2023 Conference Programme

Mark Bristow is recognised as one of the world’s leading mining CEOs. He is a passionate believer in delivering sustainable stakeholder value. Under his leadership, firstly Randgold and now Barrick, have one of the best records in the industry for exploration, delivering on production guidance, and honouring shareholder commitments

Evy Hambro is the team leader for the Natural Resources team within the Fundamental Equity division of BlackRock's Active Equity Group. He is responsible for the platform of Thematic products and co-manages the BGF World Gold, BlackRock Gold & General and BGF World Mining funds. He is also co-manager of the BlackRock World Mining Trust and BlackRock Natural Resources Hedge Fund and manager of several segregated portfolios.

Frank is a Canadian businessman, mining financier and global philanthropist who founded Lionsgate Entertainment. He is CEO of Fiore Group of Companies and co-chair of International Crisis Group. From 2001 to 2007, he was the chairman of the merchant banking firm, Endeavour Financial, which financed mining companies.

Dominic spent over 30 years at McKinsey & Company, including nine years as the Global Managing Partner, and has also held many public sector leadership positions. He has served as Canada’s Ambassador to China, Chair of Canada’s Advisory Council for Economic Growth, and Chair of the International Advisory Committee to the President of South Korea on National Future and Vision.

Issues discussed include:

• Geopolitical trends, deglobalisation, what it means for future of mining
• Gold and how gold may play a role in any global monetary system reset

Issues discussed include:

• What projected increase in lithium production can we expect to see in the next ten years? How dependent is it upon high lithium carbonate prices?
• Where do the best opportunities for lithium investors lie? At the exploration stage or at production?
• A well-known mining investor recently said, “80% of US300million market cap battery metals companies will never go into production. Do our panellists agree with this statement, and if so is meeting demand destined for failure?
• How at risk is lithium to substitution?
• What will be the impact of lithium recycling?
• Which  lithium stock should you be buying?
• Extremely active sector – a closer look at M&A
• Australia in particular most stocks listed in Australia, followed by TSX and London
• Brine stocks vs hard rock stocks 

• TSXV: VLI, OTCQB: ABEPF, FRA: 1AJ2
• Exploration
• Lithium, Copper, Gold, Nickel, Zinc
• Quebec, Canada

• TSXV: VLI, OTCQB: ABEPF, FRA: 1AJ2
• Exploration
• Lithium, Copper, Gold, Nickel, Zinc
• Quebec, Canada

• TSXV: ILI, OTCQB: ARXR
• Exploration
• Lithium
• Thunder Bay, Canada

• TSXV: GRDM, OTCQB: MSMGF
• Exploration, Development
• Copper, Nickel, Lithium
• Manitoba & Ontario, Canada

• FRA:2J9, OTCQX:OTCM, TSX:STGO
• Development, Exploration, Production
• Gold, Silver
• Mongolia

• ASX
• Exploration
• Gold, Silver, Copper
• Australia

• ASX: VTM
• Exploration & Development
• Rare Earths, Scandium
• Australia 

• TSV-V: ELE / OTCQX: ELEMF 
• Gold / Copper 
• Royalties  

• TSX: ARIS, NYSE-A: ARMN 
• Development, Production
• Gold
• Colombia, Guyana, Canada

• ASX: PXX
• Exploration
• Gold, Silver
• Alaska, USA

• Why is technology important to CITIC?
• How are CITIC investing in technology? 
• How is CITIC collaborating with vendors?
• Being agile when implementing technology and being prepared to fail (If things are not failing you are not innovating – Elon Musk) 
• The growing importance of machine learning and AI

Glycine Leaching: Unlocking new sources of critical metals

Defining deeper resources while delivering net-positive outcomes

The energy transition is a supply challenge. The energy transition means moving to a cleaner, more sustainable future. However, the minerals required to produce electric cars, wind turbines and other new energy technologies raise some difficult supply issues.

