Mining companies attending the upcoming Investing in African Mining Indaba, in Cape Town, will benefit from significantly reduced registration fees.

Mining Indaba officials have introduced price reductions of up to 50% for the February 6 to 9 event, now in its twenty-third year.

“We believe this change in pricing for mining corporates will make it possible for all miners – from large to nano cap – to be able to attend the 2017 Indaba,” says Mining Indaba MD Jonathan Moore, who wants all those who seek investment and who wish to meet with government Ministers, service providers and their peers to be able to participate and to conduct productive business in Cape Town.

With the aim of improving all aspects of the Mining Indaba, event officials, who recently surveyed those who attended the 2016 conference and those who attended in 2015 but did not return the following year, found that market conditions and poor currency conversion rates made it difficult for mining companies to send all those who should participate in the conference. In some cases, companies could not attend at all.

As the event relies on participation from investors, mining Ministers and mining corporates, this had an impact on the equilibrium of the world’s largest mining investment event, especially since the number of 2016 investor attendees more than doubled and the representation of African and non-African governments was also strong.

“We want to ensure that mining companies meet investors who are eager to learn about their projects. To that end, we need to attract the mining companies. This new pricing will help make that possible, especially for the junior miners,” says Moore, who adds that investors and mining Ministers are again invited to attend at no cost.

New sponsorship opportunities will make it possible for mining companies of all sizes to demonstrate their value, says Mining Indaba sales director Fred Noce, who anticipates that the increase in the number of mining companies with a physical presence – along with the deliberate elimination of more than 40 sponsoring service providers and equipment companies – will greatly improve connections and commerce on the exhibition hall floor.

“It’s my goal to help any mining company looking for visibility to get it,” says Noce.

In addition to price reductions, the Mining Indaba will be introducing new ways for people to connect and meet, with improvements including expansion of the commodity-specific speed-networking programme and the networking roundtables.