METS sector to feature at Minerals Week; plus updated mining events diary 2012
Staff reporter, 30 May 2012
AN overarching aim of the annual Minerals Council of Australia seminar and dinner in the country’s political hotbed (in May?), Canberra, is to “influence government and opinion leaders in key policy areas affecting the industry”. What to make then of this year’s expanded session on the Australian mining technology and services sector, making it a major feature of the program.
The sector, found by HighGrade in its latest exclusive survey to be worth at least $A43 billion and employ more than 150,000 people, hasn’t made many calls on policy makers other than to side with the actual mineral explorers and diggers from time to time on matters related to resources investment and growth.
Despite its impressive growth in the past decade and dramatically expanded offshore sales focus (more than $A15 billion of exports in FY11), the mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector has barely gained recognition as an independent part of the Australian economy, much less one worth focusing on strategically.
Does it need greater encouragement? Is it worthy of a bigger R&D focus, or, dare we say, fiscal stimulation?
Does it need the Australian Government to cosset parts of the local economy – car manufacturing, say – and restrict foreign involvement in domestic resources projects, while it frantically tries to leap similar international protectionist hurdles and grow Australia’s share of the global mining services industry pie?
Senior METS sector figures such as Gekko Systems managing director Elizabeth Lewis-Gray, Optiro’s Mark Warren, RME Global’s John Russell and Ausenco chief Zimi Meka will put forward their case at the Minerals Week seminar.
Joining them on the podium will be federal resources minister Martin Ferguson, Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott, Productivity Commission chairman Gary Banks and assistant professor Paul Schulte of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Mining conferences and events coming up in other parts of the world include:
4-7 June
Turkey Mining Summit 2012
Istanbul, Turkey
www.terrapinn.com/2012/Turkey
5-6 June
The Africa Iron Ore Conference
Cape Town, South Africa
www.immevents.com/africa-iron-re
5-7 June
Global Platinum Conference: Focus on Southern Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa
www.immevents.com/international-mining-events/global-platinum-conference
6-8 June
Mining Technology and Innovation Summit 2012
Perth, Western Australia
http://bit.ly/MTIHighGrade_pr
11-15 June
Geostats 2012
Oslo, Norway
12-14 June
Euro Mine Expo 2012
Skellefteå, Sweden
www.eurominexpo.com
13-14 June
The AusIMM International Uranium Conference 2012
Adelaide, South Australia
www.ausimm.com.au/uranium2012
13-14 June
Gold Coast Resources Showcase 2012
Gold Coast, Queensland
www.verticalevents.com.au
18-21 June
5th Annual Central Asia Mining Congress
Almaty, Kazakhstan
www.terrapinn.com/2012/central-asia-mining
19-22 June
Zambian International Mining and Energy Conference
Lusaka, Zambia
www.zimeczambia.com
21-22 June
2012 MineSight Perth Seminar
Perth, Western Australia
www.minesight.com
24-27 June
North American Tunnelling 2012 Conference
Indianapolis, Indiana
www.smenet.org
25-28 June
Asia Gold Summit
Jakarta, Indonesia
www.asiagoldsummit.com
25-26 June
4th Gunnedah Coal & Energy Conference
Newcastle, New South Wales
www.informa.com.au/gunnedahcoal
27 June
Global Mining Finance Base Metals and Mineable Energy Conference 2012
London, England
www.Global-Mining-Finance.com
2-4 July
Mozambique Coal 2012 Conference
Maputo, Mozambique
www.immevents.com/mozambiquecoal
10-12 July
Life-of-Mine 2012
Brisbane, Queensland
www.ausimm.com.au/lifeofmine2012
18-19 July
Australian Uranium Conference 2012
Fremantle, Western Australia
www.verticalevents.com.au
23-24 July
Mine Site Automation & Communication Africa 2012
Sandton, South Africa
www.miningiq.com/events/
24-26 July
Queensland Mining & Engineering Exhibition
Mackay, Queensland
www.reedminingevents.com.au
31 July – 1 August
The 3rd Annual AJM Land Access Forum
