Austmine 2023 showcased the leading technologies, ground-breaking innovations and transformative solutions provided by the Australian resources industry.
When addressing the audience at the Austmine 2023 conference, chief executive (CEO) officer Christine Gibbs Stewart did not shy away from the tasks facing the resources sector.
“We have some big challenges and many questions to answer as we embark on a massive transformation the size of the industrial revolution at the speed of the digital age,” she said in her opening address.
Held in Adelaide from May 9–11, Austmine 2023 brought together industry leaders, influencers, strategic thinkers and technology experts to discuss the mining industry, and transforming for the future was a key theme throughout. The conference examined how people and organisations across the sector can work together to maximise opportunities to meet the expectations of the next generation.
For Gibbs Stewart, Austmine 2023 was an opportunity to really examine practical solutions that can come from within the sector.
“As we look into the future and think about the actions needed around such issues as climate change, skills, technology adoption, innovation and culture, our conference did not focus on the why – as we know why,” she said.
“It focused on the what and the how, as it is only collectively that we can create a positive and proud legacy for generations to come.”
The first day of Austmine 2023 also featured a keynote speech from BHP chief operating officer Edgar Basto.
He said there were many opportunities in South Australia, especially in terms of copper production, and that BHP continued to support the Northern Water Supply Project, which he said was vital to BHP’s future success.
Basto expects global demand for copper to increase significantly as the world transitions to lower-carbon energy sources.
“We have in front of us the opportunity to provide a new copper province for South Australia that is globally first-class,” he said.
“It can bring new jobs, new skills, local business opportunities and economic growth for this state, but it requires us all to step up.”
Basto said BHP was particularly focused on future-facing commodities – resources such as copper that can help meet the demands of decarbonisation, electrification and population growth.
The world needs good companies to develop these resources and that presents a huge opportunity for BHP and the entire sector.
The ideas of decarbonisation and sustainability were common topics of discussion throughout the conference, and as an exhibitor FLSmidth was on-hand to chat about what the company’s sustainability future looks like.
“The theme of the conference has really been decarbonisation and looking at ways of meeting this net-zero target,” FLSmidth global product manager Lance Christodoulou told Australian Mining.
“FLSmidth is committed to its own net-zero project or system, which is called MissionZero. That encompasses a number of technology adaptations that we have, like REFLUX Flotation Cell and coarseAIR, to help our customers with tools to have the ability to meet these net-zero targets in the future.
“The REFLUX Flotation Cell is a very low-energy machine, so we see a substantial reduction in energy input for every tonne of (material) that’s recovered.
“We’re reducing the amount of energy so that helps us to reduce the amount of CO2 per tonne of ore processed.”
Elsewhere at the conference, Fortescue director of decarbonisation Christiaan Heyning gave a presentation on the critical role that mining plays in the energy transition.
“Australia is a country of mining, and we must continue to mine,” he said in his presentation. “There is no way the world can survive without mining. For energy transition and sustainability in a broader sense, it’s critical. In fact, we need more of it for some minerals.
“At the same time, we should acknowledge we are part of the problem. We’ve been mining for centuries, and we’ve been polluting the planet while doing it. Fortescue alone uses half a billion litres of diesel, turning it into CO2.
“So the way forward, as we see it, is continuing to mine but do it in a sustainable way.
“Fortescue is driving a decarbonisation target of no more fossil fuels by 2030 with no offsets. This is a challenge and we’re not going to wriggle our way out of it through offsets.”
Across day one, panel discussions were held that tackled topics such as ‘Operating in Zero – What the Future Entails’ and ‘Critical Building Blocks to 2030 and beyond’.
Rae O’Brien, Centennial executive general manager mining excellence, was a speaker at the ‘Operating in Zero’ panel. She said the transition to a low-carbon economy is going to drive the push for more electrification minerals, as the mining sector tries to mitigate and eliminate its own emissions.
“Australia has a very proud history of mining,” she said. “Australia is seen as the one (country) that does it best, does it smart. This is because we’ve had to deal with a lot of the hardships other countries have not had to deal with in terms of remoteness and logistics. A lot of existing resources close to infrastructure are being exhausted.
