Mining will play a pivotal role in the vital decarbonisation strategies of countries around the world as climate change remains a leading topic on all governments’ and corporations’ agendas.From the cobalt, lithium and copper going into batteries to the platinum group metals (PGMs) in hydrogen fuel cells, it is a brave new world for the mining industry as it seeks to lower its own carbon footprint while helping the world reduce its emissions through the building blocks of the energy transition.According to Dr Jacek Guzek, associate director at Deloitte Africa, mining is not perceived as a clean or green industry, but this is fast changing.“The move to renewable energy sources, the accelerated adoption of electrical vehicles – either powered by electrochemical batteries or hydrogen fuel cells – the deployment of large, f lexible and safe energy storage solutions, along with the general move towards electrifying just about everything, promises to drastically alter the demand dynamics of the mining industry.”He said at the heart of this transition lay a basket of metals and commodities required for the success and exponential uptake of the new green technologies.“In the scramble for these metals and minerals more mining companies are going to adapt portfolios. Not only because of the mounting stakeholder pressure on being more carbon neutral, but also because the commodities make commercial sense,” he said. According to Dr Kwasi Ampofo, battery metals analyst at Bloomberg, the demand for what is being labelled “green” minerals and metals will continue to increase.“It is expected that 26 million of all new vehicles sold by 2030 will be electric. If we take that ten years on then it is being envisioned that 70% of all new vehicles sales in China, 65% in Europe and 60% in the United States will be electric vehicles.”Ampofo said exponential growth was also expected in fuel cell vehicles. “Last year 11 000 fuel cell vehicles were sold worldwide. This number will grow six times by 2030. Overall, there will be a big shift in how we move around and transport goods.”He said this would see demand for green metals continue to increase.“Lithium demand is expected to grow ten times over the next ten years, while the current volumes of aluminium will increase eight times and cobalt will more than double.”According to Ampofo, Africa – and South Africa – are well placed to deliver the required commodities to the world.“If one looks at the metals required for global decarbonisation then the distribution around the world is quite disproportionate. Africa is, however, well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities,” he said. “There are heavily concentrated deposits of cobalt in the DRC, South Africa has platinum, there is a fair chunk of nickel in Madagascar, and some large reserves of lithium in Zimbabwe.”But, warned Ampofo, it would be up to each individual country to seize the opportunity.Steve Phiri, CEO of RBPlat, agreed, saying the hydrogen economy was the future and mining houses in Africa needed to start planning accordingly.“If you are not adjusting your strategy to where the world is heading you will be left behind. We have been reliant on diesel for internal combustion engines for far too long. Electric vehicles have been a disruptor, but they are becoming the norm.”He said demand for fuel cell vehicles was also growing – especially in the heavy vehicle sector – with indications that it was moving into the shipping and even airline business.“The loading on these big vehicles is much more than on sedans, so it is a positive development,” he said.Commenting on the ability of miners to meet demand, Phiri said this was not a concern.“Do we have the capacity at the moment? No, but we have the ability to upscale production as and when demand is needed. South Africa is very well positioned to deliver the minerals and metals the world requires. It is also a very stable and reliable country that has never once not delivered the ounces required.”He said at present not much growth was being seen in the PGM industry, but companies were watching global developments carefully to ensure they could upscale operations and increase mining output when necessary.“What we are producing and supplying to the market is sufficient at this stage.”It is expected that 26 million of all new vehicles sold by 2030 will be electric.– Dr Kwasi Ampofo
