Mining risks and challenges 2020 onwards
The mining industry is faced with impactful changes all the time, so what are the risks and challenges faced by the world’s major minors in 2020 and beyond?
The sector continues to be in a state of fluidity globally, impacted by longer term trends such as digitalisation and short-term issues posed by trade wars and the current disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Risks and Opportunities for Mining – Global Outlook 2020, released earlier this year by multinational professional services firm KPMG, surveyed mining leaders from sixteen countries from around the world prior to the impact of COVID-19.
Top four risks affecting mining
For the second year running global miners flagged commodity prices, permitting risk, access to capital and community relations and social license, as the top four risks affecting the mining industry.
KPMG Global Head of Mining, Trevor Hart, said:
“Once again, today’s commodity price uncertainty and related macroeconomic risks are front of mind for mining executives.
“This is leading the industry players to focus on their own house, getting the basics in order and reducing costs or looking at technology to drive growth, productivity and greater efficiency.”
Interestingly, in the new review disruptive technology continued to be absent from the “top 10 threats” list and continued trending as an opportunity rather than a threat, while global trade war and tailings management were newcomers to the 10 risks list.
Environmental risks climbed three spots from 10 to number 7, when compared to last year’s survey, and 75% of respondents said the industry needed to better measure and report on success beyond financial results, based on recognition of a broader range of stakeholders.
Some 60% of respondents said they felt the ability of the industry to access traditional source of debt and equity capital has deteriorated.
Top risks 2020 and beyond
1. Commodity price risk. Miners are focusing on how they can reduce costs and how technology can drive growth, productivity, and efficiencies at their own mines.
2. Permitting risk.
3. Access to capital, including liquidity. According to the report, while capital flows are largely influenced by commodity prices, investors are also thinking about how they deploy capital and particularly how companies use capital in terms of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) measures. Some 60% of respondents believe the ability to access traditional sources of debt and equity to capital had deteriorated. Respondents in North America were the most affected.
4. Community relations and social license to operate.
5. Political instability.
6. Economic downturn/uncertainty.
7. Environmental risks, including new regulations, regulatory and compliance changes.
8. Global trade war. Some 28% of respondents cited trade war as a challenge and, according to KPMG, it is likely due to the ongoing decoupling between the US and China. The report cites “the potential for increased global economic instability and geopolitical tensions might lead to greater uncertainty about the longer-term direction of commodity prices.”
9. Ability to access and replace reserves.
10. Tailings management. The report cited that the environmental risk of tailings management is like driven by uncertainty around regulatory changes and the future impact of mining practices stemming from recent tailings-related tragedies in the industry. World-wide climate change will impact how companies operate into the future.
By contrast, the top 10 risks and challenges in 2019 were:
1. Commodity price risk
2. Permitting risk
3. Community relations and social license to operate
4. Access to capital, including liquidity
5. Economic downturn/uncertainty
6. Ability to access and replace reserves
7. Political instability
8. Regulatory and compliance changes/burden
9. Controlling operating costs
10. Environmental risks including new regulations. Access to key talent.
To find out more, read the full KMPG Risks and Opportunities for Mining – Global Outlook 2020 report here, along with a special KPMG Global Mining COVID-19 analysis.
In upcoming articles, we’ll take a closer look at how companies can transform these challenges into opportunities, and how Universal Field Robots can assist with our robotics and automation technology to drive productivity, safety and sustainability improvements.
