Tipping over the edge will affect not only the South African, but the global economy, given the country's resources riches. And SA's metals and minerals are crucial to addressing climate change.

South Africa's battered and bruised mining sector is entering a new era of decline, and that will have serious consequences for the wider domestic and even the global economy.

This is among the depressing takeaways from the annual Joburg Mining Indaba, organised by Resources 4 Africa, which took place on 4 and 5 October.

Anglo American CEO Duncan Wanblad told the conference via video link from London: "For quite some time now, the mining industry - and business more broadly - has made a case for meaningful change on the things that hold us back in South Africa. But this moment is different: we are at a crossroads. Do we carry on over the cliff, or do we turn a corner, for the better?"

Taking a wrong turn, or tipping over the edge of the precipice, will not just be a blow to South Africa. The world needs to draw from its rich minerals endowment.

More mining

Wanblad noted in his remarks that more mining, not less, was required to address the existential challenge of climate change.

The green energy transition was simply not going to happen without "green" metals and minerals.

These include platinum group metals (PGMs) and manganese,...