Mining, a heavy industry, is directly responsible for 4% to 7% of greenhouse gas emissions globally.

But the emissions produced by downstream industries such as steel and cement are even more significant.

Decarbonisation at the World Mining Congress, Wed 28 June and Thursday 29 June.

Welcome to the future of mining

The global transition to renewable energy technologies is a hot topic as reality hits about how much more mining will be needed to service the transition.

There’s a very real risk of losing the mining sector’s hard-won advances in delivering environmental sustainability, social performance and good governance.

Introducing the Environmental and Sustainability Stream at the World Mining Congress, Tuesday through Thursday.

Address to the World Mining Congress 27 June 2023.

POLICY AND GOVERNANCE FOR THE NEW ECONOMY

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Acknowledge Traditional owners and leadership.

Charlie Sartain and the organising committee.

Ministers and other dignities.

Industry colleagues and friends.

And to borrow from my African friends, all other protocols observed.

It is certainly a great honour to be here with you today.  I can only hope the papers presented and the ensuing discussions prompt both honest dialogue and some fresh ideas on how we deal with a fundamentally broken system.

Original text from BHP

Thank you Jillian, and good morning everyone.

Firstly I’d like to echo the thoughts of our hosts in acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet.

I am pleased to be here today.

This is a pivotal time for mining. 

The past few years have seen a marked increase in awareness on the part of policy makers  of the importance of metals and minerals, not only to the functioning of the economy today, but the functioning of the economy of tomorrow and, critically, to the urgent global effort towards decarbonisation.

Chairman of International Organising Committee of World Mining Congress

Ladies & Gentlemen

I would like to begin by acknowledging the Turrbul and Yuggera peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land that we’re meeting on today, and pay my respect to their Elders past and present.

The organization called the World Mining Congress was established on the initiative of Professor Bolesław Krupinski in 1958.

The World Mining Congress was appointed in specific geopolitical conditions as a reaction of the mining community in the world to the irresistible need for mutual cooperation and development of the mining industry, which is crucial for the economy of each country.

27 June 2023, Brisbane, Australia: Today, ICMM is announcing a new collective commitment by members to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the mining and metals industry and positively influence the communities that mining companies are a part of.

ICMM members have committed to work together to improve the experience of all workers and eradicate discrimination, harassment, and assault from our workplaces.

Plus many industry heads – BHP, Anglo, Fortescue, Orica

Media welcome.

Day 2, Tuesday 27 June at the 26th World Mining Congress, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

Opening speeches, 8 am to 9.05

• Hua Guo, Congress Chair
• Marek Cala, WMC international organising committee, AGH University
• Larry Marshall, Chief Executive, CSIRO
• Annastacia Palaszczuk, Premier of Queensland

On the first day of the Congress we explore:

• Minerals policy requirements for the next 30 years.
• Sand – the most mined mineral on Earth, and perhaps a critical mineral.
• Sustainable concrete in an urbanising world.
• The art of closure: Mines turning into physics labs, parks, pumped hydro.
• First Nations perspective on mining closures and transitions – voices from Australia, Canada and Mongolia.
• Plus state and federal ministers speaking.

Details below.

Mines turning into physics labs, parks, pumped hydro…

Monday 26 June 2023

Many major mines around the world will close and thousands of new mines will open over the coming decades as the industry transforms.

So, what can you do with holes in the ground and heaps of tailings? A surprising amount, according to Professor Tom Measham, research director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC TiME).

Australian examples of the art of mine closure include transitions to a recreational public park, an underground physics research laboratory and a pumped hydro facility.