DRA delivers mining, minerals processing and infrastructure services from the concept stage to commissioning, in addition to comprehensive operations and maintenance services for small and large projects. In Africa, it has established itself as a leader in these areas, and is rapidly expanding its business in other parts of the world.

Its considerable expertise cover an expansive range of commodities, including gold, platinum, diamonds, coal, ferrous metals, uranium, base metals, potash and rare earths.

From humble beginnings in 1984 with just one office in SA, today DRA boasts branches in 15 countries. With a proud track record of more than 500 projects spanning 26 countries, the company now employs 3 000 people globally.

Engineering firms generally have similar skills but DRA differentiates itself in terms of its people and by applying the ‘DRA way’ to all its projects.

The company puts huge effort into selecting and empowering its staff. DRA looks for people with a persistent, can-do attitude that is in line with the company’s business approach, enabling it to engineer solutions that satisfy all parties.

Minerals processing
DRA offers specialist capabilities in the design of mineral processing plants for a wide range of commodities. It is recognised for its expertise in processes such as comminution, flotation, gravity concentration and hydrometallurgy. The company has been the African frontrunner in minerals processing since 1984, evident by the fact that it has built more than 500 projects in 26 countries.

Its expertise extends to all fields of process engineering – electrical and instrumentation, mechanical, civil and structural, infrastructure, as well as materials handling.

All DRA’s mineral processing plants, their surrounding infrastructure and materials-handling functions operate according to world-class quality standards, systems and procedures (ISO-based). Furthermore, all projects are managed according to the highest safety standards.

The company’s process engineering team offers diverse skills in all minerals-recovery processes, such as coal and diamond dense media separation (DMS), comminution, flotation, gold recovery and gravity separation.

DRA’s processing experience includes crushing circuits, ore stockpiling and reclaim systems, pre-concentration, milling circuits, flotation plants, solids dewatering, dryers, roasting and smelting, leaching, bio-leaching, absorption and elution circuits. This is in addition to gold refining, DMS plants, gravity concentration, diamond concentrate handling and final recovery, high-intensity magnetic and electrostatic separation techniques, slurry pumping and tailings disposal systems and laboratory design and equipping.

Mining
Comprising integrated teams of mining, mechanical, electrical control and instrument action specialists, DRA’s highly experienced mine design and engineering unit offers engineering, procurement and construction management.

The firm supplies specialised mining services as well as complete mining service solutions. Its success with technically challenging mining projects sets it apart – a distinction achieved through value engineering, innovation and the support of its world-class project management systems.

Always delivering on time and within budget, DRA approaches mining services with flexible project structures that meet its clients’ needs. Building good client relationships is one of the company’s core values – for this reason, every project is undertaken in partnership with its  clients and in a spirit of mutual trust and respect. DRA collaborates with its clients to unlock the value of their assets in a safe and responsible way.

The company’s mining services extend from pit to port. It often collaborates with clients from the inception of brownfields and greenfields projects to the end of the mine-development stage, when production commences.

DRA also operates mines on behalf of clients. Its holistic service offering, covering major milestones on the road to mine development, typically starts with the completion of feasibility studies and proceeds to the design and construction of mines and minerals-processing plants.

Infrastructure
For more than 20 years, DRA has consulted on civil engineering and structural design work for a wide range of sectors including mining, the commercial industry and government. The firm’s vision is been to deliver a complete service to clients anywhere in the world, building on its reputation for quality and safety as well as the ability to deliver on time and under budget.

DRA has the capability to complete infrastructure, structural and civil engineering designs, as well as manage related projects through the procurement and implement action phases. It has also earned a reputation in the contracting industry for consistently delivering successful projects.

The company’s track record includes the development of large-scale surface infrastructure to support mining operations, concentrator plants and government projects. The scope of its infrastructure work is broad; it delivers standalone infrastructure such as bridges, roads, dams, schools, hospitals and offices. This is in addition to more complex projects such as township development, ports and airports, railway lines and hydropower plants.

Winders
Since 1999, DRA has developed a unique capability in winder-systems design. Its electrical, mechanical and civil engineers complete the design and work with a number of manufacturers that fabricate the winders.

In addition, DRA offers winder-refurbishment services, as well as the sourcing of new and used winder parts. This service cuts cost and implemen-tation time significantly. DRA also provides staff training for its clients, enabling them to take care of winder maintenance themselves.

Finally, the company conducts audits and carries out risk assessments of existing winders and winding systems to enhance safety, reliability and functionality.

Operations
DRA Operations, which known in SA as Minopex, specialises in the operation and maintenance of mineral-processing plants on a contract basis for its mining clients.

It is focused on empowering its clients to achieve as well as exceed their production targets.

Globally, DRA Operations employs more than 2 000 people and is recognised as a leader in the provision of outsourced operations and maintenance services for a wide range of commodities.

It de-risks operations and improves efficiencies by reducing upfront capital costs for equipment facilities and personnel, reducing operating costs, guaranteeing production, and improving productivity.

In other words, it assists mining companies in becoming high-performance businesses that deliver sustained results. Together, DRA and DRA Operations can handle all aspects of a project: from initial scoping studies and commissioning to ongoing operations and maintenance. 

Safety
At DRA, safety is not merely a programme that is implemented – it is part of its organisational DNA.

It starts with actively caring for people which, in turn, changes behaviour – people begin to feel responsible for each other and important safe working practices flourish.

DRA’s people-orientated approach goes beyond behaviour-based safety. Focusing on thoughts and attitudes that promote safe behaviour, it transforms how employees think about the way they work, and empowers them to approach each task in a safe manner. People-based safety enhances regulatory compliance with empowerment, ownership and trust, creating a total safety culture and making it ideal for projects of any size.

Through daily observation, DRA is able to predict where incidents are likely to occur and take steps to prevent them. The firm’s people-based approach has enabled it to achieve a remarkable safety record.

In 2013, DRA worked on some 24 projects with in excess of 18 million man-hours throughout the African region. It achieved a lost time injury frequency rate that was under its target of 0.10 – well below the industry standard.

DRA Projects (Pty) Ltd
Tel: +27 11 202 8600 (SA)

DRA Pacific (Pty) Ltd
Tel: +61 8 9324 3833 (Perth)
Tel: +61 732 364 157 (Brisbane)

DRA Taggart
Tel: +1 724 754 9800 (US)
Tel: +1 416 8008797 (Canada)

Minopex (Pty) Ltd
Tel: +27 11 234 7773
[email protected]

[email protected]
www.DRAglobal.com