AI Funding Set to Bring Mining Into 21st Century
At the recent African Mining Indaba, South Africa’s mining minister highlighted the country’s lagging digital cadastre and licensing system, which costs the economy roughly R70 bn annually. The United Arab Emirates’ $1 bn G20 AI for Development pledge is being positioned as a catalyst to modernise mining administration through artificial intelligence. By digitising rights applications and integrating AI‑driven analytics, South Africa aims to restore investor confidence, accelerate approvals and curb corruption. The initiative mirrors the UAE’s own shift from oil dependence to high‑tech mineral and digital asset sectors.
South Africa’s Unemployment Rate Eases to 31.4%
South Africa's overall unemployment rate slipped to 31.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025, down from 31.9% in the prior quarter and marking a second consecutive decline after a peak of 33.2% a year earlier. Employment rose by 44,000, reaching...
Barrick and Twiga Minerals Launch Helicopter Surveys to Boost Tanzania Gold Exploration
Barrick Gold and Tanzania's state‑owned Twiga Minerals have launched a modern helicopter equipped for airborne geological surveys across Shinyanga Region. The initiative aims to deliver high‑resolution geophysical data while lowering the environmental footprint of exploration. Since the 2019 joint venture,...
NYDA Takes Youth Access Fight Into Mining’s Closed Rooms
South Africa’s National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is inserting itself into Mining Indaba 2026 to confront longstanding barriers that keep young South Africans out of the mining and energy sectors. The agency is lobbying for policy changes, earmarked funding for...