Although African mining has not always retained pre-eminence among Australian investors, the organisers of mining conference Africa Down Under (ADU) note that there is little doubt that Australian Securities Exchange- (ASX-) listed companies working in Africa will stand out among their peers at this year’s ADU conference and exhibition.

Taking place for the twenty-third time in Perth, Western Australia, from September 3 to 5, ADU founder and conference convenor Bill Repard says it is unsurprising that investors in Australia have recognised the strength of African miners’ performance.

From West Africa-focused gold miners Perseus Mining and West African Resources, to Botswana copper miner Sandfire Resources, Africa-focused Australian midtiers are among the best performers on the ASX, ADU notes in a statement.

“There may have been a so-called ‘African discount’ in the past but the performance of the likes of Perseus, West African and Sandfire has dispelled any such notions,” says Repard, adding that these companies are able to post incredibly strong financial figures on the back of sophisticated, modern operations “which are the envy of any company in the world”.

The three mining companies have set the standard for foreign investment in Africa and there is a “wave” of junior explorers and developers emerging behind them, he says.

“Not only are they bringing Australian mining know-how to the continent, their extensive training and local procurement programmes mean they are also building capacity in their host community. It means the legacy of these Australian investments will last much longer than the current operations,” says Repard.

Having started in 2003 with less than 100 delegates, ADU now boasts average yearly attendance of more than 1 500 visitors. Among those delegates will be more than 500 visitors from Africa, including more than a dozen senior Ministerial delegations.

With three days of corporate presentations, Ministerial keynote addresses and in-depth panel discussions, ADU plays a crucial role in setting the Australian-African mining agenda, reports ADU.

“It both reflects what is happening and projects the key talking points in the sector,” says Repard, adding that while ADU is primarily a forum to dispel some of the misconceptions around investing in Africa, delegates have never been afraid of confronting some of the issues facing the sector.

“From Ebola and Covid-19, to security instability and the energy transition, ADU has always showcased the challenges as well as the opportunities facing mining in Africa,” he says.

This year’s ADU will continue that theme, with dedicated sessions debating the future of critical minerals in Africa, the geopolitical and security challenges facing many jurisdictions and the opportunities for further Australian-African engagement in a changing global landscape.

As well as the 1 500 delegates and more than 60 speakers, there will be more than 70 exhibitors as well as special events profiling African professionals working in Australia, the African diaspora in Western Australia and linkages between mining and other industries.

“Australian companies have proven themselves good partners for African host communities and governments and ADU is the perfect platform to showcase that,” says Repard.