Austmine and Austrade have partnered up to showcase the very best of the Australian mining equipment, technology and services industry.
From rapid decarbonisation of operations to the elimination of live work, the resources industry is facing challenges on a new scale.
What has developed in recent times is the mutual understanding that many of the sector’s concerns are insurmountable for a single company alone, a realisation that has seen mine operators increasingly turn to mining equipment, technology and services (METS) companies for help.
When it comes to collaboration in the mining sector, few names are as recognised as Austmine. The METS champion recently launched a new publication, Accelerating Sustainable Mining, which it hopes will elevate more Aussie METS companies to the global stage.
“The publication is fundamentally a directory for mining companies to find METS companies with specific sustainability capabilities,” Austmine director of strategic development Marianne Cummings told Australian Mining.
“The purpose is both to promote the cutting-edge sustainability technologies of Australian METS companies to the global market and provide mining companies with simple access to sustainability solutions.”
“By making it easier for miners to identify and procure relevant technologies and solutions to meet their decarbonisation and broader environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets, we hope to contribute to accelerated implementation of sustainable mining practices.”
Image: Austmine
Developed in collaboration with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), Accelerating Sustainable Mining is divided into five key sustainability areas, each featuring relevant METS companies.
“Austmine reached out to its 740 members and sought input regarding their specific sustainability capabilities and examples of leading mining sustainability projects,” Cummings said.
“We collated all that information and categorised it under key sustainability areas most impacting mining.”
The Smart Water Mine is one area of the publication. It covers METS companies with capabilities in mine water management, desalination, water treatment technologies, and more.
The Community Mine covers METS companies with expertise in areas such as stakeholder engagement, cultural heritage preservation, labour relations, and mine closure planning.
The Zero Carbon Mine section showcases companies with capabilities in areas such as carbon capture and storage, clean energy solutions, renewable energy grid integration, and electrification.
The publication also includes the chapters the Small Footprint Mine and the Waste Free Mine, which spotlight METS companies excelling in areas such as agile and modular mine design, low-impact processing methods, tailings management, resource recovery and reuse, and other circular economic services.
Accelerating Sustainable Mining is filled with case studies showcasing exactly how Australian METS companies are helping miners solve their biggest sustainability issues.
Cummings called the publication a tool to show miners what has been done in other jurisdictions and what can be implemented quickly without reinventing the wheel.
“There are many challenges facing miners,” she said.
“On one hand, we need to mine more to meet the growing demand for minerals to accelerate renewable energy adoption and provide technologies for economic and social development.
“On the other hand, there are increasing demands and scrutiny from communities, financiers and governments to operate in a more environmentally and socially responsible manner.
“To meet these challenges in the short time frame required will require rethinking technologies and implementing new solutions. Most miners do not have the in-house resources to develop these solutions in acceptable time frames and need to look to the METS sector for expertise.”
An important publication for the industry, Accelerating Sustainable Mining gives the high-quality Australian METS sector the international recognition it has worked hard to deserve.
“For me, it highlights the pioneering spirit, innovation and can-do attitude of Australian METS and how the sector is contributing to sustainability efforts globally,” Cummings said.
“I personally enjoy the case studies in the publication, which demonstrate real-life examples of where Australian METS companies are making a difference.”
And perhaps most important of all, the publication is helping drive the transition towards sustainable mining.
“Sustainable mining means balancing mineral extraction with genuine and transparent environmental care and social responsibility,” Cummings said.
“It means employing the right technologies for the job and adopting the mindset of doing the right thing by people and the planet at all times.”
This feature appeared in the February 2024 issue of Australian Mining.