An average electric vehicle (EV) requires six times the amount of minerals as a conventional car, reports the International Energy Agency (IEA), including materials like nickel, cobalt, and lithium that a petrol vehicle typically does not need. An onshore wind plant, meanwhile, needs nine times more mineral resources than a gas-fired plant. The World Bank estimates that demand for metals could increase tenfold by 2050. Reaching net zero by 2050 will require an estimated 3 billion tonnes of metal, as well as significant investments of roughly US$9.2 trillion each year. So, how will the industry get there?

Issues discussed include:

• What can be done to bridge the supply gap? Will the increased supply come from the majors, mid-tiers, or juniors?
• How can miners be agile and diversify their commodity base?
• How can the industry collaborate to achieve these goals?
• How can governments help achieve these goals? What has been the impact of the US Inflation Reduction Act?
• What is the role of technology in bridging the supply gap?

Bridging the minerals supply deficit is only one part of the roadmap to the energy transition. Without financing and investment, decarbonisation will not happen. Currently, the industry spends US$40 to US$50bn per year on financing the space. However, we need between US$1.5 and US$2 trillion to finance the energy transition.

This panel will discuss how the industry is tackling this:

• What commodities do investors currently find attractive in the short term as good bets for the energy transition? How about the longer term?
• What opportunities are investors looking at when it comes to decarbonisation? Greenfield vs Brownfield? Exploration vs Development vs Production? Mining companies or downstream investment opportunities?
• Reviewing industry initiatives which have been launched to help finance the energy transition
• What questions are LP’s and end investors asking natural resource investors about their decarbonisation and net zero policies? Or are they just interested in management performance?

The industry is doing ESG reporting, but is it doing it well?

Issues discussed include:

• What makes for a best practice ESG Report? What differences, if any, should there be between how, say, an exploration junior and a major reports?
• Why is there no single industry ESG reporting standard?
• What regulatory and industry guidance is there?
• Dealing with competing demands from different stakeholders — investors, customers, rating agencies — all requiring ESG information to be parcelled up in slightly different ways
• Avoiding the common mistakes of greenwashing and green hushing
• Should the miner’s ESG reports be audited?
• Reporting scope 1, 2,3 and 4 emissions

Indigenous Partnerships – the Key to Success in Canada’s Critical Minerals Sector

Indigenous peoples are the stewards, rights holders, and in many cases, title holders to the land upon which mineral development takes place. As such, Indigenous peoples are important partners in the development of our critical minerals value chains. Indigenous communities and businesses are demonstrating the value they add through collaboration with investors throughout the mine’s lifecycle - whether providing supplies and services, helping de-risk projects by sharing knowledge of the land and resources. As equity investors in projects, Indigenous communities are ensuring meaningful ownership and economic participation, while helping investors align with the needs of communities and speed up timelines.

Through examples and insights from Indigenous business and community leaders, elders, mining companies, and government, this panel will explore the breadth of partnerships between Indigenous communities and critical mineral projects located in Canada, their unique advantages and considerations for investors.

Objectives

• Building awareness on the role and importance of respect for Indigenous and treaty rights, and meaningful engagement, partnership and collaboration with Indigenous peoples in critical mineral development in Canada;
• Through examples, showcase various types of partnerships that can exist between mining sector investors and Indigenous peoples, and their advantages and considerations;
• Highlight support by the Government of Canada to enable and improve participation of Indigenous peoples

Nigeria: Unveiling the Hidden Treasures in the Solid Minerals sector

Nigeria, often known for its oil and gas resources, is now emerging as a significant player in the Mining Industry. This panel aims to shed light on the abundant mineral resources, investment opportunities, regulatory framework, and sustainable development initiatives in Nigeria's Mining Sector.

1. Opening Remarks by Dele Alake, Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Nigeria

Topic: Overview of Nigeria's Mining Policy and Regulatory Framework, Government's Commitment to attracting Investment, and Sustainable Development in the Sector. (10 mins)

2. Panel Session:

Community Involvement for Socio-Economic Development: 

One of the key elements in Nigeria's mining sector is the active engagement of local communities for socio-economic development. This strategy not only fosters positive relationships between mining companies and communities but also contributes significantly to the sustainable growth of the sector.

