Mining Indaba 2026 opened with a strong call to action from Anglo American CEO Duncan Wanblad, who urged African governments to move beyond policy ambition and focus on implementation if the continent is to unlock its vast critical mineral potential.
Speaking at Mining Indaba 2026, Wanblad warned that mineral supply is no longer just a commercial issue for mining companies. Instead, it has become central to national competitiveness, energy security and global stability.
At Mining Indaba 2026, Wanblad highlighted forecasts from S&P Global showing that global copper demand could rise by nearly 50% by 2040. Electrification, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and grid upgrades in major economies will require millions of additional tonnes of copper annually.
“If supply does not scale responsibly and sustainably, the world faces serious and unpredictable consequences,” he said.
In a fractured geopolitical environment, he added, decisions about where and how investment flows matter more than ever.
A major theme at Mining Indaba 2026 is Africa’s role in the energy transition. The continent holds some of the world’s largest reserves of critical minerals. However, Wanblad stressed that resources alone are not enough.
“Now is the time for Africa to shift from policy intent to implementation,” he said.
He called for fiscal stability, predictable licensing frameworks and credible risk-sharing mechanisms. According to Wanblad, attracting the hundreds of billions of dollars required for infrastructure and mineral ecosystem development will depend entirely on regulatory certainty.
Investment, he argued at Mining Indaba 2026, will only flow where policy environments are stable and governance systems enable action.
Wanblad also told delegates at Mining Indaba 2026 that no single country can build resilient mineral supply chains alone. Instead, he pointed to cross-border partnerships as essential.
He cited the Lobito Corridor as an example of coordinated infrastructure reducing transport bottlenecks and improving export competitiveness.
Global frameworks such as the G20 Critical Minerals Initiative and the African Union’s Green Minerals Strategy provide direction, he noted, but implementation remains the true test.
While supporting value addition and beneficiation, Wanblad cautioned against duplicating every stage of the value chain across multiple jurisdictions.
“The opportunity lies in planning corridors intelligently and allocating activities where they make economic sense,” he said at Mining Indaba 2026.
Wanblad concluded that the mining industry faces a generational turning point. The world needs more copper, iron ore and other critical minerals to sustain economic growth and the energy transition.
However, supply must expand responsibly and in partnership with governments and communities.
“In a world searching for certainty,” he said, “mining must act as a champion for stability and shared prosperity.”
