Modern Mining January 2019

EVENTS

This year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba (4-7 Feb) will be the 25th in the series and the first to be held under the aegis of the event’s new owners, the LSE- listed ITE Group. It is expected to attract over 6 000 delegates and the organisers say it will be bigger and better than ever, cementing its reputation as the largest mining investment event in Africa. Mining Indaba turns 25

A s always, this year’s event will have participation by some of the biggest personalities in African mining. Among those whose views are likely to prove especially interesting are Mark Bristow, previ- ously CEO of Randgold Resources and now of Barrick (which has absorbed Randgold); Rob- ert Friedland, whose company Ivanhoe has three of the biggest and best mining projects in Africa; Endeavour Mining’s Sébastien de Mon- tessus, who has presided over a stunningly successful new mine build programme in West Africa; and Resolute’s John Welborn, who is determined to make the company’s Syama un- derground mine in Mali the most advanced of its type in the world. The CEOs of virtually all the mining groups active in South Africa are, of course, sched- uled to speak. They include Neal Froneman of Sibanye-Stillwater, Mark Cutifani of Anglo American, Kelvin Dushnisky of AngloGold Ashanti, Deshnee Naidoo of Vedanta Zinc International, Steve Phiri of Royal Bafokeng Platinum, Chris Griffith of Anglo American Platinum and Nico Muller of Impala Platinum.

Delegates to this year’s event can expect to see almost every issue relevant to African mining – from South Africa’s Mining Charter through to sustainability and resource nationalism – being addressed in the various presentations, work- shops and panel discussions. Worth looking out for will be the ‘Mining 2050’ programme, which will look at the impact and benefits of digitalisation on the mining industry and which will also give some insight into what the ‘mine of the future’ might look like. The exhibition area will attract well over 100 companies and organisations, including

The scene at the London Stock Exchange in January this year when Mark Shashoua, CEO of ITE Group, owners of Mining Indaba, ceremonially opened trading. The event celebrated the upcoming 25th edition of Mining Indaba. Delegates to Mining Indaba 2018 listen to a Main Stage presentation. This year’s event is expected to attract over 6 000 delegates.

Most African countries with mining resources will be also present, in many cases being represented by their min- ing ministers – for example, Winston Chitando (Zimbabwe), Tom Alweendo (Namibia), Richard Musukwa (Zambia), Keketso Sello (Lesotho) and, of course, South Africa’s Gwede Mantashe, who will give the opening address at the Mining Indaba. Interestingly, the Ghanaian delegation will include not only the country’s Minister of Mines, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, but also its President, Nana Akufo-Addo, who will be one of the ‘high- light’ speakers.

January 2019 _ MODERN MINING _ 25