The ASIA Miner - Reporting Important Issues to Mining Companies in the Asia Pacific Region
Issue link: https://asiaminer.epubxp.com/i/830355
42 | ASIA Miner | Volume 14 • Issue 2 | 2017 Events AUSTRALIA'S's leading con- ference on mining innovation, 'Austmine 2017: Mining's Inno- vation Imperative', will be held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre in Western Australia from May 22-24. The biennial conference and ex- hibition will feature more than 50 speakers from across the globe, focusing on innovation within the mining and METS (mining equipment, technolo- gy and services) industries. The conference brings together executive-level innovators from the mining and METS sectors, senior government officials, and ac- ademics from Australia and around the world to collaborate and showcase how they are embracing innovation to increase produc- tivity and competitiveness. With subjects as diverse as mining asteroids, mining's digital rev- olution, and developing a culture of innovation, Austmine 2017 is a conference that will put innovation at the core of a strategic discus- sion about the industry's future. Austmine CEO Christine Gibbs Stewart said innovation was the keystone which ensured miners and METS companies will remain competitive, sustainable and profitable into the future. "The focus on innovation is alive and well within the mining industry, and many of the most leading edge products and services are developed by Australian METS. "Austmine 2017 will showcase the best technology and most in- novative solutions that METS and miners have to offer, including a number of companies who will be launching their new technology at the conference," she said. "What we're seeking to do is bring the solutions of tomorrow to the miners of today because Austmine 2017 is Australia's premier conference for showcasing the best technological innovations in the resource industry." Christine Gibbs Stewart also welcomes back principal sponsor Rio Tinto and applauds their continued involvement with the con- ference. "Rio Tinto has been a great supporter of the conference and it's wonderful to see large miners taking a deep interest in the innovations provided by the METS sector. "This is the one occasion where executives from miners both large and small can get together to discuss innovation and share their technology with the industry in one place," she adds. THE minerals industry in Australia and its mining equipment, tech- nology and services (METS) sector need to collaborate better for the sake of the nation's future prosperity, according to Minerals Council of Australia chair Dr Vanessa Guthrie. In an interview ahead of her presentation at 'Austmine 2017: Min- ing's Innovation Imperative' conference in May, she said mining and METS companies were drivers of innovation and investment, pro- vided highly-skilled employment opportunities and generated the bulk of Australia's export earnings. "Mining and METS companies already work together on a daily basis to support and reinforce each other's operational activities," Vanessa Guthrie said. "By collaborating and partnering at an industry level we can ensure that mining and METS continue to innovate and grow – and that, in turn, will help secure Australia's economic prosperity into the future." Recent research has shown the mining and METS sectors togeth- er generated more than $236 billion in activity, or 15% of Australia's economy, and supported more than 1.1 million jobs around the country in 2015-16. Vanessa Guthrie said Australian living standards depended on the mining industry's continued international competitiveness and delivering significant export earnings. "Australians depend on us being more productive and delivering our products more efficiently to market. "Collaboration between METS companies and our resource com- panies is vital to maintaining our global economic position. METS companies are able to be more agile and test new ideas so resource companies can rapidly adopt them in a commercial framework." Vanessa Guthrie has a number of years' experience across a host of different resource types including uranium, oil and gas, gold, and base metals, including executive positions and director- ships. She currently advocates for greater recognition of the minerals in- dustry in the Australian economy as the chair of the Minerals Coun- cil of Australia. Her presentation at Austmine 2017, titled 'Driving Innovation for Business Gain – An Industry Perspective', will discuss the importance of developing new technologies for Australia to remain competitive in a global industry, as well as increasing Australia's reach as a net exporter of mining technologies through Austra- lian operators overseas. She will be speaking in the 'Secur- ing our Competitive Future through Continual Innovation' session along- side Rio Tinto's Operational and Technical Support, Copper and Diamonds vice president Dr Craig Stegman presenting 'Innovation in the Copper Industry – Necessity and Opportunity'; and Roy Hill Mine CEO Barry Fitzgerald presenting 'Roy Hill: Aligning Innovation with the Business'. Greater mining and METS cohesion needed Minerals Council of Australia chair Dr Vanessa Guthrie. Innovation is imperative for mining Austmine CEO Christine Gibbs Stewart.