By: David Nel - Chief Commercial Officer at iqbusiness, Africa’s future-focused management and digital growth enabler

The mining sector in South Africa, long a cornerstone of our economy, will not escape the rapid tech transformation that every industry is undergoing.

A recent example is the launch of DeepSeek, a new AI-powered platform designed to optimise massive amounts of data and resource quality. While DeepSeek is an exciting development with applications in traditional mining, it is indicative of a much broader reality: technology will quickly reshape an industry that has remained largely unchanged for decades.

Last week’s Mining Indaba saw many bold statements, but perhaps the most sober and realistic was the promise by Mining and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe that the long-awaited review of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) is expected to be completed by March. It is hoped that this review of the primary legislation of SA’s mining sector will finally provide certainty and structure to an unnecessarily complex regulatory and investment environment. 

As the mining sector grapples with its next evolution, new innovations promise to address long-standing challenges. From environmental concerns to fluctuating commodity prices and the pressing need for skilled workers, technology brings an opportunity to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and minimise harm. South Africa’s challenge and opportunity thus hinges on our ability to embrace or repel technological progress that will be the key to unlocking the sustainable and equitably profitable extraction of our natural resources.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a game-changer for mining. Traditional mining practices, often reliant on manual methods and outdated equipment, have been slow to adapt to modern technological advancements. In contrast, AI tools allow for precise geological mapping, predictive analytics, and automated resource extraction. This leads to more targeted drilling, reduced waste, and enhanced overall efficiency.

Applied in South Africa, it’s clear even at a superficial level that AI has the potential to extract a significantly positive economic impact. By using AI to predict resource locations with greater accuracy, mining companies can reduce the energy and materials required for exploration and extraction. This not only lowers operational costs but also increases resource yield, improving overall profitability. AI can also help optimise energy consumption and reduce emissions, contributing to the global shift towards more sustainable practices in resource extraction.

Those of us entrenched in tech advancements know and witness every day how AI is enabling more efficient, smarter mining to remain a step ahead. Predictive maintenance algorithms, which monitor equipment health and forecast failures before they occur, further enhance efficiencies and responses, while reduced downtime and lowered cost of repairs allow South African miners to sharpen their competitive edge in an increasingly globalised market.

When it comes to mining and AI, the consistent elephant in the room is the question of skills. One of the obvious challenges tied to the integration of AI and other advanced technologies into mining is the need for a skilled workforce primed to optimise innovations and anticipate security threats. Mining in South Africa has long struggled with a significant skills shortage, and this is particularly pronounced in the technical expertise required to operate AI-driven systems. While automation and AI promise increased efficiency, they also create a need for workers with new skill sets in data analysis, data security, machine learning, and system maintenance.

DeepSeek’s meteoric launch highlights the power of AI and urgent need for training and upskilling initiatives that can equip South Africa’s mining workforce with the capabilities to operate advanced systems. And as mining companies increasingly adopt AI technologies, the demand for skilled labour will grow, which creates a unique opportunity for government and industry stakeholders to invest in education and training programmes that align with the emerging technological demands of the sector.

But we also face the critical challenge of retaining, motivating, and rewarding a large, low-skilled workforce, which often constitutes the backbone of operations. Investing in targeted training and development programmes that allow workers to gradually acquire new skills, enabling them to move up the ranks and take on more technical roles, is one way to offer a pipeline to both growth and hope. Offering clear career progression pathways, along with competitive wages and performance-based bonuses, can further incentivise engagement and loyalty. Finally, integrating a strong emphasis on health, safety, and worker welfare is essential to maintaining morale and reducing turnover.

As mining shifts towards advanced AI systems on the one hand, on the other it must give more deliberate and sensitive focus to the very real human fear of job security, and the need to feel valued and included. Pulled together, this can help retain talent and boost productivity.

Through the adoption of more advanced technologies, there is also the potential to greatly reduce its environmental footprint, and the significant environmental degradation, from habitat destruction to water contamination and greenhouse gas emissions, associated with it. AI and machine learning platforms enable more accurate exploration and extraction, ensuring that resources are mined more efficiently and with less waste.

But the environmental benefits of these technologies extend beyond the extraction phase. Real-time data analytics allows mining operations to monitor and mitigate environmental impacts as they occur. Already, AI mining systems are detecting leaks or energy inefficiencies in mining operations, enabling accurate and rapid responses that reduce environmental damage. This tech, astutely applied, is improving bottom lines and aligning the sector with global sustainability goals.

We know that the mining landscape is changing rapidly, and that more change is expected imminently. But if managed and adopted correctly, the accelerating technological revolution in mining will be the key to unlocking a more sustainable, efficient, equal and prosperous South Africa.