mininglatest news & developments
At the 2026 Mining Indaba in Cape Town, the emphasis was on digitalisation and technological advancement of the industry. However, the industry recognises that cybersecurity can no longer continue to remain the unaddressed elephant in the room

Modernising mining: Cybersecurity must be central, not optional

At the 2026 Mining Indaba in Cape Town, the emphasis was on digitalisation and technological advancement of the industry. However, the industry recognises that cybersecurity can no longer continue to remain the unaddressed elephant in the room

  • Eyaaz
6 min read
Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe (Delwyn Verasamy, M&G)

Global rush for critical minerals puts African countries at risk, Mantashe warns

Geopolitical rivalries over minerals are intensifying, placing Africa’s resource-rich countries under pressure, the minister told delegates at the mining indaba

  • Eyaaz
4 min read
Reindustrialisation, as well as diversified trade partners and dismantled apartheid spatial patterns, will get South Africa out of its socioeconomic mess. Photo: File

Here’s how South Africa can avoid the economic dependency path

It can rebuild the industrial base, create demand in the economy, diversify trade partnerships and deepen links with the continent’s regional trade networks, and, finally, dismantle apartheid spatial development patterns

4 min read
Kigali’s bilateral agreements with Maputo and Bangui are underpinned by mining ventures. Photo: Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP

Rwanda’s security forays buck the trend

Kigali’s bilateral agreements with Maputo and Bangui are underpinned by mining ventures

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
New social contract due: Mining’s harms are mainly to the environment – water, air, and soil, for example – but these have consequences for mining affected communities’ health and their land. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Mining’s revival must also deal with its legacy

Little has been invested in mining and exploration, and that includes in social compacts

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
South Africa accounts for 54% of all exports to the US under Agoa — a trade law which gives eligible African countries duty-free access to the US market for thousands of products including clothing, agricultural goods, crafts and manufactured items.

30% tariff, 0% respect. Why South Africa must push back against US bullying

Donald Trump’s ‘solution’ to South Africa avoiding the tariff hike – move production to the US – is nothing more than economic blackmail

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
Lithium mines in Zimbabwe’s communal areas deprive people of their land rights, grazing land and water. Photo: Madelene Cronjé

Mining of critical minerals tramples grazing and water rights in Zimbabwe

Laws exist to protect the environment and people, but these are not enforced regarding mining, in particular lithium

4 min read
According to Minister Ntshavheni, the miners were stuck in the depths of the earth, which was their own doing, and the state would not be involved in any rescue of “criminals”.

Stilfontein miners have human rights just like you, Minister Ntshavheni

Marikana was a precursor to Stifontein and show the lengths to which the state would go to punish people in protection of corporate interests, particularly in the mining industry

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
There has been progress since 1994. South Africa now has a black middle and upper middle class but the means of production remain largely owned by white people and black people swelling the ranks of labour. Photo: Mujahid Saofodien/AFP)

South Africa’s economy expands by 0.6% in fourth quarter of 2024

The agriculture sector was up 17.2% and was the largest contributor to GDP growth during the period

  • Aarti Bhana
2 min read
There are thought to be at least 50 000 informal miners working underground in South Africa. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Zama zamas on the agenda at alternative mining indaba

There are thought to be at least 50 000 informal miners working underground in South Africa

  • Umamah Bakharia
4 min read
The mining industry has the potential to grow if there is more investment in exploration projects. (Michele Spatari/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Mining has life, in spite of hitches

The industry has the potential to grow if there is more investment in exploration projects

  • Aarti Bhana
5 min read
The mining industry has the potential to grow if there is more investment in exploration projects. (Michele Spatari/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Procurement mafia a forgotten influence in the mining industry

Also known as the construction mafia, they may even include engineering procurement construction management (EPCM) providers

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
The mining industry has the potential to grow if there is more investment in exploration projects. (Michele Spatari/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Confluence of geopolitics, energy and trade can drive change in Africa’s mining industry

The theme of the February 2025 Mining Indaba, Futureproofing Mining Today, underscores the urgency of aligning policy, investment and local development to secure sustainable growth

  • Eyaaz
6 min read
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde delivers a sermon during the National Prayer Service at Washington National Cathedral on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

What would Bishop Marianne Budde say if she was invited to the Mining Indaba?

Glencore, Anglo American, South32, BHP Billiton and Exxaro – the mining companies cited in coal class action – need to show corporate compassion for sick mine workers

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
One of the city’s historic sites is on its knees, besieged by those seeking shelter, vandals and criminal opportunists. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Breathing life into Joburg’s dying Brixton cemetery

One of the city’s historic sites is on its knees, besieged by those seeking shelter, vandals and criminal opportunists

  • Eyaaz
12 min read
(Credit: Shutterstock)

Building a socially secure future for miners: How MWPF ensures stability for its members

Ensuring a socially secure future for these miners is not just a financial imperative but a social responsibility that organisations like the Mineworkers Provident Fund (MWPF)

3 min read
Unathi Loos, M&G Investments Portfolio Manager

Driving social responsibility in the mining industry

In South Africa, mining has been under pressure, with some of the challenges faced to increase volumes or mining output being structural in nature

2 min read
Copper has been identified as the main driver of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in South Africa’s mining sector. Photo: Getty Images

Copper driving mergers and acquisitions in SA mining sector, report finds

The PwC report said the global pursuit of a just energy transition and the need for consolidation were reshaping the landscape of the local industry

  • Umamah Bakharia
3 min read
Gold prices have surged by more than 30% in 2024, repeatedly hitting record highs as global economic uncertainty drives demand for the precious metal. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

South Africa risks missing out on gold price surge due to structural challenges in mining sector

Prices have increased by over 30%, favouring gold-producing countries like South Africa, but structural issues are dampening opportunities This content is restricted to registered users and subscribers. Get Your Free Account The Mail & Guardian is committed to providing all our readers with the best possible experience. Please register your free account now. Your registration is your first step to becoming an M&G community member. Register Registration enables: – M&G newsletters access – notifications – the best possible experience Already registered? Login here Want to subscribe and get even more benefits? Explore our subscription offers

  • Aarti Bhana
1 min read
Eskom and Sasol, which are considered two of the country’s biggest polluters, have been granted postponements, suspensions and/or alternative limits of the minimum emissions standards since 2015. (Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

UN special rapporteur: Toxic pollution in SA fuelled by corporate greed and government inaction 

Marcos Orellana noted the poor disposal of waste and hazardous substances, the wide use of pesticides and weak enforcement of regulations

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read