Unlocking value in East Africa’s mining industry – from related activity such as exploration, to operation and mine closure – remains central to the comprehensive testing, inspection, certification and consulting services offered to mining clients operating in this region, highlights affiliated services provider SGS MD for Tanzania Hany Azab.

SGS –with a long history of operating in Tanzania, since 1962 – is strategically positioned to maintain its leadership in East Africa’s mining industry by offering essential testing services, complying with regulatory standards and assisting clients in achieving their goals pertaining to quality, safety and sustainability.

The company’s expansion of its analytical capabilities at the Mwanza laboratory, in northern Tanzania, will significantly increase value for the mining industry in East Africa and support mining operations throughout Tanzania, Azab adds.

“SGS in Tanzania has developed exciting initiatives and services to support . . . clients in the mining sector [through services to] improve commercial, environmental and social performance, which are becoming increasingly important to stakeholders and investors.”

SGS has four modern laboratories, including geochemical and environmental facilities in Mwanza which are ISO- and IEC 10725-accredited, along with oil, gas, chemicals and agricultural laboratories in the main port area of Dar es Salaam.

“This laboratory network provides clients with a range of testing and trade compliance services to minimise operational and trade risk.”

SGS also offers mobile sample preparation laboratories, known as MSPUs, that can be deployed to remote locations to perform on-site services to complement its commercial and on-site laboratory network in Tanzania.

The mobile laboratory services facilitate faster turnaround times, efficient decision-making and improved resource allocation, says Azab.

When paired with field analytical service and testing solutions, the company’s mobile sample preparation unit offers customised site-calibrated analysis, which can provide clients with a speed-to-market advantage over competitors.

“Our mobile laboratories facilitate the transition of exploration projects into production while on-site facilities are being built,” he says.

Intelligence at Point of Decision

SGS in Tanzania provides a fast and independent data collection and business intelligence reporting service.

“This provides you with the right insights at the right time, powering data to guide decisions [and] . . . understand regulatory requirements . . . Our demonstrable expertise, significant experience and unique global network provides independent strategic data gathering and processing,” says Azab.

In this regard, he says the SGS Mwanza geochemistry laboratory has been equipped with analytical capabilities to conduct various analyses, including for gold by fire assay with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) or inductively coupled plasma.

Other capabilities comprise optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) finishing, gold by fire assay with gravimetric finishing, gold by screen fire assay with AAS finishing, gold in carbon by aqua-regia digestion with AAS finishing, gold by aqua-regia digest with AAS finishing and gold in solution by AAS.

Other analyses include bulk leach extractable gold and rapid cyanide leach for gold, carbon and sulphur analysis, and graphite analysis.

SGS Tanzania is also adding multi-element two-acid digest, four-acid digest and sodium peroxide fusion with ICP-OES finish to support local clients’ and international clients’ mining projects.

“We provide a fast, independent data collection and business intelligence reporting service and this provides us with the right insights at the right time, powering data to guide decisions [and] understand regulatory requirements,” explains Azab.

Meanwhile, he also emphasises the importance of investing in local talent and infrastructure to build long-term capacity for the mining sector in Tanzania and the East Africa region.

In this regard, he notes that 98% of SGS employees are highly competent Tanzanian employees, which is contributing to the country’s GDP growth, coupled with an increase in exports and trade, owing to the quality of employee skills.

SGS aims to develop job opportunities for Tanzanian professionals to localise unique skills and competencies in testing, inspections and quality.