Financing Options Available for Mining Projects in Nigeria and the Role of the Solid Minerals Development Fund:

Securing financing for mining projects in Nigeria is crucial for their success. Various financing options are available, including traditional banks, investment firms, and public-private partnerships. The Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) plays a pivotal role in providing financial support and incentives to promote mining activities. It's essential to explore these financing avenues to unlock the full potential of Nigeria's mineral resources.

Available Geoscientific Data:

Access to accurate and up-to-date geoscientific data is critical for informed decision-making in the mining sector. Nigeria boasts a wealth of geological and geoscientific information that is readily accessible. These data sources include geological maps, mineral occurrence maps, and reports from the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA). Such data are invaluable for exploration, resource estimation, and attracting investment.

Transparent and Efficient Mineral Title Administration:

Transparency and efficiency in mineral title acquisition are essential for fostering investor confidence and responsible resource development. Nigeria has made significant strides in establishing a transparent mineral title acquisition system. This system ensures that licenses and permits are granted through a clear and accountable process, reducing bureaucracy and corruption. This transparent approach is critical in attracting investment and promoting ethical mining practices.

Resourcing tomorrow with Australia’s minerals’

Four mining projects. Five natural resources investors. One winner. The Gold & Precious Metals Mining Pitch Battle will have three mining companies pitch for just three minutes, followed by an in-depth eight minutes Q&A session from the investor panel as the miners battle it out to become the winner.

• TSXV: IPT, FRANKFURT: IKL
• Production
• Silver
• Mexico

• Altus Gold
• Exploration
• Gold
• USA

• Private
• Production and Development
• Gold, Tin, REE, Zinc
• Peru

Issues discussed include:

• What are uranium’s current supply/demand fundamentals?
• Do end investors classify/perceive uranium as a green metal/part of the energy transition?
• Where do the best opportunities lie in uranium? Established producers, exploration companies or ETFs?
• How does adopting nuclear energy help in the fight against climate change?
• Has uranium won the wider public as part of the clean energy solution that secures power generation and enhances national security?

• TSX-V: VO
• Exploration
• Uranium, Gold, PGMs
• Golden Triangle, BC, Canada

• TSXV:FIND
• Exploration
• Uranium
• Canada 

• TSXV: NIM, FSE: HLI
• Production, Exploration & Development
• Copper, Silver, Gold
• Canada

• TSXV: DFR
• Exploration
• Gold
• West Afica

• NASDAQ: USAU
• Exploration
• Gold
• WY, NV, and ID USA

Introduced by The Honourable Ranj Pillai, Premier of Yukon, Government of Yukon

• TSX.V: FWZ
• Exploration
• Zinc/Lead/Silver
• Yukon, Canada

• OTCQB:VAUCF, TSXV:VAU
• Exploration
• Gold
• Nevada, USA

• FSE:LO51, OTCQX:LONCF, TSX:LN
• Exploration
• Gold
• Democratic Republic of the Congo

• ASX
• Exploration, Development
• Gold
• Western Australia

• LSE
• Exploration, Development
• Gold, Silver, Copper, Nickel
• Canada

• AIM:ARS 
• Production
• Copper, Gold 
• Indonesia

• ASX: XAM
• Exploration/ Development
• Copper, Gold
• Mongolia

“It's very hard to make a hole in the ground nature-positive,” Rohitesh Dhawan, CEO of CMM, says. “When you're making a hole in the ground, you're going to disturb nature.”

“Less than 0.1%” of the world’s total landmass. Compare that to agriculture, at “somewhere close to 50%”, relatively speaking, the industry’s planetary footprint is a “small portion” of the whole.

“For all the metals and minerals we produce, it’s remarkable how little of the world's land we disturb,” Dhawan says. “But – and it's a big ‘but’ – often where we mine happens in areas where nature is very sensitive to change.”

