Recorded live in July 2024

In this special panel episode, Christine Blackmore (BSc MSc CEnv CSci FIMMM) and Colin Church (FIMMM CEnv) are joined by four leading voices in the mining sector to explore the critical challenges and opportunities shaping the industry over the next ten years.

With a live audience, the panel brings together diverse perspectives from across the sector:

The Mining Major Perspective

Duncan Wanblad CEng FIMMM

Group Chief Executive, Anglo American

The Diversity & Inclusion Perspective

Barbara Dischinger

Director, International Women in Mining

The Sustainability Perspective

Rohitesh Dhawan

President & CEO, ICMM

The Investment Perspective

Tanya Chikanza

Senior Adviser, TB Cardew

The episode includes a Q&A session with the audience. Please note: audience questions were not captured on the recording. To provide context, the questions have been transcribed and included below.

00:51 Is it just the UK that is struggling with mining and education, or is it everywhere?

00:54 I learned my skills during the first 10 years of my work at Rio Tinto. People aren’t learning in a course of learning very little and most of what you learn is on the job. Is this a potential solution to some of the companies that cut staff and really if they want the next generation of experienced people you need to fill the capability early on?

00:57 Exeter University have just announced the re-opening of the Camborne School of Mines Undergraduate Mining Degree, but they only have two applicants. In the 80s, every major mining company offered scholarships. How can we get more young people into mining?

00:58 I had personal conversations with people that have been on the precipice of leaving the industry. Sometimes you hear on LinkedIn various people or women talking about why they have gone out of the industry because they felt disrespected, but some people stick it for various reasons. I am curious if you have any data or if there are any stories as to how we can better share how people make those decisions at that point where they feel they have to either give up and get out, or they are going to make a got at it.

1:00 You talk about food security being important, so how come you’re slowing down the investment in Woodsmith?

1:01 I worked for the Coal Authority so we manage the legacies of mining in the UK. 30 years after we have been established, we got a new big problem. Lots of saline water bubbling up down the spine of the country, yet, when we come to mine closure, we monitor for 5 years and we take the bond away. How can we really be seen as credible and trustworthy when we’re not stepping up to our responsibilities long term for the legacies of mining?

1:04 You mention the word ‘technology’ in your review about the importance of it. We (IOM3 Mining Technology Group) are trying to push this in 2025 with a conference. Which technologies in particular do you think will be at the forefront and who’s going to pay for it?

1:09 Here we have a human resource issue with people and ability to do things. What happens if you could potentiate that by 10 or 100-fold with things like AI. Is that something not just the mining industry, but all other industries around the globe, that could be utilised to make people more productive and therefore happier?

1:12 Does the Doom Loop have an end date? Given the improvements with finance, people, mining companies, technology, re the supply rather hopefully maintain not increase. Is there a particular year you are all worried about?

1:15 Where materials are going to come from to make a phone or batteries for cars. Some entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, have already approached mining companies to provide him with the minerals and perhaps if they decide to start their own company, many people would like to work for a company such as Apple.

Music

Pamgaea by Kevin MacLeod

Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea

License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/