Risk management and its role in advancing mineral resource estimation
We are thrilled to welcome Arja Jewbali, an expert in resource risk management, as a keynote speaker at the Mineral Resource Estimation Conference 2025. In her presentation, Arja will explore how the industry can improve risk management and integrate it into cross-departmental decision-making, driving innovation and best practices across the sector.
Arja Jewbali is the Head of Global Resource Management at Newmont Corporation.
Could you provide a brief overview of your keynote address?
In my keynote, I’ll be discussing resource risk management from the perspective of large organisations. I'll take attendees through where we are today and where we need to be, highlighting the tools, processes, systems, and people capabilities needed for resource risk to effectively influence decision-making in complex organisations with diverse deposits and mining methods.
What key takeaways would you like attendees to gain from your talk, and how do you believe these insights can be applied to their work in resource estimation?
I hope attendees will gain an understanding of the current state of resource risk management and the steps our industry must take to improve it. They'll learn what changes are necessary for resource risk management to become a core part of cross departmental decision-making and a standard practice within their organisations.
How does your talk address current challenges in mineral resource estimation today?
The main challenge in resource risk management is translating resource risk into operational and financial risks for decision-makers. We don’t know with 100% certainty what is in the ground and translating that into language that translates up the corporate chain is a challenge. Translating resource uncertainty into actionable risks requires a fundamental shift in how organisations do technical work, which means rethinking business processes and adopting new ways of doing things.
Why do you think events like the Mineral Resource Estimation Conference are important for advancing best practices and innovation in the industry?
As technical professionals, we often find ourselves immersed in our own specialised worlds on this big rock we call Earth. This event offers a chance to step outside those worlds and see what’s happening elsewhere on the third rock from the sun. It’s an opportunity to expand our horizons, gain a global perspective on how others approach mineral resource estimation, and discover new ideas and best practices that can drive innovation and improve the way we work.