Photo courtesy of AusIMM
More than 120 mining professionals from Australia and around the world attended a Mining Leaders’ Forum at the grand Royal Society buildings in central London on 19 June.
Convened by the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), participants enjoyed keynote addresses and interactive panel discussions that highlighted the latest opportunities, trends and learnings from the Australian resources sector. Special guest at the forum was The Honourable George Brandis QC, Australian High Commissioner to the UK.
CEEC was represented at the forum by Chair and AusIMM member Mike Battersby.
Mike said the event was a fantastic networking opportunity to meet with industry leaders and discuss important issues, including energy and water conservation.
He met with AusIMM President Janine Herzig, who is very supportive of CEEC’s mission to improve the energy efficiency and productivity of comminution and minerals processing. Janine had kindly prepared a video presentation to open CEEC’s Mineral Processing and Innovation Workshop in Adelaide, South Australia, which was held on the same day as the London event.
Among the many highlights of the forum was the presentation by Michelle Ash, Chair of the Global Mining Guidelines Group (and formerly Senior Vice President Transformation and Innovation at Barrick), who spoke about disruption in the mining sector. Michelle outlined changes brought about by digitisation, including the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence.
One of the interesting panel discussions was based around the theme of social license to operate in the resources industry. The panel, moderated by Gavin Collery from Melbourne Mining Club, included Giulia Savio from Newcrest Mining, Aaron Ross from ANZ Bank and Worsley’s Denver Dreyer. Social license to operate was identified as the number one risk facing the mining industry. Questions were asked such as: “Do investors place value in a project proponent and/or asset operator having a social licence to operate?”
Mike said the Leaders’ Forum was an important contribution to understanding how best to operate in the future resource sector. The AusIMM has committed to staging another forum in London in 2020.