Mining Indaba 2025: Shaping a Resilient, Sustainable Future for African Mining
The Investing in African Mining Indaba 2025 is adopting a forward-thinking approach to enhance the event by exploring new audience sectors, while embracing the shared responsibility to protect the planet for future generations, says Laura Nicholson, Head of Content and Strategic Partnerships at Hyve Group.
Aligned with the theme “Future-Proofing African Mining, Today!,” the event aims to build resilience by incorporating experts and decision-makers to expand its audience and contribute to African mining’s long-term prosperity.
This evolution mirrors the transformation of the mining industry, as Alex Khumalo from Minerals Council South Africa emphasizes, “Modern mining is much more than just extracting minerals.
There is room for a variety of skills as companies focus on economics, and environmental, social, and governance aspects of sustainable operations.” He highlights that mined commodities remain crucial for development, job creation, and sovereign stability.
The event’s four pillars—Industrialising Africa; Futureproofing Communities; Delivering Effective Net Zero & Just Energy Transition Strategies; and Maximising Africa’s Critical Metals Endowment—aim to spark conversations that contribute to a greener, more equitable future.
The mining sector’s ability to adapt to climate change is essential for sustainability, according to Nicholson. Gerry Reddy, founder of Steyn Reddy Associates, notes that climate change will affect land access, resources, and communities.
He stresses the importance of partnerships with mining communities to assess risks and build resilience against climate-induced challenges like migration, water stress, and extreme weather.
Mining companies must engage with communities to mitigate climate risks, help diversify livelihoods, and support sustainable agricultural practices. Reddy argues that such measures are cost-effective compared to the potential costs of ignoring climate risks, like the failure of tailings storage facilities.
Khumalo adds that mitigation strategies can reduce the economic, social, and environmental costs of mining. They also improve stakeholder relations, create new business opportunities, and ensure the sustainability of communities and ecosystems.
Social Licence and Stakeholder Engagement
Securing and maintaining a social licence to operate has become a necessity, not a luxury, for mining companies. Nicholson highlights that Mining Indaba 2025 will recognize key stakeholder groups such as mining communities, civil society, and indigenous people. This landmark move aims to foster an inclusive and sustainable mining industry.
Khumalo notes that since the introduction of the term “social licence to operate” in 1997, mining companies have faced shifting expectations.
In South Africa, legal compliance is no longer sufficient; mining companies must now focus on improving social performance and addressing issues like food insecurity and poverty reduction.
Nicholson also underscores that mining plays a crucial role in the transition to a low-carbon economy. As the demand for critical minerals increases to support electric vehicles, batteries, and solar panels, the extraction of these materials will be central to the energy transition.
However, Olimpia Pilch from Critical Minerals Africa Group (CMAG) cautions that current policy discussions on critical minerals often overlook market realities.
She highlights the challenges posed by China’s economic statecraft and the global dominance of its operations in critical minerals.
Pilch advocates for practical solutions to support African projects producing critical mineral concentrates, particularly in overcoming infrastructure and energy challenges.
Africa’s potential to industrialize and build robust downstream industries remains constrained by the lack of reliable energy and infrastructure.
Pilch stresses that while some regions may have favorable conditions for beneficiation, sub-Saharan Africa still faces significant barriers in achieving successful ore-to-metal capabilities.
