The global mining services industry is a small place, judging by some of the people and companies involved in recent transactions.
For example, Perth software firm Surpac Minex Group has agreed to be bought by Canadian competitor Gemcom Software International for $34 million.
Gemcom was established in South Africa by SRK Consulting before its top people relocated to Vancouver.
SRK expanded into the Australian market in 1997 through the acquisition of local geoscience consulting firm, Etheridge Henley Williams.
One of the founders of that firm, Mike Etheridge, went on to serve as SRK’s Australian chairman for several years. More recently, he has taken on the role of chairman of the predictive mineral discovery Cooperative Research Centre.
Dr Etheridge is also chairman of Canadian company Geoinformatics Exploration Inc, whose chief executive is Nick Archibald.
This all brings us back to Perth, because Dr Archibald was also the founder of Perth company Fractal Graphics, which, like Surpac, was a pioneer in developing innovative software for the resources sector.
