SA’s under-explored Northern Cape “a dripping roast” if Govt. would just open the door – by David McKay (MiningMX – October 26, 2020)

MiningMX

THE lack of minerals exploration in South Africa’s mining sector goes back to its corporatisation more than 60 years ago following the creation of Anglo American and its counterpart, General Mining.

In those days, mining houses did their prospecting in-house where the parent company charged service management fees to the underlying businesses, some of them listed.

Apart from its inefficiencies, the system resulted in an investment tradition that rewarded the mighty and lost comfort in the two-bit entrepreneur; ironic, given the manner of Johannesburg’s own mining town origins.

Errol Smart, a South African who has worked in the Australian minerals development sector, is convinced the time is ripe to change history. It would be apposite: President Cyril Ramaphosa’s economic recovery plan is crying out for the kind of vigour Smart and other miners say they can bring, especially in the Northern Cape province.

“Geologically, I can tell you, having gone around the world and looked at terrains, the Northern Cape is an absolute dripping roast,” said Smart at the Joburg Indaba, a mining conference which this year was held virtually.

For the rest of this article: https://www.miningmx.com/top-story/44140-under-explored-northern-cape-a-dripping-roast-if-govt-would-just-open-the-door/