Africa currently offers a very compelling mining proposition, with several excellent prospects in many parts of the continent, including gold projects in West Africa; the solid momentum building in the East African corridor, particularly in Tanzania and Ethiopia; and even advances in Eritrea, which has recently opened its doors to mining investment. However, while mining prospects are undeniably very positive across the continent, opening and operating a mine comes with a set of fairly unique risks. The first edition of Creamer Media's Africa Mining Pip 2020 considers these in the context of several selected projects that have been announced over the past 12 months.

Canada is one of the leading mining countries and one of the largest producers of minerals and metals in the world. It is the global leader in the production of potash and ranks among the top five global producers for cobalt, diamonds, gemstones, gold, graphite, indium, nickel, niobium, platinum-group metals, salt, titanium concentrate and uranium. In this second edition of Creamer Media’s Canada Mining Projects in Progress, we present a selection of these mining projects announced over the past few months, including those in the preliminary economic assessment/scoping study phase, prefeasibility and bankable/definitive feasibility study phase.

Gold’s value as a safe haven is all the clearer amid mounting global uncertainty about the trade war between the US and  China, coupled with slowing global economic growth and worldwide recession fears. At the beginning of the second half of 2019, the price of the yellow metal surged to the highest in more than six years with prices expected to continue to escalate into 2020. The gold rally has boosted market sentiment, lifted the share prices of gold mining companies worldwide and pushed gold miners’ margins higher, placing the industry in a reasonably healthy position. The improved sentiment in the gold industry is also generating merger and acquisition activity. Creamer Media’s Gold 2019 report reviews the global and South African gold markets in this context. In the latter, the focus is on supply and demand, cost pressures, as well as labour challenges, the class law suits that some of the country’s major gold miners are facing and criminal activity in the sector. It also reviews the major and smaller mining companies with operations in South Africa.

South Africa’s mineable coal reserves are enough to support mining for about 118 years at current production rates, according to junior coal miner Canyon Coal chairperson Vuslat Bayoglu. However, intensifying anticoal sentiment has resulted in major multinationals reviewing their coal strategies, with a resulting decline in investment in new coal mines in South Africa. This could result in the country’s reaching a coal cliff, with serious economic ramifications, as the sector generates the highest sales revenue in the mining industry and is a significant employer. Creamer Media’s Coal 2019 report examines South Africa’s coal industry with regard to the business environment, the main participants, local demand, coal exports and logistics, projects being undertaken by the large and smaller participants, as well as various issues affecting the sector, including labour and environmental considerations.

Stripped of all emotion, the most recent outlook statements of South Africa’s surviving construction companies provide sobering snapshots of market conditions, which remain beyond trying. In such a context, each and every construction contract has become something of a precious commodity and this latest ‘Projects in Progress’ update attempts to offer a glimpse into some of the infrastructure, resources and industrial project activity still under way in South Africa and the region.

In February 2019, Minerals Council South Africa CEO Roger Baxter stated that the sector was in crisis, as more than 60% of the platinum mining industry was either lossmaking or marginal. He attributed the difficulties to an oversupply in the market, as a result of static new mine supply, weaker demand, increased platinum recycling volumes, domestic labour disruptions, lower productivity and rising costs. Despite all the challenges, the Minerals Council and platinum group metals producer Anglo American Platinum CEO Chris Griffith are optimistic that the industry can turn itself around if it takes the right steps. This includes ensuring that South Africa creates global demand by promoting platinum as a store of value and an investment product. Creamer Media’s Platinum 2019 report provides a global overview of the platinum market, with a particular focus on South Africa’s platinum-sector business and regulatory environment. The report includes commentary on the main participants in South Africa’s platinum industry, other platinum producers, and exploration and development companies.

The rise of green energy technologies – solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and large-scale batteries – is necessary for a low-carbon future; however, the transition from a fossil fuel base to a renewable-energy system depends on materials and, particularly, metals, to manufacture and maintain energy conversion technologies. This is expected to lead to significant growth in demand for a wide range of minerals and metals, such as cobalt, copper and lithium, which could further unlock Africa’s potential mineral development as the world progresses towards a carbon-neutral future. While the demand for minerals and metals provides economic opportunities for resource-rich developing countries and private-sector entities, major challenges will arise and need to be managed responsibly and sustainably as the climate-driven clean energy transition unfolds.

Creamer Media’s Real Economy Year Book has been divided into separate reports under the banner Real Economy Insight, and investigates key developments in the automotive, construction, electricity, road and rail, steel, water, manufacturing, pumps, coal, gold, iron-ore and platinum sectors. This six-page brief is a synopsis of key developments in the pumps sector over the past 12 months. It provides an overview of the global pumps market, how the advent of the Industrial Internet of Things is affecting the sector and how after-market service is assisting companies in differentiating themselves in the industry.

Creamer Media’s Real Economy Year Book has been divided into separate reports under the banner Real Economy Insight, and investigates key developments in the automotive, construction, electricity, road and rail, steel, water, manufacturing, pumps, coal, gold, iron-ore and platinum sectors. This eight-page brief is a synopsis of key developments in the gold sector over the past 12 months. It provides an overview of the global and South African gold markets, including power shortages and divestment in South Africa, as well as the outlook for the sector.

Creamer Media’s Real Economy Year Book has been divided into separate reports under the banner Real Economy Insight, and investigates key developments in the automotive, construction, electricity, road and rail, steel, water, manufacturing, pumps, coal, gold, iron-ore and platinum sectors. This eight-page brief is a synopsis of key developments in the iron-ore sector over the past 12 months, including details of the global and South African iron-ore markets, with a particular focus on supply and demand, iron-ore producers and their projects, as well as the outlook for the sector.