“Instead of debating which firm “owns” which scope, we are now assembling project teams made up of the best available people, regardless of their employer.”
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What sets DRA Global’s operations apart in the US from other regions?
Our main office is based in Phoenix, and we are executing several copper projects across the US. One example is our work with Hudbay Minerals, where we are the lead engineering firm for the concentrator scope at the Copper World project. We also have a gold project in Nevada and another copper project in Utah. If things progress as expected, we may soon support a lithium project in the Northeast as well.
A distinctive aspect of DRA’s US operations is the way we remain involved after project delivery. For instance, we currently have around 10 of our people seconded into a client’s copper-molybdenum project that we designed and built. They are helping operate and commission the plant. After designing, building, and commissioning a facility, we want to stay involved to ensure it performs exactly as intended.
What are the factors driving growth in the US mining industry?
When you combine resource sovereignty, faster permitting timelines, and increasing global infrastructure demand, you create a powerful growth environment for the mining and metals sector. In addition, access to finance has expanded. Investors—including large groups from countries like Japan, where returns at home are relatively low—are actively looking to deploy capital into US projects because the returns here are stronger. Taken together, these factors explain the momentum our industry is experiencing today, and I believe this trend will continue for quite some time.
How is the shortage of skilled labor affecting project delivery?
The shortage of skilled talent is a real constraint and is one of the main drivers behind the shift from traditional EPCM or EPC models toward more Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) structures.
The logic is straightforward: no single company has enough bench strength to deliver every aspect of a major project. Instead of debating which firm “owns” which scope, we are now assembling project teams made up of the best available people, regardless of their employer. For example, if you are building a copper project like Hudbay’s, you are competing directly for labor with massive infrastructure developments such as the TSMC semiconductor fabs in Arizona, which offer extremely competitive wages. Mining projects are no longer just competing with one another—they’re competing with national-scale infrastructure and technology programs. It is not about the hats; it is about the heads.
Can you share how DRA integrates ESG principles into its project design?
When evaluating a project, we don’t simply look at it through CapEx and OpEx lenses—we also ask what it means for water, energy, and carbon. Over time, we’ve developed internal intellectual property that helps us evaluate options—whether a flowsheet, mining method, or infrastructure configuration—from an environmental standpoint. For instance, when comparing two process routes, we will quantify groundwater savings, energy consumption, and overall carbon impact for each option. These metrics become part of the client’s business case, helping justify not only the technical choice but the sustainability benefits as well.
Why is operational readiness so important?
Operational readiness may sound like a buzzword, but few companies fully understand what it truly entails—especially in the junior and mid-tier space. There is often intense focus on engineering, construction, and commissioning, but insufficient attention to preparing the organization that will take over operations on day one. You can have an excellent asset, a strong design, and a project delivered on time and on budget, but if the workforce is not trained and prepared, the value built into the business case—NPV, IRR, ramp-up assumptions—can evaporate very quickly.
This is why operational readiness is something DRA takes extremely seriously. We assess more than eleven different dimensions of readiness and map them against the project’s current status to produce a heat map, identifying gaps and highlighting where the operation may struggle post-handover.
Where do you see the biggest opportunities for companies like DRA?
The largest opportunity is unquestionably in the copper sector, as copper sits at the center of nearly every industrial and energy transition. I also see strong momentum in critical minerals and defense-related materials. Precious metals, particularly gold, will always have enduring relevance. As long as financial volatility exists, investment in gold-related projects will continue.
What sets DRA Global’s operations apart in the US from other regions?
Our main office is based in Phoenix, and we are executing several copper projects across the US. One example is our work with Hudbay Minerals, where we are the lead engineering firm for the concentrator scope at the Copper World project. We also have a gold project in Nevada and another copper project in Utah. If things progress as expected, we may soon support a lithium project in the Northeast as well.
A distinctive aspect of DRA’s US operations is the way we remain involved after project delivery. For instance, we currently have around 10 of our people seconded into a client’s copper-molybdenum project that we designed and built. They are helping operate and commission the plant. After designing, building, and commissioning a facility, we want to stay involved to ensure it performs exactly as intended.
What are the factors driving growth in the US mining industry?
When you combine resource sovereignty, faster permitting timelines, and increasing global infrastructure demand, you create a powerful growth environment for the mining and metals sector. In addition, access to finance has expanded. Investors—including large groups from countries like Japan, where returns at home are relatively low—are actively looking to deploy capital into US projects because the returns here are stronger. Taken together, these factors explain the momentum our industry is experiencing today, and I believe this trend will continue for quite some time.
How is the shortage of skilled labor affecting project delivery?
The shortage of skilled talent is a real constraint and is one of the main drivers behind the shift from traditional EPCM or EPC models toward more Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) structures.
The logic is straightforward: no single company has enough bench strength to deliver every aspect of a major project. Instead of debating which firm “owns” which scope, we are now assembling project teams made up of the best available people, regardless of their employer. For example, if you are building a copper project like Hudbay’s, you are competing directly for labor with massive infrastructure developments such as the TSMC semiconductor fabs in Arizona, which offer extremely competitive wages. Mining projects are no longer just competing with one another—they’re competing with national-scale infrastructure and technology programs. It is not about the hats; it is about the heads.
Can you share how DRA integrates ESG principles into its project design?
When evaluating a project, we don’t simply look at it through CapEx and OpEx lenses—we also ask what it means for water, energy, and carbon. Over time, we’ve developed internal intellectual property that helps us evaluate options—whether a flowsheet, mining method, or infrastructure configuration—from an environmental standpoint. For instance, when comparing two process routes, we will quantify groundwater savings, energy consumption, and overall carbon impact for each option. These metrics become part of the client’s business case, helping justify not only the technical choice but the sustainability benefits as well.
Why is operational readiness so important?
Operational readiness may sound like a buzzword, but few companies fully understand what it truly entails—especially in the junior and mid-tier space. There is often intense focus on engineering, construction, and commissioning, but insufficient attention to preparing the organization that will take over operations on day one. You can have an excellent asset, a strong design, and a project delivered on time and on budget, but if the workforce is not trained and prepared, the value built into the business case—NPV, IRR, ramp-up assumptions—can evaporate very quickly.
This is why operational readiness is something DRA takes extremely seriously. We assess more than eleven different dimensions of readiness and map them against the project’s current status to produce a heat map, identifying gaps and highlighting where the operation may struggle post-handover.
Where do you see the biggest opportunities for companies like DRA?
The largest opportunity is unquestionably in the copper sector, as copper sits at the center of nearly every industrial and energy transition. I also see strong momentum in critical minerals and defense-related materials. Precious metals, particularly gold, will always have enduring relevance. As long as financial volatility exists, investment in gold-related projects will continue.
