German Mining Network

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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.

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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.)

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.)

On 31st December 2017, Bernd Länger left the Centre of Excellence for Mining of the German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Sydney/Australia, which is part of the German Mining Network (GMN). The process of appointing a new manager is under way.

The Competence Centre for Mining and Mineral Resources of the German-Chilean Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CAMCHAL) in Santiago/Chile, has recently participated in several presentations held by the German Mining Network (GMN) in Germany. The response to the Network, which was founded in December 2016, has been overwhelmingly positive. An increase in activities is on the horizon.

The GMN held a workshop in Berlin/Germany on 31st May 2017 on the opportunities, challenges and risks on international raw materials markets. In addition to presenting the work of the Competence Centres and current trends on the respective markets through a panel, a key focal point was companies’ duty of care in the supply chain. Within this context, the EU regulation on conflict minerals and the work of the National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises were presented, among other topics. In addition, practical examples were presented on securing sustainable raw material extraction from the perspective of different companies.

CAMCHAL also took part in the Network’s event at the Hagen Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the DMT mining conference, among others. “Our joint activities with the German Mining Network were a complete success. The event in Berlin on opportunities, challenges and risks on international raw materials markets was well attended, and not only offered panels and presentations, but also allowed time for networking between companies, universities, political institutions and NGOs,” explains Johanna Sternberg, Head of DEinternational, CAMCHAL.

Important contacts were brought together at the DMT Mining Forum too, allowing talks to be held. “The participants in the Mining Forum are the exact target group that the GMN wants to reach. That makes this key industry event the perfect platform for networking. These joint activities give companies and institutions in Germany a unique chance to meet representatives of the six Competence Centres in one place at the same time. The feedback was very positive and we are looking forward to expanding our activities in future,” says Ms Sternberg.

In addition, the opportunity was taken to hold an internal meeting with partners in the extended network – which the renowned mining universities Clausthal Technical University and RWTH Aachen University have also joined recently – again after six months. “At this meeting, the partners highlighted the positive effects, which are already visible, of the German Mining Network and reaffirmed their intention to expand the partnership,” says Ms Sternberg.

The GMN consists of six international Competence Centres for Mining and Mineral Resources at German Chambers of Commerce Abroad in Australia, Brazil, Chile, Canada, Peru and Southern Africa, the German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA) at the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Raw Materials (BGR) and Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI). The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) supports and accompanies the network’s activities, while the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) has a coordinating role. The Network focuses on German businesses and institutions with both domestic and international operations in the raw materials sector. In addition to mining suppliers, mining companies and raw materials traders, this also includes raw materials processors, buyers and consultants, as well as research institutes and political representatives and associations. (Wilken/Si.)

Australia
After having bottomed out, the Australian mining industry is looking more optimistic once again. Focussing on this new-found optimism, the largest mining trade fair in the region is reopening its doors in Sydney at the end of August. This year, 27 firms will be represented at a shared German stand, almost as many as the record year in 2015. The Australian Centre of Excellence is planning – subject to demand – a series of events during and after the trade fair, such as a visit to the Newcastle Institute of Energy and Resources, as well as an event on the subject of Mining 4.0 and sensors.

The Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials at the German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK) took part in this year’s Australian Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition (AOG), which was held in Perth in February. Compared to last year, the slowed economic development in the oil and gas industry was reflected in a reduced number of participants and exhibitors. Nonetheless, a total of more than 11,000 visitors and 480 exhibitors from 20 countries were present at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, which highlights the importance of the event for the region. The most interesting new feature compared to previous years was a “Collaboration Forum”, in which suppliers and operators could present their latest technological advances and developments.

Brazil
Brazil’s iron ore production is set to increase over the next few years thanks to the large-scale S11D project. However, owner Vale is cutting back on investments in new projects. Exports of mining products fell in 2016, although not quite as sharply as in the previous year. Imports of mining equipment suffered from mining companies exercising caution when investing.

In the medium term, Brazil’s vast wealth of raw materials offers interesting opportunities. In order to provide a better overview of the Brazilian mining industry, the Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials at the German-Brazilian Chamber of Industry and Commerce in São Paulo (AHK) has developed an interactive map of the Brazilian mining industry based on a ranking of the top 200 largest mines in the country compiled by the “Minérios & Minerales” magazine in 2015. The database shows which raw materials are mined in which areas and contains detailed information about each mine. The explanations are available in German, English and Portuguese. The data can also be visualised using Google Earth. The map is available to download for free via the following link: http://www.ahkbrasilien.com.br/bergbau/interaktive-karte-bergwerke-brasiliens/

As part of the “Exposibram” trade fair in Belo Horizonte, AHK São Paulo is organising a shared German stand. The following companies will be exhibiting at the shared German stand: Feluwa Pumpen, GEA Westfalia, Herrenknecht, Putzmeister and Zeppelin. The Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials at AHK São Paulo will also have its own stand (stand C21) at the trade fair.

