The German Mining Network (GMN) announces that the German-Mongolian Business Association (DMUV) shall assist it as a new partner. The DMUV is an amalgamation of German and Mongolian companies with a German connection founded in 1995 in Ulaanbaatar/Mongolia. Since 2009 the association has been a registered association (NGO) and is represented in Mongolia with a permanent office. The office supports the association members with initiating business, e. g. business partner communication, trade fair, forging new business links (network platform) and the interest groups in Mongolia. On the German side the DMUV is represented by the German Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV) as a contact point for the economic committee.
Chile
Eco Mining Concepts, a network of the German-Chilean Chamber of Industry and Commerce in existence since 2018 (AHK Chile), provides a platform for German and Chilean players interested in mining and sustainability to exchange information and ideas. The experts on the recycling economy and renewable energies, Johannes Gediga, thinkstep AG, and Martin Scheuerer, Protarget AG, whose companies are both members of Eco Mining Concepts, travelled to Chile at the start of September 2019 and debated with Chilean mining companies in a discussion panel of Eco Mining Concepts about the role of resource efficiency and renewable energies for sustainable mining in Chile. The discussion panel of the AHK Chile was part of the Sustainable Mining Congress 2019, which took place in Santiago/Chile from 4th to 6th September 2019. The congress provided an opportunity for several presentations and discussions on the topic of sustainability. Because companies, experts and institutions worldwide all agree: This topic creates new challenges for the mining industry not only in Chile but worldwide, but also offers numerous opportunities.
Canada
Together with the VDMA Mining Association and the EnergieAgentur.NRW, the German-Canadian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Canada) organises a four-day information trip for Canadian purchasers and disseminators to the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. German technologies and machines can be examined on site and Canadian participants are offered specific purchasing opportunities. This is an excellent opportunity to present products and innovative technologies to a purchasing group, which is otherwise not so easy to reach. The impressions are also taken back to Canada by the disseminators and distributed in the industry there. It is also planned to actively integrate the AIMS conference in Aachen on 2nd and 3rd April 2020 in the itinerary.
Peru
From 16th to 20th September 2019 representatives of the Center of Competence of the German-Peruvian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Peru) took part in the largest and most important mining exhibition and conference in Arequipa/Peru and supported the German companies with their trade fair appearance and establishing contact with potential customers and partners. 28 companies showcased themselves under the roof of the German pavilion on 474 m2, making it the largest international pavilion of the trade fair. A dozen German companies was also represented with individual stands.
Southern Africa
Safety and health protection in mining in South Africa has already been an important topic for decades, which the local and international policies have in mind. For several years the commitment in the area of safety has increased significantly in mining companies. Nevertheless, incidents in recent years demonstrate the ongoing high relevance. Current discussions in the area of the international value-added chain focus on this topic from the angle of sustainable mining. In this respect the topic of safety is relevant not only for the mining industry, but also equally for suppliers and customers. German companies source raw materials from the countries in southern Africa directly or indirectly. At the same time German suppliers participate in the commitment of international mining companies in the region. Against this background the Center of Competence for Mining & Raw Materials (CCMR) of the Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Southern Africa) published a best practice paper on the topic “Health and Safety on South African Mines”. You can request a free copy from CCMR in Johannesburg: rzarske@germanchamber.co.za
Fig. 1. The CCMR of AHK Southern Africa in cooperation with the Minerals Council SA and ISSA Mining organises seminars and workshops on the topic of safety and health protection. Photo: GMN
On the basis of the publication “Health and Safety on South African Mines – A Best Practice Report”, the CCMR in cooperation with the Minerals Council SA and ISSA Mining organises seminars and workshops on the topic of safety and health protection (Figure 1). This year three workshops were already successfully held in Sowa/Botswana and in Kathu and Johannesburg/South Africa. The CCMR is delighted in particular with the huge interest in the region and is very happy with an average number of participants of 50 people per workshop. Another six workshops are planned in the region for 2020, including in Lesotho, Namibia and Zambia.
DERA
The Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and the Peruvian geological service INGEMMET identify new supply potential for zinc in north Peru. In the exploration project “Florida Canyon” cores were examined, also with regard to the secondary products germanium and gallium, which are very important as a semiconductor for the German industry.
On 24th September 2019 the German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA) and AHK Beijing presented their study on the Chinese raw materials industry. Economical and ecological conditions were described, industrial impacts on the raw materials market were outlined, as well as opportunities and risks for the German industry shown. (GMN/Si.)
