disciplines and stakeholders.

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