The Mineral Policy and Promotion Branch was created in April 2005, resulting from the split of the Mineral Development Branch.

The following functions also fall under this branch:

• Mineral economics;
• Small-scale mining;
• Beneficiation economics;
• Mineral policy development;
• Environmental policy; and
• Mine environment policy research and development.

Mineral promotion

• Chief Directorate: Mineral Promotion
  This chief directorate is responsible for the provision, through research, of relevant information that will enhance global competitiveness and attract new investment into the South African mineral industry.
• Directorate: Mineral Economics
  This directorate, through the Statistics sub-directorate, collects and collates all mineral and mining-related statistics. The statistics are then fed into Statistics South Africa as well as the commodity-specific sub-directorates who are responsible for compiling promotional publications, taking part in exhibitions and undertaking particular international obligations. (Read more about this directorate)
• Directorate: Small-Scale Mining

This directorate actively contributes towards sustainable development through enterprise development mainly focusing on the second economy. It also promotes the development of small-scale and medium-scale enterprises. (Read more about this directorate)
• Directorate: Beneficiation Economics

This is a newly created directorate that aims to develop strategies for the development of downstream beneficiation and investigate alternative use of minerals. (Read more about this directorate)

Mineral policy

• Chief Directorate: Mineral Policy
  The Mineral Policy Chief Directorate is responsible for reviewing policies, amending legislation and conducting research on mine environmental policy to achieve transformation and to attract new investment to the South African mineral industry. This chief directorate consists of:
  • Directorate Mineral Policy Development
    This directorate reviews current and pending laws. It is responsible for drafting regulations on various legislation, such as the Diamonds Amendment Bill and Precious Metals Bill in September 2005.(Read more about this directorate )
  
  
  • Environmental Policy
    This directorate is responsible for researching, developing and promulgating environmental policy, legislation, norms, standards and strategies in terms of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA), 2002.( Read more about this directorate)
  
  
  • Environmental Research and Development
  
  This directorate focuses on sustainable mine closures and the management of mine water. (Read more about this directorate)

Chief Economist

The work of the Chief Economist entails regular assessment of the performance of the economy with specific reference to mining and its contribution to overall economic growth. Reports have been produced analysing the underlying performance of mining relative to other sectors of the economy. This helps in understanding the likely stance the mining sectors is likely to take given the state of the economy. This analysis also encapsulates other variables such as interest rates; exchange rates; current account of the balance of payments and monetary policy stance of the South African Reserve Bank.

Areas of focus for the Chief Economist include:

• Macroeconomic policy impact analysis;
• Analysis of BEE shareholder structures and financing;
• Employment and investments trends in the mining sector;
• Publishing of articles;
• Assessment of national and international trends; and
• Business development for BEE in oil and gas