The capital-raising success that emerging copper and zinc mining company Orion Minerals achieved is kindling high hopes that smaller South African shareholders will be facilitated to play a greater role in providing funding for new mining development and concomitant job creation. Johannesburg- and Sydney-listed Orion has succeeded in bringing Australian Stock Exchange-style shareholder participation to smaller South African shareholders – and steps are being taken now to encourage a lot more of the same on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).