Issues discussed include:

• Reviewing successful rehabilitation efforts to offset damage in one area with investments in another
• What can be done at the small-scale/artisanal mining end?
• How can nature positive narrative be communicated with shareholders to avoid it being perceived as an oxymoron? Are some ecosystems so fragile that they can never be returned to their former state?
• Incorporating the impact on local communities into the planning
• Reviewing the TNFD (Taskforce for Natural Financial Disclosures). What standards and regulations are in place? Are any further required?
• Why should this matter to investors?

•  What are the key ESG criteria that investors use when assessing juniors? On a scale of 1 to 10 how do they rate juniors? Where are they succeeding and where are they falling short?

•  What does a mining company need to do at the exploration stage, in terms of an actionable ESG strategy, and how does that differ to say, a mining company at development or production?

•  Lessons learned from ‘S’ success stories from the front line of mining juniors who have engaged successfully with local communities

Carl is a natural connector bringing together disparate and seemingly unrelated people, groups, and organizations to transform possibilities into plans and plans into action. The hallmark of Carl’s experience is collaboration and building innovation ecosystems to solve complex problems. As such, he provides strategic advice on partnerships, business development and intellectual property to companies of all sizes.

Issues discussed include:

• Collaboration is a continuum
• Collaboration is all about people (and has little or nothing to do with technology)
• Ecosystems are easy, and business ecosystems are hard

Issues discussed include:

• Implementing AI into mineral processing
• What were the cost benefits?
• What were the lessons learned?

Mining has always been heavily dependent on water.

Without water, the extraction of copper, platinum group metals, diamonds and other valuable products would be practically impossible. But water is becoming increasingly scarce: with a predicted shortfall of 40% by 2030, exacerbated by climate change, The shortage of clean, fresh water represents the greatest global societal and economic risk over the next decade.

What technologies are being designed to encourage processing with less/no water? How can we reduce water waste in mining operations?

Issues discussed include:

• Increasing water efficiency with a closed-loop recycling system
• Improving the measurement of evaporation rates to conserve more water
• How can innovations in geothermal help water management?
• Using low-cost dry tailings disposal to limit water loss
• Innovating with dry separation techniques that use less water
• New thinking to use less water when separating waste rock from ore
• Applying strong and transparent corporate water governance
• Managing water at operations effectively
• Collaborating to achieve responsible and sustainable water use

Tailings Storage Facilities the most under insured liability. 

Issues discussed include:

• What solutions are there to make mine rehabilitation economic?
• Evaluating some of the tailings management business models being introduced?
• What is the role of engineering design and innovation?
• What innovations do we see in tailings processing?
• Using low-cost dry tailings disposal to limit water loss
• What further partnerships and collaboration opportunities are being developed to improve tailings management?

Four tech start-ups. Four tech investors/experts. One winner. The Technology Pitch Battle will have four tech star-tups pitch for just three minutes, followed by an in-depth seven-minute Q&A session from the investor panel as the start-ups battle it out to become the winner. At the end of the session each judge will give their reasons for which is the most exciting tech start-up and why. give their reasons why.

In this address, Rivian will explain what their goals are relating to EV demand, production, and sourcing of minerals

• ASX: SYA / OTCQB: SYAXF
• Exploration, Development, Production
• Lithium, Gold, Graphite
• Canada/Australia

Donald Sadoway is a professor emeritus of materials chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a noted expert on batteries and has done significant research on improving the performance and longevity of portable power sources. In parallel, he is an expert on the extraction of metals from their ores and the inventor of molten oxide electrolysis, which has the potential to produce crude steel without the use of carbon reductant thereby eliminating greenhouse gas emissions.

Donald Sadoway is also Pure Lithium’s Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, which aims to make lithium-metal anodes less expensive by using the cheapest form of lithium–lithium sulphate.

Issues discussed include:

• Are lithium-ion batteries a TINA (There Is No Alternative)? Or should the mining industry be thinking about alternatives?
• What minerals must be mined, and what minerals can be substituted?
• What is the link between battery technology, democracy and progress?

Issues discussed include:

• What are the UK’s objectives and approach to critical minerals?
• What collaboration is taking place between government, industry and other key stakeholders?
• How will success be measured? What are the success stories so far?

