Tag: mining

Most mining losses do not come from commodity prices. Instead, they come from operational friction that compounds across every shift. Mining companies can tell you exactly what they spend on diesel, explosives or labour. They can quantify the cost of downtime, track commodity price fluctuations by the hour and model production scenarios years into the future.

South Africa’s growing water insecurity has moved from an environmental concern to a central economic and regulatory challenge. Deteriorating infrastructure continues to worsen the situation. Recurring supply disruptions also place strain on national systems. In addition, unlawful water use increases pressure on already limited strategic water resources. These factors together strain the country’s water governance framework.

Mining, until now, has been the sector in South Africa where social and labour plans are a legal requirement. These plans are designed to ensure that while companies take value out of the ground, as is the case for miners, they also leave something of value behind.

In mining, the goals are clear: safety, productivity, profitability. Leadership spends countless hours developing strategies. They align KPIs and ensure plans are in place to keep the business moving forward. But on the ground, where boots hit rock, what’s planned often gets lost in translation.

An inside story of asbestos, death, and the fight for justice by thousands of South Africans unfolds in this account of their struggle against a multinational mining corporation that refused to accept responsibility. For nearly 90 years, a British company called Cape employed local labour to mine and mill asbestos in South Africa.

Gold has always held a unique place in the global financial system. It doesn’t generate income or pay dividends. However, when inflation spikes, markets turn volatile or currencies weaken, gold often bucks the trend and rises to the occasion. In 2025, we’ve seen this pattern repeat itself. Gold has climbed to near-record highs.

We note the tabling of the delayed 2025 National Budget. As with previous budgets, the steps announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana highlighted the need for higher growth rates in the domestic mining sector and the broader economy.

The mining industry faces a precarious balancing act. Mining companies must balance economic growth and environmental responsibility. The industry supplies critical minerals for renewable energy and climate technologies. However, increased mining activity significantly harms the environment.

The public understandably believes the construction mafia operates within the traditional construction and built environment sector. However, its influence extends far beyond construction, creating highly negative effects. Criminal elements exploit any industry where they can extort third parties.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, South African mines bought electricity from Eskom at regulated tariffs. These tariffs were globally competitive. Eskom prioritised the mines as their most important customers. Eskom faced few hurdles related to climate change concerns. Buyers had little choice, but the energy was cheap and reliable. There were few viable alternatives.