Koidu Diamond Mine – Sierra Leone – Collis & Associates

Описание: Mining is an extractive industry and the pressure is to mine and process as soon as possible to achieve maximum profit – how do we make this process more sustainable and better for the environment?

The consultancy firm of Collis & Associates are committed to sustainability. They were approached to provide architectural and engineering services for the upgrade of an old diamond mine in Sierra
Leone. This posed a dilemma as the infrastructure was erected
fast with little thought given to the environment, the life cycle
of buildings or the community affected. In this sense, mining is an
economic anomaly which functions for a period of time, leaving behind it empty skeletons on scarred land.
The firm’s involvement within the building work was limited to typologies from a small switch room, workshops, clinics and community facilities. The appointment of a main contractor saw items and building materials shipped from South Africa, with building having no regard to the immediate context of the site. Following site visits, Collis & Associates proposed an alternative construction technology which would minimise importation of materials and maximise use of local materials and labour while recycling mine waste wherever possible. With these decisions there was reduced construction time, plus a significant reduction in the reliance on a global supply network.

Thirty-four building types were designed in 12 months and the building process took 18 months. The buildings were scaled to allow general access to all employees and after the eventual closure of the mine, the buildings will continue to be fully functional for the local community.