Three mining projects. Five natural resources investors. One winner. The Critical Metals Mining Pitch Battle will have three mining companies pitch for just three minutes, followed by an in-depth eight minutes Q&A session from the investor panel as the miners battle it out to become the winner.

President Von Der Leyen announced the Critical Raw Materials Act during her 2022 State of the Union speech, where she called to address the EU's dependency on imported critical raw materials by diversifying and securing a domestic and sustainable supply of critical raw materials

What will the Act mean for the mining industry?

Issues discussed include:

• What are governments willing to do to secure critical raw materials? offtakes? Investment, and if so, how? Specialist funds? Directly? Sovereign support?
• What do the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and Green Industrial Plan mean for the mining industry? How does it compare to the US Inflation Reduction Act?
• Achieving circularity in the raw materials value chain 
• Current status of the European battery value chain 
• Implementation and impact of the EU Battery Directive 
• New European Battery Alliance targets, opportunities, and challenges 

Solving the critical minerals conundrum is not just about ensuring you have enough critical minerals. It is about building resilient supply chains including midstream processing challenges, energy security and resource independence.

Issues discussed include:

• What are the ramifications of the Inflation Reduction Act?
• The geopolitics around energy security – which countries provide the greatest degree of risk? What are the ESG issues
• What measures can be taken to mitigate supply chain risk?
• What is the role of government in ensuring the security of supply? When should they intervene?
• What are some of the solutions to the challenge of midstream processing?
• Which governments have a meaningful, actionable critical minerals strategy?
• What are some of the challenges of critical minerals processing?

A recurring challenge the industry faces is the lack of new discoveries and mines coming into production. Easy discoveries have become exhausted, and Miners have become averse to grassroots projects in “risky” jurisdictions. To paraphrase JFK, we do mining because it is hard, not because it is easy. What needs to change in exploration today to meet the demands of Resourcing Tomorrow?

Issues discussed include:

• “There is no such thing as failure. Just learning many times”. How can we explore better? “Drill it or kill it?” when to greenlight projects and when to give up
• How can we use technology better?
• How can we collaborate better?
• How can we finance better?
• In 1956 a copper mine took 4 years to get permitted. In 2022 it took 14 years on average. Why is permitting policy often out of sync with government policy towards critical minerals, and what can be changed?

Discontinuous improvement and its importance in mining.

For a business to survive it needs Continuous Improvement.

For a business to lead it needs Discontinuous Improvement.

In this presentation Kal Ruberg discusses some of the challenges of the mining industry not thinking in a systemic way and how short-termism does not help the industry reach its long-term objectives such as net-zero. Kal’s presentation will demonstrate that by adopting discontinuous improvement, mining companies can achieve a paradigm shift in innovation, and with that real, measurable revolutionary change in their business.

Issues discussed included:

• RACE 21 objectives and outcome
• Leveraging AI learning techniques across the whole mining chain to unlock value
• Understanding it is not about the technology but about what you do with the technology to drive differentiated outcomes

Data Driven Mine-to-Mill Optimization

Issues discussed include:

• Ensuring you have the right quality of data and avoid ‘garbage in, garbage out’
• Integration and sustainability considerations

Issues discussed include:

• Why are central banks buying gold, and what does this mean for the medium-term outlook of the gold industry?
• What feedback has been given to the World Gold Council’s Gold247 project.
• What will drive the price of gold in 2024? Inflation? War in Ukraine? Economic uncertainty?
• Where do the best investment opportunities lie? Explorers, producers, royalty/streaming or ETFs? 
• Assuming gold goes up, what will happen with the price of silver?
• Will 2024 see increased M&A and consolidation in the gold industry, given the recent Newmont/Newcrest announcement?  Are there too many gold companies?

