Following success of the first window for the Junior Mining Exploration Fund (JMEF), the
Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR), Council for Geoscience (CGS)
and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) have opened the second window for
applications. The scope for the second window has been broadened to include applicants
seeking funding in other sectors of mining.
In the first window, R160 million was allocated to eligible applicants. Eight applicants
drawn from sections of the sector and spread across the country successfully applied for
funding, which was duly disbursed. An amount of R240 million has been allocated in
second window which opened today 30 September 2025 and will close on the 31st
October 2025.
Established in 2023, the JMEF forms part of South Africa’s mineral exploration strategy
whose objective among others is to attract exploration investment, reignite mineral
development, accelerate new mineral discoveries while encouraging optimal utilisation of
the country’s mineral resources.
Among other objectives, the JMEF fund enables eligible South African junior mining
businesses to access funding so they can conduct prospecting work, increase Junior
Miners’ access to mine ore bodies and promote economic inclusion that will support
equitable economic growth. Targeted minerals for the second call include:
Tin, Tungsten, Copper, Lithium, Titanium, Uranium, Gold, Antimony, Arsenic and
Fluorspar.
For gold and antimony, the Fund will prioritise the greenstone belts, but all gold/antimony
exploration projects are welcome to apply. Critical among revised terms of reference
(TOR) in the new window states that applicants:
• Must be Junior Miners with a valid prospecting or mining right
• Applicant’s requirements should exceed R10 million and maximum of R50m
Other TOR terms require applicants to use funding for the following activities:
• Early-stage discovery exploration activities (detailed activities to be outlined by
CGS and agreed between all parties). Example of services that can be considered
by the fund:
• Drilling and logging
• Rock sample analysis
• Geophysics surveys
• Geochemistry studies
• Geo-Tech assessment
• Geohydrological studies
• Environmental studies
• Other requisite geo expertise that may include data interpretation and
consolidation into a Competent Persons Report (CPR).
Advanced exploration activities (detailed activities to be outlined by CGS and agreed
between all parties). Examples include:
• Further Resource Definition
• Geotechnical Studies
• Metallurgical Testing
• Environmental Read more