Tag Archives: Tom Quinn

Mining Indaba to host Innovation & Research Battlefield

Mining events, Sustainable 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 here.

International Mining is a media sponsor of Mining Indaba

Indaba to home in on mining’s digital economy

IoT, Mining events, Mining finance, Sustainable mining, Water management, ,

The 26th edition of the Investing in African Mining Indaba is to focus on investment in the digital economy of mining, according to the conference’s new Head of Content.

Tom Quinn says the event, run over four days starting from February 3, will build on the success of the 2019 Mining Indaba in terms of the high level of government participation and the substantial increase in the number of investors seen at the event.

Quinn highlighted new additions to the program:

  • General Counsel Forum: This forum will bring together general counsels, in-house legal teams and established law-firms to debate and share knowledge on Africa’s complex resources sector. “It’ll focus on how companies can navigate the opportunities and challenges in the sector by strengthening portfolio management, examining falling productivity against increasing costs and M&A market updates,” he said. The forum will take place on February 6, in partnership with Africa Legal;
  • An extended Mining 2050 program: the impact of technology on the future of mining operations will now be discussed over two days (as opposed to one in 2019) under the theme ‘Optimising growth in the fourth industrial revolution’. Key topics include green and sustainable technology, waterless mines, artificial intelligence, robotics and job creation, using blockchain technology for sustainability, and mitigating digital risk;
  • Resource nationalism and investor risk is a main stage topic where sector leaders will be analysing and assessing exposure in current Africa markets and possible strategies to mitigate risk; and
  • Climate change and the industry’s role in decarbonisation is a frontline issue for investors and the topic will be discussed during main stage sessions and the dedicated sustainable development day.

The event will take place at the CTICC in Cape Town, South Africa, and International Mining is a media sponsor.