Australian Mining’s Post

[𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒] With Africa’s substantial and varied mineral endowment being undisputed, the year ahead will likely see ongoing progress in exploration and mine development, in both traditional metals and the minerals associated with the global energy transition, according to mining consultancy SRK Consulting in this week's SA #MiningOutlook feature. Read more: https://bit.ly/3SS8vO1

2023 was a challenging year for South Africa’s mining industry, with high energy prices, high inflation, lower commodity prices, load shedding, and logistical infrastructure challenges all contributing to this. However, investors and mining companies alike have reason to be positive, following announcements made by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe. Andrea Cabanac reflects on the Minister’s address at the opening day of Mining Indaba 2024, highlighting the key takeaways as South Africa prepares its mining industry to continue to be a significant global competitor. Find out more: https://ow.ly/AkYa50QyE4C #MI24 #MiningIndaba

The federal government has ambitious plans to support and grow Canada’s electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and critical minerals industry.   In a recent Canadian Mining Journal article, Greg McNab, Michael Sabusco and Jaskaran Grewal discuss the Ontario government’s proposed initiatives to help Canada’s critical mining strategy.   Read here: https://lnkd.in/ePDHZnhq   #CriticalMinerals #MiningLaw #ElectricVehicles

Really important piece of work here from Natural Resource Governance Institute. As they say, contract transparency is becoming the norm when a company signs a deal with a government in the extractive sector, so surely there is even more of a need for transparency when the agreement is between states. A great service to have a repository for these agreements and some important pointers for what the agreements should contain, including on governance and including civil society. Minerals for the energy transition - for renewables, electricity/hydrogen transmission and electrolysers for green hydrogen - are indeed 'critical' and we need robust governance and transparency around state-state agreements (in addition to state-investor agreements) Gavin Hayman Maria Cristina Mundin Ernst Müller Mark Robinson Eddie Rich Bruce Douglas Sonia Dunlop

Is lithium the new gold? In Argentina there is one of the largest reserves of the most precious commodity on earth nowadays. Why Lithium? Because it is essential for making chips for electric cars , smart phones and computers. Corporations like Barrick and Río Tinto are investing heavily for extracting this precious metal and many others like copper and gold are expected to follow through. Our survey has showed that during the next five years exports of this metal will surpass exports of meat. The famous argentine steak will be more expensive and harder to find while the mining industry is expected to soar. Source: Bloomberg #economy #economía #finanzas #mineria #argentina #milei #mining #litio #argentina

There's been lots of talk (some would say hype) around mineral security partnerships bringing together consumer and producer governments around mineral supply (with a focus on minerals important for the global energy transition), including at this week's #MiningIndaba. But as my Natural Resource Governance Institute colleagues Susannah Fitzgerald, Phesheya Nxumalo and Thomas Scurfield set out in this timely piece, to date many of these have been "Deals without Details." https://lnkd.in/eDGTXnjS Given their potential economic and geopolitical significance, greater scrutiny around these deals is important. NRGI has taken a first step by including the publicly available official documentation related to these new state-state mining partnerships on ResourceContracts - https://lnkd.in/e5XGRYJY  (a repository of publicly available oil, gas, and mining contracts and associated documents). But lots of work remains, both to increase transparency (no public documentation available on 22 of the 35 identified partnerships) and to analyze and accompany these partnerships as they move to the next steps of details being developed and negotiated. If these partnerships are to live up to their billing for low and middle income mineral producing countries, a wide range of stakeholders will need to be keeping an eye on how they move forward.

The gold mining industry's pursuit of sustainability is crucial, as highlighted by the World Gold Council (WGC) at the Investing in African Mining Indaba. Initiatives like Gold Fields’ solar plant in South Africa exemplify the sector's potential to support the energy transition and local decarbonization efforts. The Responsible Gold Mining Principles (RGMPs) set by the WGC underscore the industry's commitment to responsible practices and transparency. However, challenges remain, including extending sustainability practices to junior miners, improving gender parity, and enhancing nature conservation efforts. Global instability and the need for long-term commitments underscore the importance of the industry's proactive engagement in global forums like the UN's COP to advocate for mining's role in socio-economic development. Initiatives like the ‘Gold: A Journey with Idris Elba’ documentary are vital for reshaping perceptions and highlighting the positive impacts of gold mining on sustainability. The journey towards a fully sustainable gold mining sector continues, with a focus on addressing existing gaps and fostering a nuanced understanding of the industry's contributions to global sustainability goals. Intelligent Mining Solutions https://lnkd.in/dR32Z2qU #goldmining #socioeconomic #sustainabledevelopment #sdgs

The Tschudi Copper Plant has officially resumed operations, marking a significant boost for the local economy and copper production. Learn more about the plant’s revival and what this means for the future of copper mining in Namibia. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/dV-seEhG #NamibiaMining #CopperProduction #TschudiPlant #EconomicGrowth #NamibianMiningReview

The 2024 budget is a step in the right direction for BC’s mining and critical mineral sector. “MABC has actively engaged government and advocated for changes to the carbon tax since 2021 to improve the competitive position of BC’s mines and smelters,” said Michael Goehring. “We are pleased government considered our input and recalibrated the technical details of the BC OBPS to provide a more competitive fiscal foundation for critical minerals development in BC.” Read more below. #bcbudget #bcbudget2024 #BCPoli #mining #criticalminerals

Check out the article in the Globe and Mail's Investing in Mining Report profiling our Indigenous Mineral Exploration Company that is valuing Mother Earth's offerings and ecosystem services while leveraging the wealth generated from mining to build healthy communities and people who can be prosperous today and in the future. This is true ESG. https://lnkd.in/gHardH6K