• OTCQX: NFLDF, CSE: NFLD
• Exploration
• Gold
• Canada

• TSXV:MAI
• Development, Production
• Gold
• Mexico

• Private
• Development
• Gold
• Ecuador 

• ASX: MRC
• Graphite and Mineral Sands
• Production and Development
• Europe, Australia & Africa

• Exploration
• Lithium, Copper, Titanium
• Argentina

• ASX: COD
• Exploration
• Copper, Cobalt
• Australia

• AIM:THX, TSXV:THX
• Exploration, Production
• Gold
• Nigeria, Senegal & Burkina Faso

• LSE: ADT1, ASX: ADT, OTCQX: ADMLF
• Development
• Zinc, Silver
• Bosnia & Serbia

• Private Company
• Development, Production
• Amber and Glacomite (fertilizer)
• Poland

• ASX: ELT
• Exploration, Development
• Tin
• Spain, Australia

• LSE: 1SN
• Exploration, Development
• Tin
• Germany & Australia

• ASX: VMS
• Exploration, Development
• Tin, Tungsten, Boron, Rare Earths
• Australia

• AIM: CAML
• Production
• Copper, Lead, Zinc
• Kazakhstan, North Macedonia

A true economy must be implemented ‘from the ground up’ The circular economy is often seen as focused on reducing the input of raw materials to reduce waste. Yet recycling rates for many metals remain low, with far too much ending up as waste. However, recycling alone will not be enough for us to meet demand. Despite the importance of recycling in helping realise the durability of metals, we need to better understand how it risks establishing an unjust transition, like any model that eliminates primary sources of materials. 

The journey towards making mining a circular process is already underway, and it has great potential to drive growth and a positive contribution to both people and the planet. The mining industry needs to establish a systemic approach to the circular economy very strategically and deliberately that builds on that rather than stops it in its tracks.

Issues discussed include:

• How will circularity change the way we think about mining and its supply chains?
• What are the gains to be made in product circularity and process circularity?
• We could see different business or circularity models evolving around specific commodities.
• From theory to practice: what does mining in a circular economy really mean? How do mining business models need to change? How can the industry move from 30% by 2030 as a static business model to a dynamic one? What role will renewable energy solutions (green hydrogen, solar, recycling) play?
• Balancing miner’s technical and financial requirements with social and environmental aspects. What is the role of local communities?
• What is the role of governments in helping enable mining’s role in the circular economy?

The IEA estimates that, by 2040, recycled copper, lithium, nickel and cobalt from spent batteries could reduce demand for fresh extraction of these minerals by only 10%.

Issues discussed include:

• Where are the greatest opportunities in recycling for miners and investors?
• Recycling of products already in use
• Electric battery recycling
• Mine tailings recycling 
• Does recycling and circularity require a different mindset on behalf of the miners? If so, how?
• What are the key steps in the recycling process across the mining supply chain?
• Bridging the communication gap between the corporate head office and the mine site to make recycling a reality

Positive CSM (Critical and Strategic Minerals) Track record: Québec Policies and Strategies for the mining industry

The Government of Québec, last year’s winner for most improved jurisdiction by Mines and Money, has built a unique business environment favorable to mining project development through a series of coordinated policies and participation by crown corporations. The focus on critical and strategic minerals has yielded several significant developments such as the newest active lithium producer in North America and the newest scandium producer in North America, and one of the largest new discoveries of lithium in the world with Patriot Battery Metals’ Corvette property, in which Albemarle has become a strategic partner. This panel will highlight how mobilization by Québec has yielded not just a CSM plan, but a positive track record.

Ontario has what the world needs – globally significant deposits of the critical minerals necessary to build the electric vehicles of the future. The province is a globally competitive destination for mining sector investment because of its vast mineral endowment, ethical business practices, highest environmental standards and a legacy of strong partnerships with Indigenous communities. Don’t miss out on a panel with Ontario’s Minister of Mines, George Pirie, and industry leaders to learn more about the successes of Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy and to find out about exciting projects that are on the horizon.

Three mining projects. Five natural resources investors. One winner. The Base Metals Mining Pitch Battle will have three mining companies pitch for just three minutes, followed by an in-depth eight minutes Q&A session from the investor panel as the miners battle it out to become the winner.

Issues discussed include:

• Are investors prepared to invest in battery minerals projects?  What commodities are they looking at? What stage are they investing in?
• What are the resource estimation challenges? How can you be sure that the resource estimates are accurate?
• How might battery composition change in the next few years and what investment opportunities does this create?

