- Minister of Minerals & Energy to engage the industry in a fireside conversation
- Over 10 leading CEO/MDs to speak at the inaugural summitย
- Over 450 delegates and 60 companies expected to participateย
The Future of Mining Summit is poised to establish itself as Botswana’s foremost mining conference. Noteworthy for its participation of industry leaders, senior government officials, and key stakeholders, the event promises to be a significant gathering in the mining sector.
Scheduled for June 12th – 13th, 2024, the summit is organised by The Projects Magazine in collaboration with the Botswana Chamber of Mines and will take place at Boipuso Hall in Gaborone, Botswana. The summit will be held under the theme “Building Competitive Global Players in the Face of Evolving Industry Challenges.”ย
Minister of Minerals and Energy, Lefoko Moagi will feature at The Future of Mining Summit 2024, giving the keynote address and later participating in the first-of-its-kind Fireside chat to discuss governmentโs reset agenda, mindset change and development of mining value chains.ย
The fireside chat will be moderated by Sedireng โSedโ Serumola, the Managing Director of Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTCB), the worldโs largest and most sophisticated diamond sorting company. The Ministerโs participation will give a clear picture of the countryโs vision in relation to Botswanaโs ambition to become a prominent player in the mining industry.ย
Moagi led the Ministry of Minerals and Energy during a transformative period in the countryโs mining sector, with the new deal between Government of Botswana and De Beers Group being one of the major highlights of his current tenure.ย
One of the key discussions will be on the critical issue of access to finance. Mining projects, inherently capital-intensive, often face hurdles in securing funding, especially in the wake of fluctuating commodity prices and evolving regulatory landscapes. Mining projects require substantial upfront investment in exploration, development, and infrastructure. Access to finance ensures that mining companies can secure the necessary funding to initiate and sustain their operations.
Technology is also one of the key topics that will be discussed at The Future of Mining Summit. The mining industry is increasingly embracing technological innovations to enhance productivity, reduce environmental impact, and improve worker safety. Technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics optimise resource utilisation, streamline operations, and minimise waste generation.
While the mining industry remains key in offering employment opportunities and economic prosperity to regions blessed with abundant mineral resources, this dependency on a single industry poses inherent risks, leaving communities vulnerable to collapse economy post-mining activities, as it happened in 2016 with the closure of BCL Mine in Selebi Phikwe. The Future of Mining Summit will discuss building parallel industries in mining communities, in order to mitigate against future risks that result from post-mining activities.ย
The Future of Mining also recognises the global quest for a sustainable future. The transition towards renewable energy sources has emerged as a linchpin in addressing climate change and securing energy security. This paradigm shift represents a departure from traditional fossil fuel-based energy systems towards cleaner, more sustainable alternatives. As the mining industry navigates this transition, the summit will explore the adoption of renewable energy technologies in Botswana and global trends.ย
The Future of Mining Summit will reveal a start-studded speaker line-up headlined by keynote speaker, the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Lefoko Moagi, the Managing Director of Lucara Botswana, Naseem Lahri, CEO of Morupule Coal Mine and Chair of The Future of Mining Summit, Edwin Elias, Managing Director of Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) Mmetla Masire, CEO of Botswana Oil Limited, Meshack Tshekedi, Managing Director of DTCB, Sedireng โSedโ Serumola,ย CEO of MMG Khoemacau Copper Mining, Johan Ferreira, CEO of Botswana Investment & Trade Centre (BITC) Keletsosite Olebile, Charles Siwawa, CEO of Botswana Chamber of Mines, Acting CEO of Botswana Stock Exchange, Kopano Bolokwe,
and the Executive Vice President – Corporate Finance Solution, Mining, Standard Bank Group, Kanyisile Moshoeshoe among others.ย
