Business for Development Archives - International Mining

A new annual event calling for innovative research proposals to address the mining industry’s toughest sustainable development challenges is coming to the Mining Indaba conference agenda this year.

On May 9 and 11, the Innovation & Research Battlefield, an event convened by Investing in African Mining Indaba (Mining Indaba), Business for Development and the Development Partner Institute (DPI Mining), will act as a high-profile platform to showcase early-stage innovations focused on this year’s challenge: Building Sustainable Post-Mining Economies, the partners said.

The event organisers intend to attract a pool of global applicants by connecting academics, researchers, the private sector, NGOs and young people with a vested interest in sustainable mining to decision makers in the sector.

DPI Mining Executive Director, Wendy Tyrrell, said: “We want the Innovation & Research Battlefield to be a catalyst for closer, more agile collaboration between the private sector, academia and the mining sector to solve critical issues facing the industry, and to bridge the gap between proposed solutions and the funding needed for their implementation.”

Business for Development CEO, Karen James, added: “It is essential we develop and test innovative solutions to the sector’s tough sustainability and development challenges against a backdrop of climate change, automation, reduced global mobility, a growing ESG agenda and rising stakeholder expectations.”

Mining Indaba Advisory Board Co-Chair and Head of Content, Tom Quinn, said: “We are thrilled to be the platform of choice for our partners, DPI Mining and Business for Development, to help launch this essential, timely and innovative event forging deep links between the worlds of academia, business and technology to ensure mining grows sustainably and helps to meet the sector’s ESG mandates.”

Ten participants, shortlisted through pre-defined evaluation criteria, will have the opportunity to pitch their research proposals to judges and attendees at Mining Indaba. The pitch can be done virtually or in person. BHP and The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute are the sponsors of the $28,600 prize.

The event is hosted by Sheila Khama, former CEO of De Beers Botswana and natural resources policy advisor at the World Bank and African Development Bank. The judging panel includes a representative from BHP, the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute, Business for Development, and DPI Mining.

Applications are open until April 6, 2022. Successful first-round applicants will be invited to pitch on 15 April. Applicants need to be affiliated with an organisation.

For more information on the Innovation & Research Battlefield and to apply, click h ere.

International Mining is a media sponsor of Mining Indaba

A pilot project at a former operating coal mine in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province is showcasing how different industry stakeholders can work together to achieve common ESG outcomes, according to the partners involved.

The Mpumalanga Winter Wheat Pilot, launched in April this year, aims to show how remediated mine land and water can provide economic opportunities for households and the broader community once a mine is closed.

The pilot is trialling a variety of winter wheat at two sites including a rehabilitated mine site at the Umsimbithi-owned Wonderfontein mine and on nearby community land. Successful implementation will mean improved food diversity and security, added farm-based employment, and, over time, the possible introduction of new skills behind crop processing, the partners said.

The pilot is being executed by Melbourne-headquartered Business for Development in partnership with Glencore, Umsimbithi, ICMM Impact Catalyst and the MWCB.

It runs from April 2021 to January 2022, with the program set to scale and support more than 14,300 smallholder farming families. These farming families support 57,000 people residing in the Mpumalanga province, a region providing more than 80% of South Africa’s coal resources.

“A key strength of the pilot is the combination of each partner’s skills and insights – MWCB’s knowledge of the region’s water and land constraints; ICMM’s mine closure knowledge; Business for Developments’ on-the-ground experience in developing agriculture programs linked to market; Glencore’s commitment to sustainably transitioning their mine sites; and Impact Catalyst’s knowledge of South Africa’s regulations and government requirements – enabling the team to develop a realistic strategy to transition the region both environmentally and economically,” the partners said.

On completion in December, key operational learnings will be shared with the South African Government on how Mpumalanga can transition from mining (which accounts for 29.8% of provincial GDP) – through the creation of new jobs, skills, investments and a more equal, resilient local economy.

Following this, Business for Development will look at developing the required systems, including expanded distribution and markets for the wheat, to replicate the program on other sites.

Mining Indaba to host Innovation & Research Battlefield

Glencore-backed mine rehab pilot to showcase post-closure opportunities