Impulse Paper: Decarbonising the South African Mining Sector – Focus Green Ammonia

South Africa’s mining industry, one of its most energy- and carbon-intensive sectors, is under mounting pressure to reduce its emissions footprint to maintain international competitiveness. Green ammonia, derived from green hydrogen, presents a compelling opportunity for the mining sector to decarbonise key inputs such as explosives, primarily by reducing upstream and value chain-related emissions (Scope 3), and to align more closely with emerging carbon markets and environmental, social, and governance (ESG)
expectations. This impulse paper explores targeted policy instruments to accelerate the mining sector’s adoption of green ammonia, positioning it as a leader in South Africa’s green industrial transition.