MINING INDABA •
AFRICAN MINING OUTLOOK 2025 : MINING INDABA PREVIEW
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Future-proofing African Mining , today !" is the theme for Investing in African Mining Indaba 2025 . The focus is on advancing the mining industry in Africa while also promoting sustainability and equality .
“ Broadly speaking , it outlines the need to take action and ensure our industry has a future . Regardless of which stakeholder group you fall into , this theme would holds a specific level of relevance to you ,” says Laura Nicholson , Mining Indaba ’ s head of Content & Strategic Partnerships .
“ For mining companies , majors or juniors , it means ensuring the delivery of sufficient production volume to supply the world ' s growing demand for commodity consumption that contributes to a decarbonised world . For governments , it means ensuring that production delivers economic wealth and security for their country . For investors , it means robust ROI that means long term investment criteria shaped by environment and community conscious businesses . For our service providers , it means delivering new age technologies that will shape efficient , streamlined and more profitable mines of the future . For our very important young professionals , it means building and delivering mines that secure future generation mining careers that explore new methodologies in traditional practices and embrace ideas and processes yet to be seriously considered . For communities , it means job creation and also longevity beyond the mine that helps drive a new era of small and intelligent local businesses and business entrepreneurs . The golden thread that ties each of our core focus areas together is approaching our area of focus with a sustainable mindset that ensures we leave a green pathway for those that will follow in our footsteps , but today , ‘ Future-proofing African Mining ’ requires action that must happen now . Are we as a continent ready to ride the wave that positions the African mining industry as the game changer our world needs . It ' s not a choice . It is a non negotiable . Let ' s future proof this industry and our planet , and let ' s align on how to do so .” 1
In line with this thinking , African Mining ’ s customary January Indaba Outlook 2025 embraces this theme on many levels through a number of opinion pieces contributed by stakeholders across the board – from services and products that ensure longterm resilience and sustainability for the mining ecosystem and improve efficiencies in exploration , extraction and productivity when it comes to critical minerals in Africa , to innovative business thought leadership that is adapting and evolving to stay competitive with solutions and strategies that are reshaping traditional thinking , redefining operational processes and offering revolutionary opportunities for boosting competitiveness and driving ESG , sustainability and progress .
References : 1 . https :// miningindaba . com / page / why-visit
IN AN UNPREDICTABLE WORLD , MINING BUILDS RESILIENCE IN AFRICA
By Andrew van Zyl , managing director , SRK Consulting ( South Africa )
It is probably an understatement to say the world has become an unpredictable place over the past decade , but there are exciting opportunities to build more resilience in communities around Africa – with mining as a key driving force .
From climate change impacts that have exacerbated floods and droughts , to a global pandemic and geopolitical instability , there has been a lot for mines to deal with recently . Then there are the usual commodity cycles to navigate , which have become even more volatile with rapid technological changes related to the energy transition , further impacting commodity prices .
Driven by global decarbonisation efforts , there is plenty of uncertainty about the future of vehicles driven by internal combustion engines – and hence about the demand for metals needed for catalytic converters . Even within fast-evolving battery technology , there is little agreement about exactly which concepts will prevail to lead the market . This means continued uncertainty about which metals and minerals will be in most demand .
Factors like these make for unstable ground on which to plan and execute new mining projects , on which Africa is still partly reliant for its growth prospects . It is seldom disputed that mining is a powerful pioneer sector that can kick-start much needed economic diversification .
www . africanmining . co . za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining • January 2025 • 21