Australia
The International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) took place in November just ahead of the Asia Pacific Regional Conference (APRC). Attended by over 2,500 mining experts, investors and political decision makers, the IMARC presents a unique platform for networking and making new business deals. The exhibition provided insights into innovations, technologies and services offered by the 100 exhibitors from the mining industry.
Brazil
Now in its third year, the German-Brazilian Mining Conference is a highlight on the events calendar of the Centre of Excellence for Mining of the German-Brazilian Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Mercosul. This year’s event, which takes place on 21st June 2018 in Belo Horizonte, aims to build on the success of last year’s mining conference that attracted an impressive 200 delegates. Participants included decision makers from mining companies Anglo American, Vale, CBMM, Copelmi Mineração, Amarillo Mineração, CSN, Ferrous, Votorantim Metais, Maracajá, Yamana Gold and Carbonífera Metropolitan. The main topics of conversation at the next mining conference will be automation, underground mining and reducing water consumption in the extraction and processing of mineral raw materials. Also high on the agenda for 2018 will be interesting discussions about the recently adopted mining reform and the economic forecasts for the sector.
Chile
From 23rd to 27th April 2018, Santiago de Chile will play host to EXPOMIN, South America’s largest showcase for mining technology and equipment. An exclusive platform for innovation and technology in the field of mining, the 2018 trade show will once again incorporate a German Pavilion.
Canada
Following up on an election promise from 2015, the Canadian Prime Minister established an office to investigate human rights violations and unethical conduct by Canadian companies, primarily in the mining, oil, gas and clothing industries, to prepare independent reports and to propose solutions. Though Canada already had an advisor on social responsibility for the extractive sector, Jeffrey Davidson himself admitted that his office was a “toothless tiger”. An independent supervisory board (CORE), working together with the ombudsman, should be able to exert greater impact in this area.
Taking place in Vancouver from 6th to 9th May 2018, this year‘s CIM Convention – Canada‘s flagship exhibition for suppliers to the mining trade – will for the first time include a German Pavilion featuring nine exhibitors from Germany. The Centre of Excellence for Mining of the German-Canadian Chamber of Industry and Commerce is supporting the companies at the fair.
Peru
The Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials of the German-Peruvian Chamber of Industry and Commerce is organising a shared stand for German companies at EXPOMINA 2018. The event is one of Peru’s most important mining trade fairs (second only to PERUMIN), offering an excellent opportunity to make contacts in new markets, exchange information and ideas with other specialists in the field and to take part in meetings, forums and more.
On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the consultancy enviacon international, in cooperation with the German-Peruvian and German-Ecuadorian Chambers of Industry and Commerce, is organising a business trip from 17th to 23rd June 2018 that will explore the topic of “Technologies for environmentally responsible mining in Peru and Ecuador.”
Southern Africa
The Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials of the Southern African-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce shared a stand with the German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA) at this year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba event, which took place from 5th to 8th February in Cape Town. As part of their joint presence, the two organisations hosted a German Day focusing on “win-win scenarios for Southern African-German cooperation in the raw materials sector”. This event was designed to bring together companies and business partners from Germany and southern Africa and to strengthen the presence of German mining expertise. For more than 20 years, Mining Indaba has been one of the most important exhibitions in the African mining sector and is targeted at investors, mining companies, governments and other major players in the mining trade.
DERA
The German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA), part of the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Raw Materials (BGR), has made its raw material information facility „ROSYS“ available online. The new web-based portal helps companies and interested members of the public to gain a better understanding of the global situation for raw materials. With just a few clicks, users of ROSYS can access information on around 80 of the most important raw materials for Germany as an industrial centre. These include not only conventional raw materials for producing energy but also materials vital to future technologies, such as lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements. The publication of this data is intended to provide companies, politicians and the wider public with greater transparency of the raw materials markets.
BDI
With its position paper entitled „Raw material supply 4.0“, the Federation of German Industry (BDI) hopes to make a valuable contribution to the debate surrounding the supply of raw materials. “Digitalisation and raw material supply are two sides of the same coin. Because, without high-tech raw materials, there will be no future technologies “Made in Germany” at all,” explains BDI President, Professor Dieter Kempf. The BDI offers not only specific examples but also recommendations for how politicians and businesses can work together to pave the way for a future-proof and sustainable supply of raw materials. (GMN/Si.)
