The future of mining: insights from African Mining Week 2025

African Mining Week (AMW) 2025, which is scheduled for October 1–3 in Cape Town, promises to be a landmark event because it will impact the future of the African mining industry

The conference has the theme From Extraction to Beneficiation: Unlocking Africa’s Mineral Wealth, and it will bring both global and African mining stakeholders together at that time. Dialogue will be fostered, deals will be signed, and mineral demand will be addressed. Mineral production must rise by nearly 500% by 2050 in order to meet global demand, which is increasing—making Africa a key player in global supply chains.

A launchpad for mining projects

Through AMW 2025, a key platform, African mining projects will receive the necessary capital. African nations strive to produce more and beneficiate minerals to a greater extent, as the international community seeks new investment opportunities. Mining will help Zimbabwe build a US$12 billion economy by 2030; Angola expects diamond output to increase to 17.53 million carats by 2027; and Ghana aims for 8 million tons of manganese production by 2025. Meaningful investments will be required to achieve these ambitious goals, and AMW 2025 seeks to attract them.

Addressing challenges, exploring opportunities

Minerals face growing demand. Improved technology and sustainable mining practices are increasingly in demand. AMW 2025 will work to tackle key challenges facing the African mining sector. These challenges include securing capital, technology, and expertise. Important sessions include The Investor Perspective: Financing Africa’s Mineral Industrialization, Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships: Building Resilience, and highlights on cobalt, Botswana’s diamond legacy, Ghana’s gold, and South Africa’s PGM industry, which all build resilience. A Technology Forum will explore mining technology innovations that are youth-driven, including AI, robotics, and autonomous mining.

Strategic networking opportunities

AMW 2025 will offer many networking opportunities and will foster collaboration between global and African mining partners. Roundtable discussions will cover critical topics, including US-Africa Collaboration in Critical Mineral Infrastructure, China-Africa Cooperation on Critical Minerals, and European Partnerships in African Mining. The event will also feature a Women in Leadership Forum and a Junior Miners Forum, which will present opportunities for women and youth in the industry.

Navigating critical minerals gaps

AMW 2025 is positioned strategically to explore Africa’s role in the global energy transition, with the continent holding 30% of the world’s critical minerals. Africa will become a key driver of this shift as demand increases for vital minerals such as cobalt, lithium, and nickel.