Modern Mining April 2025

MINING INDABA REVIEW

Indaba highlights collaboration as key to future-proofing African mining Sustainability was high on the agenda as miners met in Cape Town for the Investing in African Mining Indaba last month, but what will be required to actually meet the ambitious targets the sector has set for itself?

F or a start, there will need to be even more collaboration across the mining ecosystem, according to Deon Swart, Chief Operating Officer of BME. In particular, mines are looking to reduce their carbon emissions in line with climate change goals – and this responsibility falls on every player in the value chain. “The increasing number of mining suppliers and service providers at the Indaba confirms the value of this forum in facilitating engagement and collaboration,” said Swart. “As mines embrace digital and other technologies to drive ESG priorities and operational efficiency across the production cycle, they look to their supply partners to provide ever-more complex solutions.” This has made it vital for supply chain participants to engage with each other on a formal basis, to put mining on track for a smart and more sustainable future. He said the benefits of artificial intelligence, for instance, were based on effective data collection in every mine-related activity – and the detailed analysis of data to produce useful information, reports and recommendations. “Our high-level team and exhibition presence at the Indaba allowed us to do more than reinforce what we offer the sector; it also gave us the opportunity to engage with prospective partners to enhance our value proposition,” he said. “The event highlights the value of mining to Africa and facilitates the industry’s development through productive collaboration.” Highlighting BME’s technology contribution at the Indaba was Nishen Hariparsad, BME’s General Manager for Technology and Marketing, who was a panelist in a conference session discussing technology and sustainability.

“There is growing acknowledgement in the sector that technologies need to focus not only on enhancing an operation’s bottom line, but should be responsive to all aspects of the mining ecosystem,” said Hariparsad. “This requires a redefinition of value by mining service providers, so that we can provide solutions with positive impacts across the value chain – from the mining process to the environment and communities.” ESG progress Swart noted that mining’s progress in terms of ESG expectations had already been significant, making mining more inclusive contributing across the value chain by broadening procurement, developing skills, and building local communities and economies. He highlighted that technology partners were also called upon to develop solutions to ESG targets related to carbon emissions – a key focus for global sustainability efforts. In this regard, BME is forging continuous innovations to make mining processes more energy-efficient. “In countries like South Africa especially, where grid electricity is mainly coal-fired, the reduction of energy consumption is a direct path to lowering carbon footprints,” he explained. “Among our innovations in electronic initiation technology, therefore, are strategies for mines to achieve significant energy savings while meeting stringent environmental standards.” Also contributing to the Indaba this year was Glen Heinrich, Executive: Strategy, Capital Allocation and M&A at BME’s holding company Omnia. In a discussion on sustainable investment in mining development, Heinrich underscored how collaboration was essential to advancing sustainability across the sector. n

18  MODERN MINING  www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | APRIL 2025