AusIMM Critical Minerals Forum and Dinner 2022
The AusIMM North Queensland (NQ) Branch is pleased to invite you to our Critical Minerals Forum and Sir George Fisher Lecture (SGFL) Dinner taking place on Thursday August 25, 2022, in Townsville.
Critical Minerals is fast emerging in the vernacular as the driver of a new era in economic prosperity. Minerals in the category include copper, nickel, lithium, and cobalt among others needed for electric vehicle production, windfarms, and others required for renewable 'green' energy and communication devices production.
There is good reason why Townsville has been chosen for the Forum, said AusIMM North Queensland Branch Chair, Jeff Innes. The area is already active in mining, processing and has a large transport hub. The city has a sophisticated supply chain and a strong workforce with Glencore’s Copper Refinery and Korea Zinc Sun Metals Refinery and is a hub for many active and exploration mining companies. These strengths can be leveraged for growth as demand continues to outstrip world supply of Critical Minerals.
Decision makers are looking for solutions and North Queensland has shown its capacity to handle large-scale processing and export opportunities.
The region has human resources and engineering capacity as well as chemical, port, transport, water and acid making infrastructure. These are essential elements for mining-centred growth. Apart from the existing production, the state government is investing $10m in a vanadium trial plant which shows when there is a will in minerals processing, we have a way.
There is also a lot of research and negotiations work going on extracting cobalt from tailings dams in North Queensland. James Cook University (JCU) is also heavily involved with Critical Minerals and as such will play a huge part in developing and working with organisations exploring for same. This is big industry which needs to be serviced and the northern centres are most experienced and best briefed to manage the demands of the anticipated Critical Minerals super cycle.
Overview of Event
Thursday 25 August – Venue, Rydges Townsville
The one-day Forum will include presentations by leaders of industry involved with Critical Minerals, James Cook University and Government bodies.
The evening will conclude with the annual Sir George Fisher Lecture (SGFL) Dinner with a speech by Rio Tinto Limited’s Chief Executive - Minerals, Sinead Kaufman (pictured).
Since joining Rio Tinto in 1997 as a geologist, Sinead has held senior leadership and operational roles across Aluminium, Copper & Diamonds, Energy & Minerals, and Iron Ore.
Sinead brings to her current role strong operational expertise and asset leadership combined with a track record and commitment to sustainability. Under her tenure as Managing Director, Copper & Diamonds, the Kennecott copper operation in Utah, US, became the first in the world to be awarded the Copper Mark, the industry’s independently assessed responsible production programme. Sinead also oversaw the reduction of Kennecott’s carbon footprint by more than 60%, achieved by closing the coal-fired power station and using renewable energy carbon offsets.