Top Regional Trends from Mining Forum Americas Presentations

From Nevada’s world-class gold to West Africa’s low-cost mines, the forum spotlighted how geography continues to define mining’s risks, rewards, and investment flows.

With 150 mining companies presenting at the recently concluded Mining Forum Americas 2025, it can be daunting to identify the key issues and trends that emerged. One of the most useful ways to break down the presentations is to separate them by region, which reveals some distinct flavors. From Nevada’s generational discoveries to Quebec’s hydro-powered gold hubs, from West Africa’s high-grade promise to Australia’s depth extensions, regional narratives emerged as central to how companies are positioning themselves.

Australia and New Zealand

Australia underscored its role as a global mining leader, with Western Australia driving brownfield expansions and diversification into critical minerals alongside gold. Flagship presenters included Northern Star Resources (Australia) [$19.6B], which highlighted disciplined production growth, and Evolution Mining (Australia) [$12.3B], emphasizing operational scale and balance sheet strength.

Eastern Africa

Ethiopia and Tanzania were showcased as frontier markets, promising geology but challenged by governance and infrastructure. KEFI Gold and Copper (Ethiopia) [$70.4M] illustrated the speculative yet potentially transformative nature of projects in this region.

Eastern Asia

China’s majors dominated, reflecting outbound consolidation strategies. ZiJin Mining (China) [$47.9B] framed itself as a global consolidator, while Shandong Gold (China) [$20.3B] emphasized disciplined growth and international partnerships.

Melanesia

Papua New Guinea’s presentations reflected world-class ore bodies balanced against high jurisdictional risk. K92 Mining (Papua New Guinea) [$1.6B] positioned itself as a proven operator in a challenging but resource-rich environment.

North America

North America anchored the forum with stability and scale. Barrick (Canada) [$41.7B] captured attention with its Fourmile discovery in Nevada, pitched as “the greatest gold discovery of this century.” Agnico Eagle Mines (Canada) [$77.6B] reinforced its dominance through disciplined growth across Ontario and Quebec.

Northern Africa

The region remains in its early stages. Aya Gold & Silver (Morocco) [$579.3M] presented steady progress, benefiting from Morocco’s improving investment climate and regulatory reform.

Northern Europe

ESG-forward jurisdictions in Finland and Sweden emphasized sustainability. Rupert Resources (Finland) [$409.4M]showcased exploration growth backed by strong infrastructure and low-carbon power grids.

South America

South America remains a cornerstone of global copper supply. Buenaventura (Peru) [$5.7B] underscored its dual role in gold and copper, while Lundin Gold (Ecuador) [$4.0B] positioned itself as a model for cross-border investment and social license.

South-Eastern Asia

South-Eastern Asia’s representation at the forum was limited but symbolic. Kingsgate (Thailand) [$509.2M] presented its flagship Chatree Gold Mine, emphasizing both the reopening momentum and Thailand’s evolving approach to mining investment.

Southeast Europe

Southeast Europe is emerging as an important growth corridor for copper-gold. Serbia’s porphyry systems and Turkey’s robust gold pipeline were key themes. DPM Metals Inc. (Serbia) [$1.4B] showcased disciplined development of high-grade projects, while SSR Mining (Turkey) [$3.7B] highlighted its long-standing presence through operations such as Çöpler. Presenters emphasized how Turkey’s supportive mining framework, modern infrastructure, and proximity to European markets have enabled operators to scale production. At the same time, community concerns and regulatory scrutiny continue to shape development timelines, keeping Turkey both promising and complex.

Southern Africa

Southern Africa presented a mixed picture: Namibia emphasizing stability, and South Africa offsetting world-class ore bodies with energy and labor issues. Caledonia Mining (Zimbabwe) [$180.2M] showcased steady output from its Blanket Mine, while Harmony Gold (South Africa) [$3.4B] reinforced the scale and challenges of operating in South Africa.

Southern Europe

Southern Europe’s selective opportunities are tied to EU policy momentum. Orvana Minerals (Spain) [$68.9M]demonstrated how smaller producers are leveraging EU frameworks despite long permitting timelines.

Western Africa

West Africa reaffirmed its role as a low-cost, high-grade producer. Endeavour Mining (Côte d’Ivoire) [$6.9B]highlighted its leading growth profile, while Perseus Mining (Ghana) [$1.9B] showcased its ability to combine operational scale with consistent exploration success.

Conclusion

Mining Forum Americas made clear that mining’s geography dictates both strategy and performance. North America and Australia anchor stability and discipline, South America and West Africa provide growth, and Europe and Asia shape the ESG and consolidation narrative. Frontier regions such as Eastern Africa and Melanesia offer long-term optionality but require patient capital.