WA MINING CONFERENCE: CRITICAL MINERALS A KEY FOCUS FOR THE FUTURE
August 29, 2023
The WA Mining Conference and Exhibition has released the 2023 conference line-up, with speakers from all levels of the mining industry, supply chain, academia peak bodies and government coming together to share ideas and move the industry forward.
From Rio Tinto and Vulcan Energy Resources through to the Minerals Council of Australia, Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME) and a ministerial address by Hon. Bill Johnston MLA, the 2-day conference agenda is jam-packed with thought leadership and real case studies on how industry is adapting to the current pace of change.
Held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on 11-12 October, the ticketed conference, sponsored by Epiroc, runs alongside the free-to-attend exhibition.
Rebecca Tomkinson, CEO of CME, will give a keynote on Wednesday 11 October focusing on the future of the Australian mining sector. Ms Tomkinson says WA had an abundance of almost all the minerals on the Australian Government’s ‘critical minerals list’, as well as other commodities that will support the global energy transition.
“Western Australia is already a world leading jurisdiction for the upstream production of critical and battery minerals globally, a factor that will continue to increase in importance to our nation’s trade partners. To capitalise on the potential share of economic value to be captured domestically, a continued commitment to both sustainable, competitive upstream raw materials production and downstream processing infrastructure is crucial. The pathway to net zero goes straight through Western Australia.”
Sarah Coleman, CEO of mining technology firm idoba is a return speaker at the WA Mining Conference, presenting this year on navigating complex transformation with people, technology and processes. She says this year’s conference comes at an opportune moment, as the ‘rubber hits the road’ towards achieving ambitious ESG and decarbonisation targets.
“There’s no argument that we’re working towards a sustainable mining future. But what that future will look like is still being shaped – where do the lines cross between human skills and digital processing, or AI and lived experience? Every operation will have to confront this intersection, and it has so much potential for synergy and value. I’m excited to have the opportunity to talk about how we can build the right environment for successful, sustainable change.”
Furthering the focus on critical minerals and transition, David Parker, Executive Director Western Australia for the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA), will be moderating two panel discussions on the increased demand and accompanying opportunity that critical minerals represent for Western Australia.
With panellists Dr Francis Wedin of Vulcan Energy Resources and Christofer Catania of MEC Mining, plus an exciting new roundtable discussion format that engages the entire conference, David is looking forward to getting to the heart of the challenges facing the industry.
“Demand for critical minerals is set to increase up to four-fold by 2030. No matter which way you slice it, this presents both a challenge and opportunity. Australia is endowed with rich deposits of critical minerals, and it’s time to move from a ‘one-day’ discussion about future action to taking measurable steps today to future-proof the industry. Sharing ideas, inspiration and lessons learned is one way that we do that – so I would invite all members of the mining community to join us for that conversation at WA Mining 2023.”
Early bird registrations for the conference close on 31st August. Attendees can purchase a 2-day paid conference ticket for full access to the entire event, a 1-day conference ticket for Wednesday or Thursday, or a free exhibition-only ticket. Group booking discounts are available for 2 or more tickets purchased in the same transaction.
To register before the early bird discount expires, visit waminingexpo.com.au.