My Reflections
After chairing yet another edition of the Junior Indaba, I’m reminded why this gathering has become one of the most important fixtures on the mining calendar, and not just for junior miners.
For two days, we create a space where the industry stops, listens, and speaks truthfully. No spin. No sugarcoating. Just real, honest insight from those doing the work and making the calls.
The 11th annual Junior Indaba was no exception. It delivered two days of clear-eyed optimism, technical depth, and yes, a few much-needed cold showers. Because while the future is bright, it’s also slow-moving, and filled with obstacles that we can’t solve with slogans or talk alone, we need to be circumspect and calculated in what policies we implement in a world where countries compete for investment dollars.
Panels & Powerhouses:
Some of the most compelling moments came from our panels.
I had the honour of chairing a session on future mining leadership, with rising stars like
Zinzi Lawrence
,
Mahlogonolo Mashile (MBA)
, and Nonkululeko Mosikare, women who don’t just represent a demographic shift, they represent a mindset shift.
We heard unfiltered truths from
Shammy Luvhengo
on mentorship and giving people a platform to build their own mines.
Niel Pretorius
gave one of the most compelling takes on ESG I’ve heard to date, calling sustainable development “a deeper and better version” of ESG. And then there were the hard truths: we don’t need more legislation; we need better enforcement. And we don’t need more excuses; we need more leadership.
Quote Worthy Recap:
- “Sustainable development is a deeper and better version of ESG.” – Niel Pretorius
- “Investors don’t want to lose money, and they’re terrified of missing out.” – Boris Kamstra
- “Juniors may lack deep capital, but that forces focus on real value-add.” – Matthew Jarvis
- “Focus on what you can do, and tune out the noise.” – Anthony Viljoen
- “The time from the first drill-hole to the first dollar of revenue is 20 years. I enjoy the hype, but we need to take a cold shower.” – Bernard Swanepoel
Why the Junior Indaba matters
What makes this event different?
It’s not just the announcements or the projects. It’s the honesty. It’s watching competitors collaborate over coffee. It’s seeing young professionals own the stage. It’s learning that the future of mining is not just about rocks and returns, it’s about relationships, regulation, readiness, and real leadership.
We had serious conversations about stock exchanges, financing pathways like A2X, and co-product strategies that are rewriting feasibility logic. We talked about the underrated importance of cadastral systems, community engagement, and governance, all the messy, foundational things that can’t be skipped.
These aren’t always sexy topics, but they’re the difference between potential and delivery.
And yes, I admit: I love watching the audience respond when a speaker like Hume Scholes says what everyone else was too afraid to say. It tells me we’re doing something right.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: Junior mining isn’t just a stepping stone. It is a high-risk, high-reward environment where professional careers and fortunes are made or lost! It is the real-world MBA and survivor course rolled into one. It’s where innovation starts. It’s where future CEOs cut their teeth. And it’s where the next wave of investment and leadership will either succeed or stall.
We don’t run the Junior Indaba because it’s easy. We run it because it’s necessary. (And fun!)
Thanks to every voice who contributed, and especially to those who dared to say, “this isn’t working,” or “we can do better.”
I’ll see you next year. But until then, may you always keep one boot in the pit and the other on the strategy map.
– Z.B.S
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