Snowden eyes new growth phase
Staff reporter, 25 January 2012
PROUD parents Phil and Viv Snowden are watching the consulting business they started in Perth, Snowden Mining Industry Consultants – now owned by ASX-listed Downer – turn 25 this year.
In a note in the latest Snowden newsletter the company says the “husband and wife team started a small business … to provide geological consulting services to the local mining industry”.
“Today that business has grown into a premium consulting group with a global footprint and a reputation for delivering high quality services across the mining life cycle, with the same personal touch and values on which Phil and Viv Snowden founded the business,” the newsletter article said.
Snowden CEO Craig Morley told HighGrade the firm’s consulting staff numbers grew by 35 to 170 in 2011 (with total staffing hitting 191 by year’s end) while revenue was up 21% in FY11.
“Most of the growth over [FY11] has been from the emerging mining regions. These include South America, central and West Africa, and the CIS region,” he said.
Morley listed Snowden’s key milestones and achievements during calendar 2011 as its participation in Polymetal’s listing on the London Stock Exchange after raising £518 million, several multi-million dollar feasibility studies across several commodities in Asia and Russia, and, on the technology front, an engagement to implement the company’s Reconcilor product across all sites of a major South American mining company.
“We are very optimistic about 2012,” Morley said.
“We have successfully implemented a number of changes to streamline our business, grew the team and bedded down a number of new ventures during 2011.
“We see 2012 as a growth year for Snowden.
“We’re looking at opening new offices in the emerging regions to support a growing demand from our clients in those regions. China, Russia and Latin America will be our first priority.”
While recruitment remains a challenge for consulting firms, Morley said Snowden’s expansion strategy “projects a growth of 20 consultants during the first quarter [of 2012]”.
“Experienced technical resources remain in short supply, particularly in the areas of mining and geotechnical engineering,” he said. “We have found that our culture and work environment have been a significant influence in attracting some very good candidates during the last couple of months.”
Also in the January 25 - 31, 2012 edition
- AFRICA
- A walk on the wild side
- Africa rule change will backfire, says Turner
- ASIA DESK
- A fraudulent opening
- Next up for Atlantic … bauxite in Vietnam
- AUSTMINE
- MST on global recruitment drive
- Supply sector consolidation continues
- BREAKING NEWS
- Altius on path to production
- Anglo global production
- Anglo platinum rise
- Anvil action dismissed
- Astro hires ex-Iluka geo
- Banro awards contract
- Barberton green light
- Bathurst signs port lease
- Beacon Hill expands Moatize reserve
- Beadell lift
- Beating a path to court
- BHBP approves extra port funding
- BHPB titanium exit
- Bima in limbo
- Birimian aims at three targets
- Bold Endeavour
- Boseto on track
- Bullabulling add-on
- Bullabulling encouragement
- Cashed-up Legacy
- China ports closed
- Citigold's solid quarter
- Condoto buys into Colombia
- Cooma positive for Ironbark
- Copper smelter shut
- Cortona breakthrough
- Cosmo pivotal
- De Grey raises funds
- DiamondCorp amends Lace plans
- Discovery drops AIM
- Doornkop stop
- Dorado Discovery launch
- Evander deal set
- Excelsior boosts options
- Ezulwini falls short
- Fekola looking good
- Ferrochrome hike
- Finnish start
- FNR drilling to start
- Frontier approvals
- GME looks to mine Devon
- Gold One looks to HKSE
- Goldcorp raises stakes
- Harmony suspension
- Hold the Forte
- IronClad deal
- Jiangsu expansion study
- Kansanshi advance
- Kolomela's early dividend
- Kuusamo boost for Dragon
- La Negra promise
- Less than optimum
- Liberia iron promise
- Lithium expansion
- London milestones
- Lonmin ire
- Luiri hopes lift
- Lycopodium for Dutwa study
- Lynas gets licence
- Maiden JORC for Peak
- Maiden resource for Kinney coal
- Manganese interest grows
- Mba approval given
- McArthur output to double
- Merger talks denied
- Merlin looking good
- Miranda trading again
- Modikwa deaths
- More Coober Pedy magnetite
- More drilling for Red Rabbit
- More Mowana funding secured
- More tests for Dutwa
- Namibian eyes Hambok
- Namiquipa numbers impress
- Navarre starts Tomorrow
- New CAT record
- New resource coming for Bau Central
- Noble upgrade on cards
- PanTerra tables offer
- Petra's Finsch boost
- Picketed Finning
- Platinum output down
- PNG stake lifted
- Quebec rated highly
- Radio pilot success
- Richards Bay allocation
- Rio sales mooted
- Rio suspends work
- Rubianna extends Bloodstone
- Rustenburg strike spreads
- Sable secures Mount Nimba
- Salamanca moves forward
- Sese sampling
- Shanta signs good in Tanzania
- Silver tail
- Sinking index
- Sphere heads to frozen Red Lake
- Stander returns to Bushveld
- Stuart Shelf drilling starts
- Sudbury stoppage
- Talisman's next move
- Tampakan resource lift
- Thor raises funds
- TNG to start DFS
- Tobin Hill find
- Tonkolili funding in place
- Tusker up-rated
- Vale says China ports will be open
- Vale to expand N5
- Viper earns stake
- Vista BFS to provide spur
- Volta board change
- Xceed moves forward
- Xstrata capex plan
- Xstrata's copper shift
- COAL
- Killara narrows search
- CONTRACTING
- Karara contract close
- EXPLORATION
- Rex looms as key local copper play
- Year of the rig
- FINANCE
- Canada beckons for Crusader
- FORUM
- HighGrade, Mining Business Media join forces
- Mine closure volume fills a void
- FROM THE CAPITAL
- December quarter stars and dogs
- GOLD
- Good news and bad for Phillips River holders
- HEAVY METAL
- Cat plows into Chinese coal market
- Heavy Metal briefs: ABB, Soil Machine Dynamics, FLSmidth, Keech, Caterpillar
- Joy, Fletcher bolt together
- Long haul to diamond mine
- INSIGHT
- The case for an AusCodes framework (JORC/VALMIN)
- MINING INTELLIGENCE
- Rational planning rationale would be radical
- MINING IT
- IT notebook: Visualisation Sciences, Codan, CAE
- PEOPLE
- Mining people on the move: IronClad, International Goldfields, Australasian, Scotgold, Lodestar, OGL Resources, VDM Group, Forge Group, Bass Metals, Exco Resources, Western Areas
- South America catches the eye of art-loving geologist
- RUSSO'S RULES
- Beards, bellies and budgets
- SOUTH AMERICA
- Lost in translation
- TECHNOLOGY
- Australian mines embrace auto-guidance
- Crocodiles speed drive to diverless
- VIEW FROM THE WEST END
- Mixed signals
