WEBINARS:

Webinars are open to all junior and emerging mining companies and are not exclusive to Minerals Council members. To date, webinars have been held on topics such as Mine Community Development, Finance for Junior Miners, the Mining Charter and Junior Mining and Exploration.

“The JEMLF has been a key driver in re-energising exploration in South Africa with the support of the Minerals Council.”

MENTORSHIP:

The JEMD lobbied the Board to nominate mentors from large producers to support the Minerals Council’s junior and emerging miners. Currently, seven mentors are providing guidance, on a one-on-one basis, to some of the junior members.

In addition, the JEMD has entered an agreement with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) to support selected emerging mining companies to join the Junior Mining Accelerator Programme. This programme exposes junior miners to capital markets, assists in re-focusing their business and provides support in areas such as strategic planning and marketing. The intention is for more junior mining companies to eventually list on the JSE.

The JEMD also financially supports selected junior members in attending mining courses, as well as supporting members to attend both the Junior Mining Indaba as well as the Investing in African Mining Indaba held in Cape Town.

The Junior, Exploration and Mining Leadership Forum (JEMLF):

The Chair of the JEMLF represents this committee on the Board of the Minerals Council. Open to the CEOs of junior members, this committee debates policy positions, shares strategic, non-competitive information from departments within the Minerals Council and sets the policy position for the junior sector. In 2023 the committee was reconfigured to include the exploration sector as well. The JEMLF has been a key driver in re-energising exploration in South Africa with the support of the Minerals Council. The Chair of this committee, with Minerals Council officials, the Council for Geoscience and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), was part of the team that contributed to the drafting of the Exploration Revival Plan for South Africa.

Policy Committees:

Junior miners sit on various policy committees within the Minerals Council such as the Mining Charter Reference Group, the Occupational Health and Safety Committee and the Legal Advisory Committee. Junior miners are represented on the Board of the Mine Health and Safety Council.

Research:

Various research exercises are undertaken into policy related issues. In 2019 a major research report was released which examined the economic impact of the junior mining sector in South Africa, as well as an opinion survey on challenges facing the sector. Snap surveys are also conducted with our members, an example being the impact that COVID-19 had on junior mining companies. In 2022 the JEMD commissioned a legal consultant to provide a strategic overview of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Policy Framework, released by the DMRE in 2022.

Recruitment:

Junior membership has been increasing over the past few years at the rate of around 10% per annum.

Media:

The JEMD reaches wide audiences through various media platforms, including the Minerals Council’s website. In this way, it also provides an interactive forum for junior and emerging miners seeking information and advice. Multiple interviews are given to both specialist mining publications and to the broader media.

“The purpose of the JEMD is to provide advice and support, and to act as a resource centre for smaller Minerals Council member companies.”

Policy lobbying:

In many cases, junior and emerging miners have particular needs in terms of mining policy and regulations, which the JEMD and JEMLF aim to address. In representing broader and collective policy positions the Minerals Council is sensitive to these requirements of its junior membership without compromising compliance and leading practice. The JEMLF successfully lobbied for concessions in the Mining Charter pertaining to smaller companies, as well as holding regular engagements with the DMRE. Currently the JEMD works closely with the JSE in lobbying for tax incentives for exploration and regular meetings are held with National Treasury in this regard