Shifting the balance of power T he global economic order is shifting — BRICS has now surpassed the G7 in purchasing power parity (PPP) metrics, signalling a massive shift in where economic power is concentrated. According to the IMF, the BRICS economies collectively
more accurately represents the relative size of continents. Spanning roughly 30.3 million km², Africa is the world’s second-largest continent. Its sheer scale is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that the United States, China, India, Japan, Mexico and much of Europe could all fit within Africa’s borders, with room to spare. Of note and interest is that the Equal Earth projection shrinks North America and the United States to their true proportional size compared to traditional maps, which subsequently prompted the US to cast the sole opposing vote at the recent United Nations resolution. And for a conquering power play - The final match of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour between the Springboks and the All Blacks, held in Baltimore, United States, had an attendance of 68 173 fans - a record crowd for a rugby international in the United States.
account for around $88 trillion in output, compared with approximately $62 trillion for the G7. At the turn of the century, BRICS was little more than a four-country alliance representing about a fifth of the global economy. Today, that powerhouse has grown into an 11-member bloc, accounting for about 40% of global GDP and almost half of the world’s population. More telling is the pace of growth. While the G7 is struggling along at roughly 1% a year, the BRICS economic engine is powering ahead at more than 4%. That gap is not simply widening the economic divide—it is reshaping the geopolitical landscape. According to IMF-based forecasts, the combined GDP (PPP) of the expanded BRICS bloc is projected to reach 1.6 times that of the G7 by 2031. As the bloc had reached a “coming of age” moment and called on the Global South to become a “rule- shaper” rather than simply accept rules set elsewhere. And for the mining industry, this matters enormously. The countries driving the strongest growth are also among those shaping the future demand for energy, metals and minerals. Perception is power – size matters Africans have long recognised the continent’s importance as a resource-rich engine of global modernisation, holding roughly 30% of the world's mineral reserves; however, for much of the world, an appreciation of Africa’s true scale and significance is only now just dawning. This shift was highlighted in early September when the UN General Assembly endorsed the Equal Earth projection as an alternative to the traditional Mercator map – a projection that continues to expand its reach, its influence on the global economic landscape is set to become harder to ignore. Speaking at the BRICS summit 2026, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said BRICS
While the move to play in the US was primarily for financial gain and global market expansion, it showcased
home-grown talent to a new audience. Importantly, the
Speaking at the BRICS summit 2026, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said BRICS had reached a “coming of age” moment and called on the Global South to become a “rule-shaper” rather than simply accept rules set elsewhere.
Springboks defeated the All Blacks 43-28 to secure a 3-1 victory in the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.
In this edition Our commodities focus shares insight on the gold market with Kavango Resources
Nelendhre Moodley.
Editor: Nelendhre Moodley e-mail: mining@crown.co.za Business Development Manager: Angela Devenish e-mail: angelad@crown.co.za Design & Layout: Ano Shumba Publisher: Karen Grant
highlighting how a supportive sector can help an emerging producer move from small-scale mining towards modern, scalable operations (pg 12). On the critical minerals front, Chris Showalter, CEO of Lifezone Metals, discusses Nickel's concentration problem (pg 10). On the copper front, Arc Minerals is building momentum at its two high-potential assets, hoping to unlock at least one Tier 1 copper deposit within the next few years. The company is fast-tracking exploration programmes across prime ground in Botswana and Zambia (pg 16). Weir, our lead story in the Crushing & Screening feature, discusses how it is driving comminution performance through advanced wear technology and aftermarket optimisation (pg 22). In the materials handling space, Astec Industries is tracking new market participation (pg 26). n
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