CIMERA at Mining Indaba 2026
We are proud to share that DSTI-NRF CIMERA will be represented at Mining Indaba 2026 by two exceptional leaders whose work spans research excellence, industry impact, and skills development for the future of mining and energy.
Prof. Susan Webb – Co-Director, DSTI-NRF CIMERA | Associate Professor of Geophysics, Wits University
Prof. Webb is an internationally recognised geophysicist with a deep commitment to student development and capacity building. Trained across the USA, Canada, and South Africa, her curiosity-driven research tackles fundamental geophysical questions while delivering applied solutions to real-world challenges.
Her innovative work on the Bushveld Complex, including leadership in the ICDP Bushveld Complex Drilling Project, has shaped major graduate research initiatives. Beyond research, she has played influential leadership roles globally, including serving on the boards of the American Geophysical Union and the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), and as a founding committee member of SEG Geoscientists Without Borders.
Locally and continentally, she founded the AfricaArray Geophysics Field School, a programme that has trained students across Africa and opened pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and international collaboration. Her contributions to education were recognised when she became the inaugural recipient of the SEG Outstanding Educator Award and the SEG Honorary Lecturer for Africa and the Middle East.
We look forward to the insights, conversations, and collaborations they will bring to Mining Indaba 2026 as we collectively shape a more sustainable, innovative, and inclusive mining and energy future.
Busisiwe Maphalala – CoE Manager, DSTI-NRF CIMERA (red)
Appointed in May 2025, Busisiwe is a SACNASP-registered professional with over eight years of experience across South Africa’s mining and research landscape. She began her career as a Geologist at AngloGold Ashanti, gaining solid operational experience in hard-rock mining, before expanding her expertise into mining research and project management at the CSIR.
Her work has focused on critical minerals, skills for modernised mining, the circular economy, energy efficiency, and sustainability. She is currently completing a Master’s in Energy Leadership at Wits Business School and has co-authored several publications, including “South Africa’s Mineral Resource Availability as a Potential Driver for Transitioning to a Circular Economy.”
Busisiwe’s passion lies in advancing responsible mineral extraction, building future-ready mining skills, and strengthening South Africa’s role in the global critical minerals and energy-transition landscape.
