Modern Mining July 2025

SUSTAINABILITY

Achilles in Africa: enabling ethical and sustainable mining across the continent Africa is a key player in the global mining industry, endowed with vast reserves of critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium, copper, and rare earths. In fact, according to the UN Environment Programme, Africa houses approximately 30% of all known global mineral reserves. As the world accelerates towards a cleaner future driven by electrification, battery technologies, and green energy infrastructure, the demand for these critical minerals is soaring, with the International Energy Agency forecasting a sixfold increase by 2050. Mineral-rich jurisdictions like Africa are therefore set to play a pivotal role in this transition.

Anglo American’s copper mine supplied with 100% renewable electricity - copper is a metal critical to economic development.

With deep expertise in responsible sourcing, data intelligence, and supplier risk management, Achilles is enabling mining companies across 142 countries to navigate these challenges and lead a new era of sustainable mining.

H owever, this surge in critical mineral demand brings with it increased scrutiny. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance, ethical mineral sourcing, sustainability

Africa’s mining supply chain: complex challenges Africa’s mining sector presents both opportunities and operational complexity. Companies face regulatory inconsistency across jurisdictions, including concerns over carbon emissions and environmental

commitments, and modern slavery laws are now central to global supply chain standards. In fact, a 2024 Mining and Metals Survey by international law firm White & Case revealed that 65%

of respondents believe ESG pressures will intensify, even as shareholders demand stronger financial returns. This highlights a difficult challenge: mining companies must scale production while simultaneously adhering to evolving ESG standards. Amidst this complexity, Achilles emerges as a key player, offering companies such as AngloGold Ashanti and Anglo American transparency, compliance, and ethical integrity in their supply chains across Africa. With deep expertise in responsible sourcing, data intelligence, and supplier risk management, Achilles is enabling mining companies across 142 countries to navigate these challenges and lead a new era of sustainable mining.

degradation, and risks of modern slavery and unethical labour practices, particularly in artisanal and small scale mining. Companies might also face geopolitical instability which disrupts supply chains and investor confidence, or cybersecurity threats as mining operations become increasingly digitised. Achilles’ industry insights highlight that a significant percentage of companies lack formal processes to identify these operational and sustainability challenges, underscoring the need for improved risk management. ​These challenges demand a proactive, regionally-informed, and technologically-advanced approach to supply chain risk and compliance – precisely where Achilles excels.

14  MODERN MINING  www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | JULY 2025