Call for Nominations
Celebrating Excellence in African Mining
The Mine & Wine Awards are a premier platform celebrating achievement across the continent's mining value chain - honouring the leaders and innovators shaping Africa's mining sector, and the winemakers who toast their success.
Awards Ceremony - 6 February 2027
The Categories
Seven honours across the mining value chain.
Each award celebrates a distinct kind of excellence - from the deals that shape the sector to the careers that define it.
Deal Maker of the Year
Recognises excellence in structuring and executing the transactions that advance the African mining industry.
Mining Company of the Year
Honours operators demonstrating excellence in strategy, shareholder value, safe operations and community impact.
Explorer & Developer of the Year
Celebrates discovery, technical excellence and resource development.
CEO of the Year - Operating Miner
Acknowledges leadership that converts vision into reality, and challenges into opportunity.
CEO of the Year - Explorer & Developer
Recognises the entrepreneurial leaders creating sustained value from discovery and development.
Innovation & Technology Excellence
Awards breakthroughs in efficiency, safety, sustainability and digital transformation.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Honours careers spanning 25+ years with a transformational impact on African mining.
How Nominations Work
A simple, considered process.
Eligibility
Nominees must operate within Africa. Multinational companies with African operations qualify, as do individuals residing in Africa who are advancing the sector.
Why enter
- Recognition as a credible force in advancing Africa's mining industry
- Media exposure across the Mine & Wine platform
- Association with one of Africa's most exclusive industry gatherings
- Networking with executives, financiers and policymakers
The Committee
Judged by an independent panel.
Nominations are assessed by a committee of respected geologists, engineers, financiers and industry leaders.
Noleen Pauls
President, Geological Society of South Africa
A geoscientist with more than two decades in exploration and applied geology across Africa, she champions scientific excellence and ethical practice - and, through Women in Mining South Africa, diversity and mentorship across the value chain.
Ian Benning
Mining engineer & financier
A professional engineer with over 40 years in African mining - former Group Mining Engineer at Shaft Sinkers, Head of Mining & Metals at ABSA Capital, and Deloitte's Mining Lead. He now advises on valuations, M&A and arbitration through North Bay Consulting.
Prof Hennie Grobler
Head of Mining Engineering, University of Johannesburg
He leads the country's only accredited mine-surveying degree and, with Sibanye-Stillwater, the Simulacrum Mining Facility for simulation-led safety training. As President of the International Society for Mine Surveying, he champions drones, laser scanning and zero-harm practice.
Errol Smart
Mining executive & geologist
A registered professional geologist with over 30 years in exploration and operations, he led Orion Minerals as CEO - advancing the Prieska Copper-Zinc Mine and Okiep Copper District - and chaired the Minerals Council's Junior & Emerging Miners Forum.
Dennis Tucker
Chairman, Future Track
A mining financier with over four decades in capital markets and project finance, and senior roles at Rand Merchant Bank and Investec heading Resources Corporate Finance. He was central to Sibanye-Stillwater's diversification into PGMs and battery metals.
Dr Clinton Birch
Senior Lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand
A PhD mining engineer at Wits with deep operational experience across gold and platinum, he specialises in mine financial valuation, cut-off-grade optimisation and resource management, and leads Wits' Mine Planning & Optimisation research.
Bruce Williamson
Chief Investment Officer, Integral Asset Management
A UCT graduate and mining analyst, he began at Gold Fields and went on to lead investment at Imara and, since 2016, at Integral Asset Management. A regular commentator in Mining Weekly, he is known for clear, research-driven views on the sector.
Alex Bals
Founder, Aether Mine Surveying
With 48 years in mining - nearly 30 across Anglo, De Beers and AngloGold - he founded Aether Mine Surveying, specialising in surveying and ore-flow reconciliation. His projects span diamonds, gold and iron ore across Africa and the Middle East.
Call for Nominations
Submit a nomination.
Nominations are open and reviewed by our independent committee. It takes only a few minutes - tell us who deserves recognition and why.
- Nominations
- Now Open
- Submission Deadline
- December 2026
- Awards Ceremony
- 6 February 2027