Mantashe: African countries must invest in mining sector
Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe believes the mining industry will only become truly competitive once African countries invest in the sector.
Mantashe spoke at the opening day of the African Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Monday.
In October, South Africa's mining production increased by 3,9% year-on-year.
Mantashe used the example of the Northern Cape, a province he said has a bright future in mining for minerals.
“We have discovered that we have lithium, Colten and phosphate in the rock formation, known as pragmatic in the Northern Cape. That province, called the Northern Cape; big land, few people, many sheep, but very much virgin in terms of being exploited. We must exploit minerals there. It’s a rich province.
“Over the past five years, the sector saw some tailwinds with sizeable investments in new mining and extensions of existing mining operations. A significant number of the new mining operations are concentrated in industrial mineral mines, diamond mines (alluvial), coal, manganese, iron, gold, platinum group metals, chrome, copper, lithium, and other precious metals.
“The DMRE is closely monitoring the implementation of R400 billion mining projects committed at various investment conferences between 2018 and 2023. These projects cut across the mining value chain and are diversified in terms of geographical location and commodity,” Mantashe said.
-Worker's safety-
Mantashe also urged the mining industry to prioritise the health and safety of mineworkers.
Day one of the conference coincided with the eighth anniversary of the Lily Mine tragedy, which claimed the lives of three mineworkers.
Last year, eleven miners were killed at Impala Platinum’s Rustenburg operations and over 70 other miners were injured after an elevator bringing the workers back up to the surface malfunctioned.
“Let us continue together to build an African mining industry that prioritises the health and safety of its workers. It can’t be that in every country on the continent, we see disasters of workers dying in the mines. Mines must be safe. People must go to work in the mines and come back safe,” said Mantashe.
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