The decline in South Africa’s mineral exploration investment is a source of concern, an expert has said.
A comprehensive report presented by Mintek chief executive Molefi Motuku at the South Africa Investment Forum at the 2025 Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town showed that investment in exploration fell from R6.2 billion ($333 million) in 2008 to R1.2 billion ($64,4 million) in 2023.
This represents a significant drop from over 5% of the global exploration budget to below 1%, which shows the need for policy interventions and investment incentives to revitalise the sector.
Motuku said South Africa has world-leading reserves of key critical minerals, including Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) – 88% global market share, manganese – 80% global market share, while chromium and vermiculite also share impressive market ratios.
He said there is a need to leverage these resources, estimated to be worth over $2.5 trillion, to drive economic growth and industrial development.
"South Africa is uniquely positioned to benefit from the global energy transition but we must act strategically to develop the necessary infrastructure and downstream industries," said Motuku.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief, from Cape Town, South Africa, Rough&Polished
