Editorial comment
Happy New Year – the timeless greeting the vast majority of us have no doubt instinctively shared countless times already this young year, without much more than a passing thought as to its meaning. Will we see dramatic change and innovation in 2025? For the mining industry, the answer has already been ‘yes and no’.
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Those who keep up to date with the latest industry news will have observed that 2025, so far, has been business as usual for the mining industry. By that I mean continued efforts to develop the technologies and establish the projects and supply chains our increasingly energy-hungry world craves in its ongoing pursuit of a greener and more sustainable future. Highlighted and propelled by the success of 2024 trade shows like MINExpo and IMARC, these efforts have the industry progressing more or less how it needs to be – although enough never seems to be enough. While each development is in itself innovative, in broad strokes, developments of this sort are not a new trend – the industry has been on this upwards trajectory for a good few years now. That said, there is nuance to be found, reading between the headlines.
To help us dig beneath the surface, I am pleased to welcome Ian Sanders back to another January/February issue of Global Mining Review. Ian has authored an overview of Deloitte’s latest ‘Tracking the trends’ report – ‘Creating Resilient Mining And Metals Organisations Through Future-Fit Leadership’ (pages 10 – 16) – exploring how a fresh leadership approach across 10 key trends could help transform the industry through 2025. To get ahead of the curve in 2025, miners need to be ready to capitalise on all available insights, making this article a must-read.
To continue this theme of new becoming old and old becoming new, one historic moment that is now playing out is the return of President Donald Trump to the Oval Office in Washington, DC. Re-elected as the 47th US President, Trump once again has the power to enact significant changes, sending ripples – if not waves – across the surface of the US and global mining industries.
In what some are terming a ‘quest for mineral dominance’, Trump has wasted no time in signing several key executive orders designed to accelerate the mining and processing of minerals in the US – specifically rare earths, coal, and uranium – and alleviate “undue burden” on producers.1 Furthermore, a recent speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, has prompted surges in the shares of several US coal producers.2
The news of these actions, and more, has drawn much acclaim from across the industry, but Trump’s early days back in his old job have not been without controversy. Threats of tariffs and public speculation about “[getting] Greenland” have certainly been a cause for pause for many across the world, indicating that the second Trump Presidency may well be a step up from the first – not only fostering production, but potentially looking to acquire it.3
Time will ultimately tell what Trump’s mining legacy is. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to 2025 with great optimism for the global mining industry. Regardless of whether change is coming, or if year-old trends are set to continue, there is much to give hope for the future.
Don’t miss the latest technical insights from Global Mining Review in this January/February issue, and grab a print copy at MINEXCHANGE, PDAC, and Discoveries 2025.
References
- NORTHEY, H., ‘Inside Trump’s quest for ‘mineral dominance’, E&E News, (21 January 2025)
- WADE, W., ‘Trump’s Coal Comments to Davos Audience Boost US Miners’, Bloomberg UK, (23 January 2025)
- AIKMAN, I., ‘Trump says he believes US will ‘get Greenland’’, BBC, (26 January 2025)