Brisbane, Queensland
www.informa.com.au/landaccess
5-10 August
34th International Geological Congress
Brisbane, Queensland
www.34igc.org
6-8 August
Diggers & Dealers 2012
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
www.diggersndealers.com.au
6-8 August
Best practices in Mine Maintenance & Reliability 2012
Perth, Western Australia
www.ibrc.com.au
21-22 August
Sampling 2012
Perth, Western Australia
www.ausimm.com.au/sampling2012
28-30 August
Mining & Engineering New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
www.reedminingevents.com.au
4-5 September
Kalimantan Coal Conference
Balikpapan, Indonesia
www.informa.com.au
10-14 September
ELECTRA MINING AFRICA 2012
Johannesburg, South Africa
www.electramining.co.za
12 September
Global Mining Finance Autumn Conference 2012
London, England
www.Global-Mining-Finance.com
18-19 September
Eighth AusIMM Open Pit Operators’ Conference 2012
Automation, Maximising Throughput & Return
Perth, Western Australia
www.ausimm.com.au/openpit2012
24-26 September
MINEXPO 2012
Las Vegas, Nevada
www.minexpo.com
26-28 September
Kinetic 2012
Brisbane, Queensland
www.kineticgroup.org.au
24-28 September
IMPC 2012 - XXVI International Mineral Processing Congress 2012
New Delhi, India
www.impc2012.org
2 October
Global Mining Finance Minor Metals and Rare Earths Conference 2012
London, England
www.Global-Mining-Finance.com
2-4 October
8th Minex Russia Forum
Moscow, Russia
www.minexrussia.com
2-3 October
The AusIMM New Leaders' Conference 2012
Ballarat, Victoria
www.ausimm.com.au
24-26 October
In-Pit Crushing and Conveying 2012
Bali, Indonesia
www.corporate.im-mining.com/imevents
29-31 October
11th AusIMM Mill Operators’ Conference 2012
Milling into the Future – The Challenge Continues
Hobart, Tasmania
www.ausimm.com.au/milloperators2012
30 October-November 1
Goldfields Mining Expo
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
www.readminingevents.com.au
31 October
Global Mining Finance New Frontiers Conference 2012
London, England
www.Global-Mining-Finance.com
5-8 November
Exposibram Amazonia 2012
Para, Brazil
www.exposibram.org.br
5-9 November
TZMI Congress 2012
Kowloon, Hong Kong
www.tzmi.com/Congress
6-8 November
Americas Iron Ore Conference
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
www.immevents.com/americas-ironore
12-14 November
Australian Resources Conference & Trade Show
Perth, Western Australia
www.arc2012.com.au
18-21 November
The 2012 Deep Exploration Technologies (DET) CRC Annual Conference
Adelaide, South Australia
www.detcrc.com.au
20-21 November
International Mine Management 2012
Melbourne, Victoria
www.ausimm.com.au/imm2012/
2013
14-16 May
Ground Support 2013
Perth, Western Australia
www.groundsupport2013.com
20-23 August
Asia-Pacific’s International Mining Exhibition (AIMEX)
Sydney, New South Wales
www.aimex.com.au
Also in the May 30 - June 5, 2012 edition
- AFRICA
- DiamondCorp sets up finance for Lace
- Geopolitical forces reshaping West African view
- Local and global pressures take toll on Eastplats
- Play time for Papillon
- ASIA DESK
- Momentum shifts
- AustMETS
- At your service
- Manufacturing growth
- CABBIE'S CORNER
- Build it, and they will come
- COAL
- Research targets dragline cost
- CONTRACTING
- Holding back to move forward
- EVENTS
- CEEC aims to find answers
- Truckless in Bali
- EXPLORATION
- Highlands highs and lows
- Syndicate formed, now for the drilling
- FINANCE
- Nautilus cops double whammy
- Venturing out not for faint-hearted
- GOLD
- Kimberley gold story has familiar tone
- HEAVY METAL
- And Barloworld makes five
- ETF trucks bound for Brazil
- Heavy Metal in brief: ABB, Keech, Ludman
- INSIGHT
- Digging deeper reveals greater riches
- INTERCEPTS
- $55M raising to get Namakwa cash positive this year
- $6.4B Alpha project faces new environmental hurdles
- $6.4B Alpha project go ahead unlikely for months
- 94% underground upgrade for WSA’s Spotted Quoll
- AmmLeach pilot plant produces first metal
- Anglo Asian posts 750,000oz maiden gold resource
- Aurizon confident of more at its Joanna gold project
- Balamara picks up the pace in Poland
