An area where South Africa can increase its potential for economic growth, development and job creation is the Beneficiation of its extracted minerals. Beneficiation is the transformation of a mineral, or a combination of minerals, into a higher-value product, which can either be consumed locally or exported. Beneficiation is a driver for empowerment of HDSAs and enables the development of new entrepreneurs in downstream and sidestream industries.
In pursuing economically-feasible beneficiation opportunities, we seek to support the government's national development goals and beneficiation strategy.
AASA provides the raw materials for downstream value- addition. AASA also creates enabling environments for local beneficiation by way of enterprise development and technological research. In addition, AASA looks for opportunities to transform mining and industrial process by-products into commercially-viable resources.
Against the background of a maturing mining sector and rising unemployment, beneficiation may become a method for reinvigorating the economy's growth.
However, there are challenges that stand in the way of South Africa's minerals beneficiation success. These challenges include power supply and skills shortages; the identification of and access to markets for locally beneficiated products; and beneficiation infrastructure constraints.
AASA and its business units look for innovative solutions to overcome these obstacles. In particular, enterprise development, training, research and development, new technology and the building of partnerships feature in AASA's beneficiation drive.
