Page 38 - Bullion World Volume 5 Issue 05 May 2025

Bullion World | Volume 5 | Issue 05 | May 2025

Monday, February 3, 2025 – Investment and • Platinum and Green Hydrogen:
Opportunity in Gold { Industry leaders (including Anglo American
Theme: Unlocking the Gold Economy Platinum) discussed how platinum is essential
• Junior Gold Explorers and Dealmaker’s Den for proton exchange membrane (PEM)
Highlights: electrolyzers, crucial for producing green
• Several promising junior companies showcased hydrogen.
new resource discoveries: { Africa has a first-mover advantage but must
{ Turaco Gold presented its Boundiali project build refining and fabrication capacities to truly
in Côte d’Ivoire, highlighting high grades at benefit from hydrogen economy growth.
shallow depths. { There were calls for public-private hydrogen
{ Midnight Sun Mining outlined its exploration in taskforces focused on using Africa’s platinum
Zambia’s emerging gold belt. for domestic hydrogen production, not just
• Investor attention was notably strong for juniors export.
operating in stable jurisdictions with good ESG
credentials. • Silver in Solar Energy:
{ Analysts discussed that silver demand in
• Responsible Gold Mining Principles (RGMP) PV (solar panels) reached an estimated 232
Roundtable: million ounces in 2024, comprising 19%
{ The World Gold Council-led session stressed of total silver demand (Source: The Silver
the need for miners to adopt responsible Institute).
sourcing, human rights protections, and { A warning was issued: if U.S. tariffs hit imports
transparent reporting. of solar panels from Vietnam, Thailand, and
{ It was emphasized that RGMP-compliant Malaysia (major suppliers to the U.S.), there
companies can access green financing could be a drop in silver demand linked to
instruments and international premium buyers. solar manufacturing disruptions.
{ Given that the U.S. alone accounted for over
• Infrastructure Challenges: 10% of global solar installations (from a total
{ West African miners highlighted energy 452 GW in 2024 per IRENA), the impact on
shortages, poor road networks, and security silver demand could be meaningful if the
risks as critical barriers to scaling up. market slows.
{ Suggestions included mining sector
collaboration on regional energy and transport Wednesday, February 5, 2025 – ESG, Sustainability,
projects to overcome these bottlenecks. and Local Value Addition
Theme: Making Precious Metals Mining Truly
• Key Insight: Despite regional instabilities, West Sustainable
Africa remains a magnet for gold investments • Environmental Best Practices:
because of rich geology and competitive { Sessions led by companies like Anglo
production costs. American and Barrick highlighted ambitious
sustainability goals:
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 – Financing the { Water neutrality — especially important for
Future of Precious Metals platinum and gold mines operating in arid
Theme: Dealmaking, PGMs, and Solar-linked Silver regions.
Demand { Biodiversity offsets — reforesting mined areas
• Dealmaker’s Den Finals: and creating natural wildlife corridors.
{ A highly competitive showcase where early- { Net zero carbon emissions targets by 2040 or
stage gold and silver miners pitched directly to earlier.
institutional investors.
{ Companies that demonstrated clear ESG • ESG Financing Panel:
strategies and community partnerships { Banks and investors stressed that precious
received the most investor interest. metals mining projects without credible
ESG plans will face rising costs of capital or
investment exclusions.

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