Australia
The German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA) has compiled a handbook about important raw materials plans and projects in Australia. The handbook lists supply options and new raw material potential for a total of 15 metals, twelve industry minerals and selected natural and coloured precious stones that are relevant for Germany as an industrial location. The handbook therefore delivers important information to the Australian raw materials market and provides support in securing the supply of raw materials.
Brazil
The World Mining Congress (WMC) was held from the 18th to 21st October 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and welcomed 5,000 visitors. The DERA and the Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials from the German-Brazilian Chamber of Industry and Commerce presented a shared stand to inform visitors about the work they do. The two organisations were supported by Eckehard Büscher from the EnergyAgency.NRW.
On the final day of the WMC, a cere-mony was also held for the signing of a cooperation agreement between the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Raw Materials (BGR) and the Brazilian Mineral Resources Research Company (CPRM). The agreement was signed by Peter Buchholz, Head of DERA and Eduardo Jorge Ledsham, the new President of the CPRM. A welcome speech was given by Rainer Münzel, Head of the Department for Economic Affairs at the German Embassy.
The World Mining Congress is organised every three years by the Central Mining Institute in Krakow. The Institute is affiliated to the UNO. The next congress will take place in 2019 in Kazakhstan.
Chile
The international mining trade fair EXPONOR
2017 will take place from 15th to 19th May 2017 in Antofagasta/Chile. Once again, a shared German stand will be organised by the Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials at AHK Chile.
To mark the seventh German/Chilean economic conference “On the way to Industry 4.0”, the fifth meeting of the German/Chilean forum for mining and mineral raw materials was held at the Casa Piedra congress centre in Santiago on 4th October 2016. With more than 500 participants from Chile and Germany, there was significant interest in the event.
This dual nationality dialogue platform for intensification of mining and raw materials relationships, with the motto “Smart mining and human capital for mining of the future” focuses on the topics of productivity, innovation and career development for future-oriented mining.
The “Mining 4.0” initiative formed in 2016 was launched during the raw materials forum. Together with Chilean and German mining providers, the opportunities and hurdles of the Chilean market were evaluated in order to identify concrete solutions for the mining of the future. The initiative will be continued in 2017.
Canada
The Centre of Excellence for Mining and Mineral Raw Materials of the German-Canadian Chamber of Industry and Commerce participated in the CAMESE Forum 2016, which dealt with the topics of innovation and the technological future of Canadian mining. The Centre of Excellence is planning a closer collaboration with CAMESE and a delegation visit to the CAMESE Forum 2018 with an accompanying program for participating companies.
A key project in the liquefied natural gas industry has received temporary approval from the Canadian environmental authorities. The Pacific Northwest LNG consortium, under the leadership of Malaysian oil company Petronas, has obtained permission to construct an LNG export terminal on the West Coast. However, the investor still has to fulfil a total of 190 stipulations in order to achieve final operating permission. One condition was the specification of an upper limit for greenhouse gas emissions.
Southern Africa
The highly topical issue of “Water management in the mining sector” will be covered in a seminar organised by the Centre of Excellence for Mineral Raw Materials of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Southern Africa in the first half of 2017. Stakeholders from industry will discuss the current challenges and solutions.
A delegation from nine companies, accompanied by a representative from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) visited the markets of Namibia and Botswana. This market exploration trip focussed on the areas of mining and infrastructure.
Namibia’s mining sector has continued to flourish even in difficult times. In recent years, amounts in the billions have flowed into the construction of three major mines, which is now having a positive effect on delivery volumes. When worldwide raw materials prices recover from the current slump, twelve more mines may be constructed. Most projects are concentrated on uranium, although new investments are also being made in the supply of diamonds, gold, copper and zinc. (GMN/Si.)