Mintek and NRF Forge Strategic Partnership to Transform South Africa's Mining Innovation Landscape

The National Research Foundation (NRF) and Mintek have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that marks a significant step toward fostering innovation, scientific excellence, and sustainable progress in South Africa’s mining industry.

The signing of the MoU signals the formalisation of a deep and forward-looking partnership between two of the nation’s major science and technology institutions. It comes at a time when South Africa is increasingly prioritising science, innovation, and industrial development as pathways to inclusive economic growth.

“This is a pivotal moment for Mintek and NRF,” said Thibedi Ramontja, Chairperson of the Mintek Board. “It marks the culmination of months of dedication, discussion, collaboration and visionary thinking. What we’re witnessing is far more than the signing of an MoU; it is a commitment to a transformative partnership forged through rigorous planning and a shared belief in the power of science and technology to drive progress.”

“Mintek’s globally recognised expertise in minerals and metallurgy, combined with the NRF’s leadership in research funding and human capital development, creates a powerful alignment,” Ramontja added. “Through this MoU, we are building a foundation for a collaborative platform that will strengthen our nation’s research capabilities, accelerate innovation across the minerals value chain, and elevate South Africa’s global competitiveness in science and technology.”

NRF CEO, Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, stated that this partnership will underpin the NRF and Mintek’s contributions to the national efforts to sustain the mining sector. “This partnership recognises the important role that the mining sector plays in South Africa’s economy, particularly as a significant contributor to the country’s GDP, employment and export earnings, and enables both organisations to respond meaningfully to the sector’s complex and evolving challenges,” he said.

“The collaboration between the NRF and Mintek will enable both institutions to accelerate scientific and technological advancements to address pressing industry and policy challenges. It will also enable both institutions to translate research into practical, scalable solutions that enhance operational efficiency and sustainability in mining,” added Dr Nelwamondo.

Mintek CEO, Dr Molefi Motuku, said the MoU is a critical response to one of South Africa’s most pressing national concerns: the erosion of technical and research capacity in mining and mineral processing.”

“We’re witnessing a dearth of structured programmes that feed the talent pipeline into the mining sector – not just geologists, engineers or metallurgists, but across the entire value chain,” said Motuku. “This includes exploration, beneficiation, environmental stewardship, and modern operational planning. The reality is stark; while mining remains a pillar of our economy, the skills needed to sustain and transform the sector are thinning out.”

He stressed that this is happening at a pivotal time, as South Africa has placed increasing strategic focus on critical minerals and metals, which are central to the global green economy and technological transformation. Cabinet approved the Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy, which identifies platinum, manganese, iron-ore, coal and chrome ore as strategic minerals, Motuku noted. 

He said, “These minerals power essential technologies such as electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, wind turbines, microelectronics, and advanced manufacturing. But to truly leverage this opportunity, we must go beyond extraction. We need to understand, process, and add value to these resources and integrate them into industrial ecosystems that are globally competitive.

“This partnership between Mintek and the NRF is rooted in the belief that the institutions can achieve more together than apart,” Motuku concluded. “We’re combining our strengths in applied research, infrastructure, and human capital development to respond to national imperatives with agility and depth. Our collaboration will focus on supporting South Africa’s mineral research and skills development priorities; particularly in emerging areas such as automation, remote operations, artificial intelligence in mineral processing, and big data. These are not just scarce skills, they are essential for the future competitiveness of our industries.”