FROM THE EDITOR NOVEMBER 2021 Vol. 142 – No. 9
Mining’s identity crisis Alisha Hiyate
O
n Oct. 13, Canadian Mining Journal held its first branded event – our Reimagine Mining Symposium. The live, online event was itself a reimagining of a pre-pandemic event that was organized by our sister publication, The Northern Miner. Like the Progressive Mine Forum before it, the Reimagine Mining Symposium was about the ongoing transformation of mining – in terms of technology, talent, and even purpose. Our aim was to connect our audience with industry leaders on the forefront of big changes taking place in the industry – electrification, decarbonization, and automation among them. We were gratified that more than 800 people registered for the event, and nearly 550 logged in to join us on the day of the symposium. We would like to extend a deep thank you to all of the delegates, speakers and sponsors who made the event a success. New technology and solutions were certainly represented, including battery electric vehicles (Sandvik), drone technology and mapping software (Emesent and Exyn Technologies), and power management solutions (Eaton). An expert panel also discussed how the mining industry can achieve its net zero carbon ambitions. But one of the running themes of the day centred on not the how of mining but the why. Of course, we all know that mining is essential – so essential that it’s almost invisible to society and taken for granted. But our first keynote speaker of the day, George Hemingway, a managing partner and head of the innovation practice at Stratalis, highlighted a way to counter that sentiment. Simply put, the industry needs to find a purpose beyond shareholder returns in order to build trust with society. Trust is not something that mining enjoys – however it’s something that its social licence to operate depends on. Building trust is not a straightforward exercise and requires people who work in mining to connect with a deeper purpose, Hemingway said. Tellingly, this connection with purpose is something he sees in mining professionals who are working to prevent tailings dam failures. These individuals, he says have “a passion, a knowledge that what they do matters.” For the record, mining’s not the only business that is struggling with finding purpose (BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has been advocating for a purpose and profits approach to business for several years). But it does seem to be an idea that is resonating in the industry. Echoes of this theme were evident in other featured presentations during the event, including SRK’s ‘What if mining was cool’ thought leadership panel exploring the disconnect between the industry’s view of itself and the way the public at large sees it; and an interview with NORCAT CEO Don Duval on the link between investing in technology and being able to attract and retain workers. Stay tuned for more coverage of the event in our December issue, visit our website for full videos, and turn to page 12 to hear what our other keynote speaker, Tony Makuch, had to say. CMJ
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225 Duncan Mill Rd. Suite 320, Toronto, Ontario M3B 3K9 Tel. (416) 510-6789 Fax (416) 510-5138 www.canadianminingjournal.com Editor-in-Chief Alisha Hiyate 416-510-6742 ahiyate@canadianminingjournal.com Twitter: @Cdn_Mining_Jrnl Interim News Editor Marilyn Scales mscales@canadianminingjournal.com Production Manager Jessica Jubb jjubb@glacierbizinfo.com Art Director Barbara Burrows Advisory Board David Brown (Golder Associates) Michael Fox (Indigenous Community Engagement) Scott Hayne (Redpath Canada) Gary Poxleitner (SRK) Manager of Product Distribution Allison Mein 403-209-3515 amein@glacierrig.com Publisher & Sales Robert Seagraves 416-510-6891 rseagraves@canadianminingjournal.com Sales, Western Canada George Agelopoulos 416-510-5104 gagelopoulos@northernminer.com Toll Free Canada & U.S.A.: 1-888-502-3456 ext 2 or 43734 Circulation Toll Free Canada & U.S.A.: 1-888-502-3456 ext 3 Group Publisher Anthony Vaccaro Established 1882
Canadian Mining Journal provides articles and information of practical use to those who work in the technical, administrative
and supervisory aspects of exploration, mining and processing in the Canadian mineral exploration and mining industry. Canadian Mining Journal (ISSN 0008-4492) is published 10 times a year by Glacier Resource Innovation Group (GRIG). GRIG is located at 225 Duncan Mill Rd., Ste. 320, Toronto, ON, M3B 3K9. Phone (416) 510-6891. Legal deposit: National Library, Ottawa. Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. The contents of this magazine are protected by copyright and may be used only for your personal non-commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved and commercial use is prohibited. To make use of any of this material you must first obtain the permission of the owner of the copyright. For further information please contact Robert Seagraves at 416-510-6891. Subscriptions – Canada: $51.95 per year; $81.50 for two years. USA: US$64.95 per year. Foreign: US$77.95 per year. Single copies: Canada $10; USA and foreign: US$10. Canadian subscribers must add HST and Provincial tax where necessary. HST registration # 809744071RT001. From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-888-502-3456 ext 3; E-mail: amein@glacierrig.com Mail to: Allison Mein, 225 Duncan Mill Rd., Ste 320, Toronto, ON M3B 3K9 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.
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