By: Jannie Maritz - Kevin Le Bron, Sandor Petho

(Virtual Showroom) The AfriRock 2025 Conference comes at a pivotal time for the African mining and geotechnical engineering sectors, presenting a vital platform to confront key industry challenges while showcasing innovation, sustainability and skills development. With a landscape defined by rapid technological change and growing social and environmental expectations, the industry must take stock of where it is and where it’s going.

Among the pressing challenges is the fragmented nature of safety systems across different commodities. The variation in how safety-related information is captured and stored poses a barrier to effective knowledge sharing across the sector. A concerted industry-wide focus is needed to adopt leading safety indicators and establish critical controls that are both effective and applicable across diverse mining contexts. At the heart of future-forward safety strategy lies artificial intelligence, an essential tool in identifying high potential risk incidents, understanding their root causes and preventing recurrence. The Minerals Council South Africa is currently playing a leading role in helping the industry navigate these safety imperatives.

Sustainability and environmental stewardship remain central to the future of mining. A key consideration is the effectiveness of land rehabilitation post-mining along with the long-term monitoring needed to verify that sites have been restored to a condition that supports future generations. This is just as crucial as the role of mining operations in empowering nearby communities. These communities must be equipped with skills that transcend the mining environment, offering them opportunities both within and beyond the industry. Proactive engagement is essential and in this regard, human resources departments play a critical role in facilitating meaningful support and development.

Digital transformation continues to revolutionize how the industry operates. Technologies such as drone systems are transforming the management of open pits and strip mines, influencing operations across multiple departments. The AfriRock 2025 Conference will feature presentations that highlight how such technologies have already been successfully implemented, offering practical case studies and transferable insights to delegates. It’s clear that the way business is done today will look very different in five years’ time and mining must be ready to evolve with that change.

In an era defined by global connectivity, the mining industry must continue adapting to change. Knowledge sharing is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Professionals must remain open to learning from others in the field and be unafraid to reach out for solutions to their specific challenges. The internet has dissolved traditional communication barriers, enabling collaboration across borders and disciplines.

Collaboration between industry, government and academia is another vital piece of the puzzle. Ongoing safety interactions and forums including those led by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy are key enablers of this collaborative ecosystem. These gatherings serve not only as opportunities to share knowledge but also as networking spaces that build stronger partnerships across sectors.

Ultimately, the message of the AfriRock 2025 Conference is one of empowerment and possibility. Delegates are encouraged to immerse themselves in the conference and take full advantage of the technical visits arranged across South Africa’s rich mining landscape. These experiences will reveal a central truth: no geotechnical challenge is insurmountable.

The science of “broken rock will fall” is a daily concern for geotechnical engineers, but the knowledge shared and the networks formed at AfriRock are tools that equip us all for safer, more productive workplaces. This is more than a conference, it is a space for forging the future of mining together.