The potential loss of platinum group metals (PGMs) demand to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) spells dire consequences for the South African mining industry. At risk are income streams to nearly two-million South Africans. Private-sector mining and public-sector mining need to come together far more forcefully right now to ensure that PGMs find their way into BEVs, as the North Americans, with far less at stake, are already striving to do.
Simultaneously, South Africa Inc needs to go all out to create optimum domestic demand for green hydrogen to kick-start the hydrogen economy locally. Minerals Council South Africa, AP Ventures, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the Industrial Development Corporation and others have all had their shoulders to the wheel for some time, but consideration should be given to roping in other relevant State bodies, including minerals researcher Mintek and the Technology Innovation Agency, more forcefully to add meaningful effort. If the African continent is able to capture 15% of the global hydrogen economy, the socioeconomic prize is the creation of 30-million job years.