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.

Editor’s take: Under pressure

Following US President, Donald Trump’s determination to impose trade tariffs on most trading partners, the sentiment for South Africa looks rather grim. The US is a significant trading partner for SA with thousands of exports qualifying for duty-free access under AGOA. US total goods trade with South Africa was $20.5 billion in 2024 with US goods exports to SA in 2024 being $5.8 billion, down 18.3 percent ($1.3 billion) from 2023. US goods imports from SA in 2024 were $14.7 billion, up 4.9 percent ($679.4 million) from 2023. So, how will Trump’s aggressive stance play out given that retaliations from the US’s trading partners are coming in fast and furiously?  Will he retract or tone down the belligerence, or add fuel to the fire? Importantly, how is South Africa going to respond to the array of challenges from the US – are we going to beg for better or play the tit for tat game? No matter the path taken, South Africans are sure to feel the pinch.

Editor’s take: Standing the test of time

March 2025 holds a special place in Modern Mining’s history – twenty years’ ago, the publication produced its very first edition. Marking a milestone of two decades of progress and stability, Modern Mining has withstood the test of time, having evolved from a purely print publication, to now having an extensive online and social media offering. Like the industry, the publication has had its ups and downs, facing off on the 2008-financial crisis and then again, the Covid pandemic in 2019. Leading underground mining contractor, Murray & Roberts Cementation, which was profiled in our very first edition, has been supporting the publication for the past two decades and once again appears in our Modern Mining Celebration feature.

Editor’s take: Heading towards the world’s number one city – Cape Town.

As the mining industry and its related sectors gear up to attend the African Mining Indaba, the good news is that Time Out has voted Cape Town as the best city in the world for 2025, beating Bangkok, Thailand (in second place), New York, USA (third), Melbourne, Australia (fourth) and London, England (fifth). The British-based publication’s survey took into account aspects including food, nightlife and culture, affordability, happiness and overall city vibe. A contingent of more than 7000 visitors, both local and international, are expected to attend the Mining Indaba taking place from 3-6 February at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. It is a premier mining event dedicated to fostering successful capitalisation and development of mining interests in Africa.