MINING INDABA
underground safety improvements for mines investing in
mechanised equipment.
During the process of mine modernisation new problems
and questions are arising, which presents opportunity for
entrepreneurs who can use technology to answer some of these
new questions. Technology lowered the capital barrier for new
entrants – and this, is the value proposition for Africa’s youth.
What challenges, in terms of skills and training, will mining
companies operating in Africa face within the next three years
and how should they prepare in the short term?
This question speaks directly to the future of work in mining.
The biggest short-term challenge for mining companies is to
modernise their mines in a just way. With more technology in
mining now a certainty, skills-for-jobs are what we need most.
Going forward, we must re-imagine a new and equitable model
for the division of labour in the Future of Work; this must define a
new role for the fewer humans in the workplace and more digital
assistants doing what humans traditionally did. This brings the
issue of technology or robotics governance to the fore, which
requires alignment of company and social value systems when we
explore a new definition of what ‘human’ means and how far we
are prepared to digitally and physically ‘enhance’ human beings
for better performance in the workplace.
What is your outlook for the mining industry in 2020 and what
trends can we expect to see in the next three years?
Mining is known for its boom and bust times. The early 2000s
was a classic boom period, followed by a classic bust cycle in the
decade that followed. Traditionally, South African mining followed
international market cycles, but the political economy of the
past seven years showed us that South Africa’s mining cycle is no
longer in sync with the international cycles. Therefore, we saw
hard times here while the rest of the world improved. The very
recent mining company reports include some green shoots, which
is good for 2020.
However, we will not see sustainable growth until improvements
are visible in infrastructure reliability and affordability, regulatory
certainty and the rule of law.
Strong trends in mining that will continue over the next three
years include: a global search for new 21st century metals; a global
push for technology-intensive mines of the future; a need for new
skills-sets with retrenchment of vulnerable skills; rising resource
nationalism; the rise of climate change as a growing, global
concern that affects consumption patterns.
What role will universities like Wits play in the future of mining
in Africa?
Firstly, universities must support better integration of education
(at all levels), transformation and partnerships – aimed at
supporting relevant teaching, learning and research. We also
have to improve our understanding of competence and the role
of qualifications to deliver competence in the workplace. Typical
competencies for the 21st century will be to design, to create, to
install, to maintain, to improve, and to lead.
Secondly, universities must realise that not everyone can take the
academic route. When it is done right, vocational learning can
result in highly qualified individuals who must be recognised in
the formal system. This is the major threat to universities clinging
to the old model in which a university education guaranteed a job.
Thirdly, we must do something about graduate unemployment.
For example, with the support of Sibanye-Stillwater, Gold Fields
and the Mine Health and Safety Council, we place graduates in a
one to three year postgraduate programme where they receive
a small income while they do postgraduate research on a 21st
century mining (technology) topic. This improves their prospects
of getting a job. We also give them exposure to real mining
problems while they work under academic supervision with
workplace professionals. In this small initiative, about 25 graduates
are employed in this way. Imagine the impact if we did this at all
universities across the country for all sectors of the economy.
INVESTMENT
ko
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Mine production trend in Africa has generally been upwards, evidenced by copper
and gold production increasing by 10% and 2% CAGR from 2005 to 2019. Even coal
Nkateko, are mining companies in Africa producing more and will that trend
continue in 2020? What about exploration? Are there enough new exploration
projects in Africa?
Nkateko Mathonsi, resources analyst at Investec
discusses mine production trends in Africa.
Ma
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Radebe are the titans who have gone beyond and are women
owners of mining projects. It would seem the barriers against
women in mining are surely being shattered.
TRENDS IN 2020
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African Mining January 2020
www. africanmining.co.za