“The new frontier focus is on critical minerals.”
Christodoulou also spoke at the ‘Operating in Zero’ panel and said there was opportunity to reduce energy substantially by grinding coarser.
“I think the top priority to achieving net-zero is industry-wide mind shift change. We need to look towards innovating,” he said.
“In my career I’ve seen every change. I’ve seen the industry have a much bigger appetite for embracing technologies, so I think we’re on the right path. We’ll get there with the new generation coming up, for sure.”
Day two of the conference saw panel discussions centring around applications behind mining and technology adaption.
Professor Michael Goodsite started the panel discussion on technology by saying the industry is known for being very conservative and asked how it can create a culture that embraces disruption.
Dr Paul Lever, Anglo America head of innovation: mining, was also a speaker on the panel.
“I think we have to clearly put out a message that innovation and thinking about things and changing is part of your everyday job, and we need to reward and incentivise people to be part of the process,” Lever said.
The second day also saw industry leaders reflect on their time in the mining and mining equipment, technology and services (METS) industries. Facilitator Adam Broome, chairman Emeritus, began the discussion by introducing speaker Mark Cutifani, director and executive business advisor – non-executive director TotalEnergies and Laing O’Rourke.
Cutifani discussed environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives during his time at Anglo American that dramatically reduced fatalities and environmental incidents.
“We doubled productivity, our costs improved by more than 40 per cent in real terms,” he said.
“Those numbers and our performance improvement are connected.
“ESG is the heart and soul of the business because it’s about people.
“The world is changing and we’ve got to get ahead of that curve. We’ve got to get young kids in to make a difference.”
Elizabeth Lewis-Gray, co-founder, chair and managing director of Gekko Systems, was the facilitator of the METS discussion and introduced speaker Dale Elphinstone, executive chairman of Elphinstone.
Elphinstone said it had been an honour and privilege to work with a tremendous group of talented people who developed a range of products and services that are offered to customers across the world.
“When you start on life’s journey, you want to secure financial security for yourself and pretty soon you’re surrounded by a big group of employees and you then have responsibility for them,” he said.
“As your business gets larger, you become responsible for things in your community and the wellbeing of people in the community. This is very different to just running a business.”
Dominique Kesler, Kal Tire people and ESG manager, gave a presentation on how the industry can turn waste mining tyres into value.
“We could probably all agree that there has been a spotlight shone on the mining industry and its ESG performance,” Kesler said in her presentation.
“This spotlight, combined with possible regulation, is pushing our industry to take another look at the possibility of tyre recycling, whilst hopefully quelling that common misconception that tyre recycling is just an additional operating expense.
“But what is the problem with used tyres? The mining industry consumes an enormous number of tyres to move the required overburden and ore at site.
“As many of you here know, used tyres create a significant waste stream for mining operations The problem remains – tyres don’t degrade.”
Kesler outlined the need for multiple solutions to deal with the various tyres used in the mining industry.
“Mining tyres are manufactured from the highest quality materials and have products worth recovering,” she said. “rCB, oil, steel and syngas – these recovered products can replace virgin fossil fuel derived materials and reduce future resource extraction. “
Sustainable solutions that work across all mine sites must be able to depend on a strong backbone of connectivity solutions.
Andrew Borthwick, Orange Business managing director for Australia and New Zealand, spoke to Australian Mining about how his company can provide just that.
“Ultimately, our DNA in Australia and New Zealand is in the mining sector,” he said.
“We provide miners global digital services – it’s not just about connectivity.
“When I say digital services, it’s managing their cloud environments, it’s managing and supporting them from a transition and transformation perspective about meeting their business outcomes using digital technology and services.
“Yes we have the telco roots; however, we are now very much a digital service organisation. At the moment, (Orange is) an unbelievable, unknown force in Australia.”
The forces of Australian mining were on display at Austmine 2023.
With more than 100 exhibitors on hand, as well as mining decision-makers from all over the country, the conference showcased the leading technologies, ground-breaking innovations and transformative solutions that are provided throughout the Australian METS sector.
This feature appeared in the July 2023 issue of Australian Mining.
