A sector under pressure
South Africas mining sector is both a legacy and a lifeline. It has powered the economy for over a century, but it also carries reputational baggage: labour disputes, environmental impact, and ongoing safety concerns. With margins squeezed by rising costs and global competition, mines are under pressure to extract more resources, more safely, and at lower cost.
Much of that answer lies in technology. Smart mining, underpinned by digital twins, advanced sensors, and automation, is transforming the way mines operate. Once conservative in its approach to technology adoption, mining is fast becoming a testbed for innovation in artificial intelligence, the industrial Internet of Things, robotics, and data-driven decision-making.
