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One pressing issue is the proliferation of low-grade mines and the complex operating conditions they entail. High-grade ore deposits are dwindling, necessitating the extraction of lower-grade ores. These lower-grade ores are often more difficult and expensive to mine. To mitigate these risks, mining companies should allocate resources to research and develop advanced drilling and tunnelling technologies. Additionally, automation and stringent safety measures should be integrated into mining operations to safeguard the wellbeing of workers and enhance overall efficiency.
He also highlighted critical raw material mining, which he said presents unique operational difficulties owing to its smaller scale, high operational costs and limited technical and management skills. “We don't have all the CRMs in South Africa, meaning that the only way we can actually justify the transition in the country is to work with our fellow African countries. For this, we have a list of direct battery materials, and we also have a list of cross-cutting elements. This actually assists us to participate in terms of harnessing the knowledge and putting together a database that we call a catalogue that looks at CRMs,” Nwaila explained.
The identification of CRM substitutes would also play an important role in developing the policy framework for CRM security and the development of a CRM security strategy. Measures to reduce import dependency would also need to be assessed. Stockpiling and strategic reserve security would also require assessment, along with trade and export controls.