Editor's letter

Welcome to the latest issue of MINE.  

In every issue, we examine the energy transition, the rise of technology, and the social effects of the mining industry. This month, we ask: who will benefit from these trends? 

As the world hungers for battery metals, leaders in South America’s “lithium triangle” ask: can South American countries realistically form a “lithium cartel”, and how would “OPEC for lithium” change the game? 

Analysts expect platinum production will soon leap from over-supply to severe deficit. What role do investors play, and will miners be able to benefit from platinum’s boom and bust cycle? 

At the other end, we look at whether efforts to formalise the “informal” industry of artisanal mining can work for everyone. Finally, will increasing automation benefit the miners at the rockface, or only simplify management?

Find all this in your edition of MINE.

Matt Farmer, editor