Habits Maketh a Successful Mine

There is a saying that to change our circumstances or events; we must first change our habits. As we celebrate the gift of life 2023 has to offer, I wish to remind myself (and my colleagues in mining) of the top habits that must change for our circumstances to improve, including the issues of shareholder value, safe and fatality-free shifts and productivity.

1. We must let go of the irresistible attraction of hopelessness that has bedevilled us and the entire mining industry in the past few decades, including the

By Ian Chauke

idea of a fatality-free production, as no great industry can be built on the foundation of hopelessness.

Mines are, by design, in the constant battle to improve, and progress is the offspring of time. We must become the beacon of hope, for there is no home anywhere for 60 million South Africa but here.

2. While some say hope is the arrowhead of progress, only by seeing where we came from, as Possibilitarians, can we chart where we are going. As a diversified organisation, we may not share a common legacy, but we share a common space: the mining community, a shared desire for pride in who we are.

And until we know the history of this industry in the past 100 years, we might not appreciate some of the million fatality-free shifts achievements across different mines. We must understand that we are part of something great and partaking in building something for the next generation. This includes the modernisation of the industry, which has seen the introduction of cutting-edge technology and mechanised mining in some of our operations to achieve our greatness. The past holds the secret for forging a common identity and building a greater mining industry.

3. My colleagues let us look inward. Far too often, we fail to see the limitless opportunities in this industry because we are distraught by the many failures around us, including organisational politics, community unrest, retrenchments, labour disputes, poor performance and bad safety records. Yet others can look beyond the setbacks and see what this industry represents for the future of the South African economy; see the final frontier for growth anchored by our employees, communities, market, resources, and geography. With this being said, the gap between where we are as an organisation and what we can become is an opportunity; don’t ignore it. We are possibility brokers.

Let us de-weaponise conversations that try to defer our hope. Yes, every operation has its scoundrels; let us find the space to project our industry as we will it, not as it is. I am told a vision is not a recount of present reality but a projection of future possibilities. We must speak of it convincingly to activate it.

Our tremendous resilience in the face of adversity, navigating through Covid, the Russian-Ukrainian war - its ripple impact on our economy, the rumours of recessions, and our very own energy crisis is commendable.

Let us talk less and become the ideas we talk about.

These are all habits I hope to embrace in 2023 to improve my circumstances and that of my colleagues in the industry in the year ahead of me. We can all do the same for our industry and our country.

And finally, I want to remind you that the light in you is a compass to a place where your wildest dreams wait. The weight is all lifted.

Yours in safe and profitable mining.