DR Congo
January, 2009
Kolwezi,Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Nova International recently completed the first phase of its design, delivery, and installation contract for First Quantum Minerals' residential-style family housing project located on the mine site just north of the city of Kolwezi, in the province of Katanga, in the south east of the DRC. A famous copper mining city with a long and colorful history, Kolwezi is the site of First Quantum's ambitious cooper tailings reprocessing project. To house its senior management, FQM's local subsidiary, KMT, turned to Nova to develop 18 separate family houses --- six one bedroom 62 square meter units, six three bedroom two bathroom 215 square meter units, and six three bedroom, three bathroom 325 square meter units.
Completed in the course of eight months, these units are truly unique for developing world project sites, and offer attractive and comfortable Western-style pre-engineered housing.
Nova's full turnkey project approach included supplying, shipping, delivering and constructing the 18 unit project in a very challenging environment at a very challenging time in DRC's development. The pre-engineered and pre-cut pieces were consolidated at Nova's far east warehouse and shipped in containers to Tanzania where the units where taken over an arduous 1500 mile road journey through three countries, four frontier border crossings, and countless challenges from the roads and the weather to arrive in Kolwezi to begin the construction on pre-cast foundations poured onto the housing site cut from the raw bush. Employing well over 100 local tradesmen and laborers, Nova's American, South African, English, and Israeli supervisors guided the construction and skills development of the Congolese work force. Construction was completed just prior to the onset of the rainy season.
The second phase of 18 additional three bedroom houses and two dormitories has already begun with all pre-cut parts and pieces fabricated and loaded into containers. The design has changed slightly with a complete on-module design for the dormitories. This will significanlty reduce set up time, save on materials, and eliminate waste.
Facts about DR Congo
- Coordinates: 0° N, 25° E
- Total area: 2,345,410 sq km
- Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)
- Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
- Population: 62,660,551
- Median age: 16.2 years
- Airports: 234 (11% paved)
- Roadways: 153,497 km (2% paved)
Facts from the CIA World Factbook
