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Mining strategies and risks for 2024

KPMG has recently released its Australian Mining Risk Forecast 2024 that outlines the top-ranking risks for the mining and metals industry. The report is based on material risks of mining companies in the ASX 300. 

Mining strategies and risks for 2024

KPMG has recently released its Australian Mining Risk Forecast 2024 that outlines the top-ranking risks for the mining and metals industry. The report is based on material risks of mining companies in the ASX 300. 

Climate change risk has risen to the top of the list as the regulatory landscape evolves quickly. Climate change is now closely connected to having a social licence to operate, but this concept is not new to mining companies who have had to consider the impact they have on communities and the environment for many years. Its importance is escalating however, as regulatory change is creating more urgency to meet decarbonisation objectives.

Last year, commodity price risk topped the list but it’s now dropped down to number three. Given the level of volatility in commodity prices for minerals and the squeeze on margins as costs increase, the risk remains very real.

New risks in the list include health, safety and security risks, operational risk, access to resources and regulatory compliance/change burden. These reflect the global and economic conditions that are impacting supply chains and influencing policy agendas. 

A notable omission from the list is cybersecurity risk that is on the increase in most industries and has the potential to significantly impact the mining industry as it increases adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. 

Providing a different perspective, the State of Play: Mining Strategy in a Changing World report touches on many of these key risks and considers how companies can capitalise on them. 

While supply chains continue to impact many resources, opportunities exist for those that produce critical minerals given their importance in the energy transition. As some countries seek to shore up supply of critical minerals, producers can demand higher prices. While others are looking at how to add value by producing domestically. 

Similarly, having a social licence to operate brings with it both risks and opportunities. Savvy organisations that can unlock value in their social licence may be in a position to leverage green premiums. While it’s unclear how this will play out, branding and public relations strategies could play an important role in realising value. The challenge will be ensuring the new energy minerals are cost-effective for the products they’re being used to produce, like electric vehicles.

While digital risks were omitted from the KPMG report, the potential for artificial intelligence and automation are noted in State of Play. With significant investments in technology already a feature of the mining industry, the potential is still noteworthy, particularly as the machines become even smarter at a more rapid pace. 

Both reports discussed the war for talent as a risk that needs to be addressed. Staffing issues are contributing to increased costs, with the problem exacerbated by negative community perceptions of the industry both in Australia and globally. 

Just as climate change is the most significant risk to the industry identified, it also underpins the opportunity for the sector. Being able to effectively resource the energy transition requires much more than just finding the minerals. It now also requires innovation, strategic insights, revised operational models and new organisational architecture that can respond rapidly to change. All of these raise new challenges and bring with them opportunities that we haven’t seen before. While there’s still a lot of work ahead for the industry, the future is certainly exciting.
 

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