Mining Indaba Investment Forum 2024
On the margins of the 2024 annual Mining Indaba Conference, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Prof Blade Nzimande, addressed the South Africa Investment Forum.
This forum is an initiative of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and it seeks to showcase South Africa’s capabilities with regards to beneficiation of critical minerals and government's efforts at promoting investment in this sector.
Minister Nzimande used the opportunity to share some of the interventions by the Department of Science and Innovation and the Department of Higher Education and Training, which are aimed at modernising the mining sector and promoting beneficiation.
He spoke about the work that is being done through initiatives such as the Mandela Mining Precinct and the South African Mining Extraction Research, Development, and Innovation (SAMERDI) Strategy and the Advanced Materials Initiative (AMI).
He also highlighted the work that is being done in energy storage, research and innovation and the fact that the DSI asked Mintek to develop a “South African Platinum Group Metals Industry Roadmap” (SAPGMIR).
The Minister also touched on the skills development work that is being through the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) and emphasised that the success of the work of government in modernising the mining sector is highly dependent on the collaborations between government, industry, science councils and academic institutions.
