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MINERAL POLICYAND SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENTMINERAL ECONOMICS AND STRATEGYMintek’s Mineral Economics and Strategy Unit (MESU) conductsregional commodity-based mineral economic studies to promote valueaddition and sustainable development through the minerals industry, both inSouth Africa and elsewhere in Africa.Regional Mineral EconomicsStrategic regional minerals scans are undertaken to highlight infrastructurerequirements, advantages of ordered development and clustering ofprojects, preliminary economic analysis, and identify downstream and valueadded developmental opportunities frommineral-based projects. Two detailedscans investigated the mineralpotentials of Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.The Limpopo scan will be used todevelop a mineral strategy for theyear. The KwaZulu-Natal projectre-investigated the remainingcoal mining potential forthe province, reviewed theindustrial minerals sector,“Mintek also contributed tothe strategy for sustainabledevelopment in mining,of development, indicatorsfor and the development ofguidelines for various aspectsof the environmentaloperations.”impactsof miningthat could be exploited. A key feature of both projects was theuse of GIS software that allowed for different scenarios to beevaluated. Interactive GIS-based datasets formed an integralpart of the deliverables for these projects.MESU played a central role in studies of a number of ironand steel projects in southern Africa. MESU also acted assecretariat in Maputo Metallurgical Corridor Project, whichinvestigated the potential to establish a steel complex in Maputothat would utilise magnetite resources from the Palabora MiningCompany dumps.RESOURCE BASED SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENTThe Resource Based Sustainable Development (RBSD) strategyhas three principal themes.• A capital equipment and services focus that supportsMain Hand-sorting pic:magnesite ore small-scale at aoperation the Limpopo inprovince.37annual report 2007