Wednesday Highlights

Exploration is vital for global mining future, but junior miners still face challenges in raising early-stage capital. This panel explores who’s funding exploration in 2026, how juniors are positioning themselves for success, and the role governments, particularly South Africa, are playing in incentivising discovery through new funds, incentives, and regulatory reforms.

A critical examination of Mines Rescue Services South Africa's  deployment of the Mobile Rescue Winder (MRW) during the highly publicised Buffelsfontein mine incident in early 2025. The MRW, a revolutionary rescue technology designed and built in South Africa, was ultimately used to retrieve 324 individuals, both survivors and fatalities, dramatically speeding up the final phase of a controversial operation. Delve into the technology's capabilities and its development journey, enabling rescue and recovery work at depths of up to 3,200 meters. This case study will provide valuable insights into the profound impact of cutting-edge technology on emergency response capabilities while navigating the complex ethical challenges of modern mining disasters. 

Africa’s vast reserves of critical minerals position the continent as a key player in the global energy transition, yet it continues to struggle with the infrastructure needed to unlock full value. With infrastructural challenges including transport, energy and access to water, does Africa have a chance of realising its value addition dreams with the current infrastructural climate, and how can the power of partnerships help close the gap?

With volatility in traditional markets, investors are re-evaluating risk across the board. Does a more uncertain global environment make Africa’s growth story more compelling, or does it amplify existing concerns?

New projects mean new displacements, and resettlement has rarely been done well. How can governments and companies share responsibility for ensuring that communities are relocated ethically and benefit from long-term opportunity?

WHAT IF Africa’s mining, trading, and logistics companies could bypass traditional, congested routes and instead leverage a new network of shorter, smarter trade corridors? Imagine a future where goods move seamlessly across the continent, distances are dramatically reduced, and supply chains become truly agile. 
 
In this session, panellists will discuss how partnerships with authorities and project developers are bringing these solutions to life, and how each new corridor contributes to a diversified approach to infrastructure and logistics across Africa – enabling companies to access markets more effectively and driving growth along key routes.

What does the global race for critical minerals really look like on the ground?

Lobito Bound follows an overland journey along the Lobito Corridor, exploring the human, political, and commercial realities shaping one of Africa’s most strategically important infrastructure routes. The panel brings together the filmmakers and contributors to reflect on what the film reveals about opportunity, responsibility, and decision-making across the DRC, Zambia, Angola, and beyond.

Delegates are invited to remain for a full screening of Lobito Bound, followed by informal discussion with the filmmakers.