Exposibram is the most important mining trade fair in Brazil. Alongside the trade fair, a conference which has traditionally received a high level of political attention will also take place to determine the business opportunities available in the sector, as well as to address industry-specific, political and socioeconomic issues.

Chile
Chile’s state-owned mining company, Codelco, is currently in crisis and cannot keep pace with private competition where investments are concerned. However, its vast project portfolio and the greater opening up of the private sector in future make Codelco an attractive option for foreign suppliers. A new initiative is intended to combine German high-tech expertise and Chilean mining.

Under the slogan “On the Way to Industry 4.0” and in collaboration with EY, the Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials at the German-Chilean Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK) is organising a series of talks focussing on innovation and technology in Santiago de Chile, on subjects which are highly relevant for the Chilean mining industry, such as big data and sensor technology. An associated “Inspiration Tour” to Germany in September 2017 is intended to make the strategies for handling the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution presented in the series of talks accessible.

Canada
The Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials at the German-Canadian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK) helped organise the second German pavilion at the PDAC 2017, the world’s leading trade fair for the exploration industry with more than 22,000 visitors, and alongside this, held a German Day on the “Future of Mining” together with the German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA) and the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), supported by the German Federation of International Mining (FAB). The German Day gave German companies the opportunity to present innovative technologies in the field of exploration. In cooperation with McKinsey and Siemens, a lunch panel was held to discuss questions on the future of the sector and was followed by two seminars on “Productivity” and “Digital Innovation”.

The Centre of Excellence organised the third delegation visit to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, which took place from 3rd to 7th April 2017. In addition to a visit to the one-day Mining Supply Chain Forum, which provides information about the purchasing processes of mine operators in the province, the trip also gave German companies the chance to participate in the German pavilion at the trade show, as well as an intensive business-to-business programme. Organised by the Canadian Centre of Excellence and the Ministry of the Economy in Saskatchewan, the delegates had a small meeting with project operators in the field of potash and uranium mining in the province and were given the opportunity to have a one-to-one discussion with representatives from the “Operations” sector. The programme ended with an exclusive evening reception with local representatives of the industry and a tour of an underground mine.

Together with ISSA Mining and the Laurentian University in Sudbury, the Canadian Centre of Excellence is also organising the first expert workshop on the subject of “Vision Zero: Challenges and recent developments in mining occupational health and safety”, which is being held on 28th and 29th June 2017 in Sudbury. Mining solutions providers specialising in the field of occupational health and safety and prevention are invited. Innovative products and solutions from both countries will be presented and discussed in several workshops. The aim of the event is to exchange experience and best practices, obtain an overview of the state of the art in both countries and identify potential areas for more intensive cooperation.

Peru
The Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials at the German-Peruvian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK) will be attending the most important mining trade fair in Peru with an info point and a specialist workshop on process optimisation from 18th to 22nd September 2017. EXTEMIN is taking place for the 33rd time and is organised by the Instituto de Ingenieros de Minas del Perú (Institute of Mining Engineers of Peru). Twenty-two German companies will be taking part in the German pavilion. Overall, approximately 40 German providers will participate in the trade fair via stands and representatives.

Southern Africa
This year’s annual Mining Indaba was held from 6th to 9th February in Capetown/South Africa. The “Investing in African Mining Indaba” is the world’s largest mining investor conference and the most important mining event in Africa. Representatives of the Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Southern Africa visited the Indaba and used the event not only as a networking platform, but also as a forum for gathering information about the market and observing current developments and trends in the industry.

On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), Afrika-Verein-Veranstaltungs-GmbH is undertaking a market reconnaissance trip to Yaoundé and Douala in Cameroon on the subject of mining and raw materials for companies based in Germany from 19th to 23rd June 2017.

DERA
The German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA), part of the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Raw Materials (BGR) has been publishing a “Chart of the month” on issues related to raw materials since January 2017 (Figure 1). In addition to important topical issues relating to the raw materials markets – such as the anticipated price of mineral raw materials in April – the respective charts also pick up on the results of studies. The graphics in the charts are available for use by associations and the media and for inclusion in their publications.

