Editor’s take: SA seeks new avenues of trade

US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs are wreaking havoc across the globe.  South Africa has been hit with a 30% tariff - this affects the agriculture (citrus, wine, nuts), automotive manufacturing, metals, and agro processing segments. America is South Africa’s third biggest trading partner after China and the EU, accounting for 7.5% of South Africa’s global exports.   According to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), significant progress has been made in opening vast new markets like China and Thailand (securing vital protocols for products like citrus and others); with inroads into high-growth markets across Asia and the Middle East, including the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and several Trade and Investment Packages inked with a number of countries, including Japan.

Editor’s take: Power moves

Asian technology leaders, Japan and China, are making monumental moves in the renewable energy space, with Japan exploring a new frontier in energy collection – space, while China remains more grounded, unlocking opportunities from the ocean. Japan has two groundbreaking innovations underway – its OHISAMA programme, designed to test the feasibility of harnessing solar power from space for use on earth and the development of a solar super-panel. The leader in solar technology innovation, particularly in the development of perovskite solar cells (PSC) and space-based solar power, aims to capture solar energy 24/7 and beam it to Earth, to deliver continuous sun energy. The plan is to launch a 180-kilogram satellite equipped with PV panels into orbit 400 kilometres above earth, where it will turn sunlight received into electricity.

Editor’s take: Pace setter

Attending the 3^rd premium customer summit SANY Africa BU 2025, held in China, Modern Mining viewed first hand some of these technological marvels at play in the manufacturing space. SANY’s manufacturing facilities are a sight to behold - dominated by automation and robotics, few labour in these high-tech environments. In fact, SANY Heavy Industry - the world's third largest construction equipment manufacturer, and the largest in China, plans on upskilling its existing workforce to become engineers, innovators and solutions providers. At its factories, mundane tasks like relocating manufactured items are undertaken by robotics with scores of robotic welding arms operating 24/7. These powerhouse facilities are churning out some of the most advanced products, including the latest EV trucks equipped with game-changing battery swapping technology.

Editor’s take: Power play: the race to secure critical minerals

The imperative to secure strategic minerals is being played out on the global arena with the Trump administration looking to Africa for its supply of critical metals. Apart from its recent deal with Ukraine for priority access to Ukrainian critical minerals and other natural resources, the US is looking to advance a potential multi-billion-dollar investment programme with the DRC, which is rich in lithium, copper and cobalt.

Critical minerals, such as nickel, graphite, manganese, cobalt, copper and lithium, currently occupy a key role in global economic and geopolitical competition. Demand for critical minerals is projected to rise steeply over the next few years, driven by increased demand for renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Editor’s take: Shake, rattle and roll

While US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs tiff continued to rattle markets with tit-for-tat tariff hikes playing out across the globe, the Minerals Council South Africa has raised concern that reciprocal import tariffs will damage global economic growth and lead to lower demand for the country’s minerals. On South African imports, Trump has pronounced that most of SA’s minerals and metals sold to the US are excluded from the tariffs. Nonetheless, some, like iron ore and diamonds, will be subject to the 30% reciprocal tariff. According to Minerals Council chief economist, Hugo Pienaar, platinum group metals (PGMs) – coal, gold, manganese and chrome – have been excluded from the tariffs. However, vehicle prices in the US will increase because of the 25% tariff the Trump administration has imposed on all vehicle imports.