- Barrick sacks CEO over share declines
- Cacata partners find scope for hope
- Cameroon miners close in on Mbalam vision
- Capital costs up, production costs down for Orosur
- Cat acquires major Chinese manufacturer
- Cleveland takes up Brazilian iron ore prospect
- Cobham cruises to new FIFO heights
- Condor moves to large scale gold mine economics
- Contractor buys into 10moz Conrad silver project
- Contractor disputes new Gold Ridge claims
- Coolgardie rewards modern explorer
- Cortona wraps up Dargues Reef approvals
- Court appeal halts Ebenezer coal project
- Crusader set to lift Brazilian gold resource
- Diavik diamonds shine for Harry Winston
- Didipio gold/copper production end of 2012
- Discovery switches on Boseto concentrator
- Epic journey leads to McPhees
- Ferrum gains Moonlight mining right
- First Quebec Lithium carbonate due in 2013
- FMG secures $490M expansion funding
- Former Australian minister appointed to Tiaro Coal
- Funding falldown threatens Integrated Resources deal
- GBP8M funding boosts Argentine projects
- Giant graphite find for Energizer
- Gippsland makes late start to Egypt tin project
- Goldplat studies new recovery
- Grades support Integra’s Randalls expansion
- Greenland metal inventory rises again
- GSZ reports large Wolfsberg lithium resource
- Heap leach option for Parral gold project
- Hunan takes 19.9% of Siburan
- International Minerals lines up Balmoral funding
- Kula awards Woodlark feasibility engineering studies
- LionGold offers $US7M for Bolivian gold project
- Major drills up record earnings
- Masbate hits record after upgrade
- Metaliko lifts Goongarrie Lady’s skirts
- Mill failure hits San Gold
- Mine purchase to advance calciner technology
- Minemakers seeks takeover intervention
- Miner takes the lead on environmental protection
- Minera wins community support for Peru mine
- Miranda gets permit for Burnside coal mine
- Modder East strike illegal: Gold One
- Modder East workers defy return order
- Nevada plant signs to treat carbon stockpile
- New Age opts for long-term Colombian option
- New direction for tech firm APA
- Nickel equity deal repays ENK loans
- Nordic head for Nordic growth
- Norsk confirms Kurri Kurri smelter shutdown
- Not at their Wits’ end
- NRW wins more Fortescue civil works
- OGL upgrades Bremer coal reserves
- OM wins Bootu Creek damages claim
- Paragon wins time for Lesotho exploration
- Paulsens moves towards a grade jump
- Peninsular posts record Raub production
- Pilbara partners disagree on study status
- Project specialist to drive Wilcherry Hill
- QMC, Ivanhoe agree on White Range deals
- QR tackles high staffing levels, bureaucracy
- Radar deal progresses Central Yilgarn iron project
- Russell takes CAMAR executive position
- Safety alert shuts Vale’s Qld mine
- Santa Fe’s takeover bid falls short – again
- Sihayo gold project in Indo upgraded
- Sky Chrome ramp-up heads higher
- Slow progress for Arian’s Mexican silver project
- Study supports Aspire’s Mongolian mine
- Study supports Cerro Resources gold-silver mine
- Substantial upgrade at Roper Bar iron ore project
- SXE wins Yandi powerline construction
- Talga settles on Swedish graphite licences
- Two new rail corridors for Queensland’s coalfields
- Underground find to boost Troy output
- Upgrade lifts Marengo’s confidence
- VANE takes over management of Wate uranium project
- Vector push for Gwendolyn commissioning 2013 new year
- Vista expands its Mt Todd vision
- Wah Nam moves to mop up Brockman shares
- West Pilbara study waits on port decisions
- Whitehaven powers up new Narrabri longwall
- Wolf raises $5M for UK tungsten project
- MINING
- Mindoro looks to build Philippines profile
- Sukari Hill plan B resonates with analyst
- MINING INTELLIGENCE
- Okay, so where do we go from here?
- MINING IT
- Automated monitoring delivers fine results at Paraburdoo
- Dispatch to mine owner: more training needed
- PEOPLE
- People on the move: Excelsior Gold, Image Resources, Ausdrill, Sandvik, Atlas Iron
- TECHNOLOGY
- ABB China deploys palletising robots
- Imdex adds drilling horsepower to DET CRC
- VIEW FROM THE WEST END
- Ball gazing
