Sound Grounding in The Fundamentals (Interview with Andy Carter)

In this episode we find out about the role of consultants within the mining industry. Andy Carter provides a wealth of information about how consultancies work and the types of projects they work on. He shares his own fascinating professional journey and offers advice about the skills that are desirable in a good consultancy.

 

KEY TAKE AWAYS

 

• In South Africa mining engineers were able to pursue technical challenges with vigour and given time to investigate in great depth. Today cost and time are limiting factors for investigations to this degree.

 

• Pursuing professional opportunities to work around all of the English-speaking world resulted in being well equipped to cope with any challenge.

 

 

• Establishing a network through contacts is vital. You need to continue to build that network, maintain that network and develop further that network.

 

• At any gathering, make sure you don’t ever leave with nothing even if just a referral

Make sure you ask for work and if they don’t have any then maybe they know someone who does.

 

• Key for a successful telephone pitch are:

Be prepared

Rehearse it

Think through what you want to say before you make the call

 

• A consultancy can lead clients through the complete process from geo sampling through to the end of the process.

Consultancies essentially produce technical reports and these reports are used for financing.

“We facilitate the transactions between to client and the bank, essentially our reports are the show and tell element.”

 

• Mining companies use consultancies as lots of companies do not have resources or technical knowledge. It is now a requirement under 43101 third party opinion that the

report has been put together by an independent party and a consultancy fulfils this requirement.

 

• When we propose a particular solution it’s about persuading the client to take a particular path and demonstrating how the solution can work

 

 

BEST MOMENTS

 

“Sound grounding in the fundamentals”

 

“Consultants are essentially engineers, scientists, technologists who do consulting”.

 

 

“Credibility – if you never been near a mine or sharp end its obvious to client”

 

 

“Even today the fabric of our society is based on mineral exploitation, just about everything around us comes from out of the ground”

 

 

ABOUT THE GUEST

 

Andy Carter

 

Andy Carter, Technical Director of Coffey Geotechnics UK, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tetra Tech Inc. and leader of their Swindon mining group who shares his journey from starting his career after graduating and moving to work in South Africa and then Canada working in mineral consultancy space. He explains in more detail the consultancy industry and how it has developed, the important role it plays in the industry and the future of this sector. With around 40 years industry experience, Andy shares his wealth of knowledge and experience in mineral processing and what the future holds with certain minerals now becoming more prominent in new technologies that are being developed.  

 

 

ABOUT THE HOST

Rob Tyson

Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight to people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.

Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from the first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients’ organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.

 

CONTACT METHOD

• Email Rob at rob@mining-international.org
• Rob’s LinkedIn
• Mining International Official Website
• Mining International’s Twitter
• Mining International’s Facebook