Mining Indaba Reflections: 2025

The world of Mining converged in Cape Town for the 2025 edition of the Mining Indaba, and it delivered some essential reminders on the importance of the sector for the world that is ever evolving, relying on critical materials and minerals that make up the buildings, machinery, vehicles (including EVs), robots, renewable energy equipment and so many other ingredients to an industrialized world. Yet at the same time, Africa is the least industrialized continent on the planet, with the lowest levels of electrification.

Many business leaders, including mining captains of industry, government officials, academia, civil society, lawyers, consultants, the financial sector and so many others are aligned on certain fundamental principles:

1. The world needs to be fairer and more just to mining communities: These are people that migrate from their hometowns to find work in mining communities, including the host governments of the mining companies. We’ve heard this before, but it can’t be emphasized enough. It was refreshing hearing countries like Japan, through JOGMEC, emphasize this point, being one of the largest considers of the continent’s minerals for their industries. #Social #CommunityResilience #MigrantLabour
2. We’re in for a bumpy ride: President Ramaphosa captured it succinctly in his State of the Nation (SONA) speech, as the world is transitioning, there will be a battle for these critical minerals, and it is up to us to position ourselves as Africans to play a meaningful role in their beneficiation and industrialize. Skill is important for this, and an enabling environment. The ‘Tariff Wars’ will make it more challenging to collaborate, and nations could form new alliances, as others seek to either alienate themselves, or dictate unreasonable terms to their partners. #CriticalMinerals #TariffWars #FutureSkills
3. The future is borrowed: On the last day of the Indaba, I attended a few sessions where the youth voiced their concerns, leaders inviting them to the dialogue and I got to see how exciting our young mining students are on the prospects of the sector. More needs to be done to develop our youth, given the high levels of unemployment in South Africa and beyond our borders on the continent. We all have a moral responsibility to develop the sector and empower the youth to do a better job than we did, and create a world they’d like to leave for their younger generations. #Legacy #Stewardship #YouthEmpowerment

It was beautiful seeing friends, colleagues and associates do well on their respective stages, talking with authority, deep insight, care and a demonstration of thought leadership one can only be proud of and admire. It is clear that the industry has much to do, and building trust through strengthening relationships and bonds is what this week was all about. A wonderful experience as always, and looking forward to the next one.

#MI25 #CriticalMinerals #Agenda2065 #ResourceRich #Industrialize #JET #FutureFit