BDI
On 16th March 2017, the European Parliament passed the Conflict Minerals Regulation. It will implement due diligence obligations in relation to raw materials across the EU. The regulation makes provisions for voluntary regulation of the downstream sector – from the smelting plant to the manufacturer of the end product.

The change in the demand for raw materials caused by digitalisation and the energy transition brings with it significant opportunities for countries with rich reserves of raw materials. At a joint event on 18th January 2017, the Federation of German Industry (BDI) and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) discussed how developing countries can profit from this change in demand. The event was the opening of the CONNEX Support Unit in Berlin. (GMN/Si.)

Australia
On 23rd September 2016, approximately 200 people attended the South Australian Resources Industry Innovation Summit in Adelaide. In addition to presentations on the subject of innovation from the two largest copper producers in South Australia, BHP Billiton and OzMinerals, as well as from research institutes such as the Future Industries Institute, the University of South Australia and Deep Exploration Technologies CRC, 20 companies had the opportunity to give a brief presentation of their products and developments. South Australia offers investors a variety of funding opportunities and schemes as part of a highly progressive investment policy. The “Copper Strategy”, developed by the government of South Australia to guide the state shaped by copper mining into the year 2030, is particularly noteworthy in this context.

Brazil
The Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK) in São Paulo is planning to organise a shared stand for German companies at the next Exposibram trade fair, which is due to take place from 18th to 21st September 2017 in Belo Horizonte. Every other year, Exposibram brings together hundreds of companies, government representatives and other organisations. Alongside what is clearly the most important mining event in Brazil, a conference will also take place to determine the business opportunities available in the sector, as well as to provide a platform for political and socioeconomic debate.

Chile
The international mining trade fair “EXPONOR 2017” will take place from 15th to 19th May 2017 in Antofagasta. Once again, a shared German stand will be organised by the Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials at AHK Chile.

On 18th August 2016, the Chilean Advanced Mining Technology Center (AMTC) held a seminar on spoil tips. Owing to the particular relevance of the subject for bilateral relations between Germany and Chile, the event was sponsored by the Centre of Excellence at AHK Chile. In Chile, the issue of spoil tips has been specified as a key part of the national mining road map and is currently the focus of a number of events and projects.

Canada
The Competence Centre for Mining & Mineral Resources at the Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce participated in the 3rd International Symposium on Mine Safety Science and Engineering. The Symposium took place from August 13th to 19th, 2016 in Montreal. The Competence Centre attended the symposium to strengthen its network and deepen its expertise on mine safety. With Laurentian University, Sudbury, and Mining Innovation Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corporation (MIRARCO) the Competence Centre could find cooperation partners for a conference on mine safety to be organized in 2017.

Peru
The Centre of Excellence for Mining and Raw Materials at AHK Peru presented itself at the international mining trade fair, Expomina 2016, along with businesses such as IFM, Steinert, MAN Diesel and TLT Turbo. This year’s Expomina will be the biggest yet with 1,200 stands covering an area of 45,000 m². At 100,000 guests, the number of attendees has increased considerably since 2014 and sales are expected to reach approximately US$ 600 m. These developments reflect the potential of the Peruvian mining sector.

Southern Africa
On 15th September 2016, the ways in which bilateral partnerships may be able to provide a solution for the increasing requirements of the local content specifications in the mining sector were discussed at the Electra Mining Africa trade fair during a seminar run by the Centre of Excellence for Mineral Raw Materials at AHK Southern Africa. Assisted by the Centre of Excellence, the AHK also organised business round tables on 27th and 28th September 2016 in Johannesburg and Durban, which provided information about the mining markets in Zambia and Mozambique. A representative from the Zambian Chamber of Mines gave a presentation.

DERA
On 4th July 2016, the German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA), Berlin/Germany, presented a new research study on the demand for raw materials as a result of cutting-edge technologies to an audience of over 200 at a specialist conference at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) in Berlin.

The EU wants to pass a regulation that places restrictions on the trade of “conflict commodities”. A draft version was tabled by the European Commission back in March 2014. After six months of intense negotiations, the chief negotiators of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council have reached an agreement in Brussels/Belgium, on the first key points of the regulation. The Federation of German Industry (BDI) is advocating that the regulation includes a clear definition of conflict areas and high-risk areas. (GMN/Si.)