COMMENT • sharyn @ interactmedia . co . za

Sharyn Macnamara - Stafff writer •

The industry has made it clear on a number of platforms in the past few months that it is ready to mingle again after being hemmed in by the pandemic for so long . Our MTE ( Mining and Technical Exhibitions ) partners have proved this with the first quarter being their busiest quarter in the past five years , including over border expos . Having just enjoyed the networking at the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2022 in Cape Town too in May , African Mining is excited about what the rest of the year has to offer with jam-packed events lined up to look forward to .

One of these upcoming events , The Coal & Energy Transition Day will bring together all the key stakeholders involved in the coal and energy supply chain on the 27 ^th of this month – from government to miners , alternative energy producers , traders , logistics providers , investors , environmental and legal experts , independent consultants and more – to discuss and debate the way forward for the coal and energy industry in Southern Africa .

Our excursion article this month – Grootegeluk – living up to its name : Part1 – is an indication of the strength of the coal industry locally and the importance of considerations for a Just Transition in this sector , while in our interview with Mzila Mthenjane , executive head of stakeholder affairs at Exxaro , on the topic of ESG ( Environmental , Social and Governance ) implementation drives home that transparency and accountability is key and that shared responsibility for all stakeholders – government , community , and the mining sector – is vital . The potential utilisation of coalbed methane extraction in the SADC region is investigated by Dr Steenkamp , an independent consultant , specialising in geological , geotechnical and geometallurgical projects and mining project management .

Steenkamp adds his thoughts on the coal industry in Africa , “ The recent energy crunch of 2021-2022 has demonstrated the continued reliance of the global economy on electricity generated from coal fired power plants . Political pressure has placed collieries in developed nations under threat of closure . A shift now towards a ‘ cleaner ’ and more sustainable approach to mining has given it a slightly longer lease of operation . Developing nations do not have the luxury of moving away from fossil fuel based power generation in the near future . Methods will need to be implemented to extend the life of operations and keep them viable as investment in new coal projects in these countries can at the moment not obtain funding from banking and other financing institutions , and China has suspended all foreign investment in coal projects .

Alternative energy and green energy also require copious amounts of materials , ranging from REE ( rare earth elements ) for the magnets to the copper needed in the wiring . The full impact of the demand and the need for diversification to ensure global geopolitical stability will only become evident in the coming decade .” For these reasons and more , ‘ all is not quiet on the coal front in Africa !’

On the local front , African Mining also previews the Electra Mining 2022 event in this issue , which celebrates its 50 ^th anniversary this year . Touted as Southern Africa ’ s largest leading mining , electrical , automation , manufacturing , power and transport trade show , this expo is not to be missed . Charlene Hefer , portfolio director at Specialised Exhibitions , a division of Montgomery Group notes that , “ Exhibitions in the modern world remain incredibly relevant . Even with the growth of the digital age , human beings are gregarious and social by nature , they need personal contact .”

It is precisely these events that highlight the needs of the industry and drive the industry recovery through conversation and solution creation with face-to-face interaction . We look forward to seeing you there ! •

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