      - Cobalt

      - Copper

      - Graphite

      - Lithium and lithium-ion phosphate

      - Nickel

      -Manganese

• What geopolitical dimensions need to be considered when it comes to supply chains?
• Is the industry equipped to meet demand? 
• Will Europe lag North America in battery metals due to lack of funding alone?

• ASX: RSG
• Production
• Gold
• West Africa

• NASDAQ GS: TMC
• Exploration
• Nickel, Cobalt, Copper, Manganese
• Oceans 

– What Key Trends in Mining Can We Expect? 

Issues discussed include:

• Outlook on the current flow of capital into the mining sector

• Trends in equity, debt and alternative financing

• Trends in project financing

• Dealing with the impacts of inflation, climbing interest rates and the net zero challenge on financing within the mineral sector

• Opportunities for capital markets when investing in the critical/ metals sector in 2024

Jose Acain, CTO and Co-Founder of AstroForge, brings nearly a decade of aerospace experience at SpaceX and NASA. Jose was the Deputy Chief Engineer for the first SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle and Lead Avionics Integration Engineer and Mission Operator for the first four Dragon spacecraft vehicles that launched into space. While at NASA, Jose designed, integrated, tested, and operated micro-lab satellites. On his way to founding AstroForge, he worked on autonomous vehicles at Volkswagen Electronics Research Laboratory and vehicle software at Bird Rides. Jose attended Santa Clara University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Master’s degree in Mechatronics and Robotics.

• The types of AI technologies that can be applied from advanced analytics to GenAI and the types of decisions that they can support
• Starting with data, the steps miners need to take to implement AI technologies
• The risks and challenges for miners in adopting AI for real-time decision making
• The misconceptions that exist around AI in mining and how it can be realistically applied

• TSXV: CRE, OTCQX: CRECF, FSE: F12
• Exploration
• Nickel
• Canada

• ASX: NIS
• Exploration
• Nickel
• Australia

• FRA:LLJA, OTCQB:EMOTF, TSXV:EMO
• Exploration
• Copper, Gold, Silver, Zinc

• LSE:AYM
• Exploration
• Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, Zinc
• Wales, Sweden & Canada 

• TSXV: AMX, FRA: MX0, OTCQX: AMXEF
• Exploration
• Gold, Copper
• Quebec, Canada

• AIM: ECR
• Exploration, Development
• Gold
• Australia

• TSXV: CCM
• Exploration, Development
• Gold
• British Columbia, Canada

• TSXV: ABI
• Development, Exploration
• Gold
• Canada

• TSXV: VSR
• Exploration
• Gold
• Quebec, Canada

• TSX-V: LOT
• Exploration
• Gold
• Canada

• (TSXV: FMC) (OTCQB: FDCFF)
• Exploration
• Canada
• Uranium (also have portfolio of copper, nickel, and cobalt projects)

• TSXV:RYR
• Development, Exploration
• Copper, Gold
• Colombia

• Transitioning to an ultra-intelligent bright mine with an automated network-as-a-service platform service to easily connect, control and streamline operations
• Improving asset management: connect geographically distributed operations with a single management hub for real-time cross-operational visibility and accurate insights across the entire mining ecosystem
• Reducing infrastructure costs: experience fast deployment times and dynamic network control to scale up or down depending on requirements or lifecycles 
• Improved safety, security, and efficiency: deploy thousands of IoT sensors and devices for predictive maintenance, real time monitoring, and remote control
• Unlocking full mine automation and performance improvements for business-critical application

• Different approaches to Innovation across the 3 tiers of the organisation:
• Innovation within the onsite operational space, focussed on increased efficiency and optimisation often digital in nature
• Strategic innovation related to specific functions, such as geology, mobile equipment etc. often large mechanical in nature
• Business model innovation and management innovation focussed on the strategic direction of the business
• Examples of how innovation is approached and managed within each tier
• Case studies on expectation vs. reality of innovations which delivered as promised and those which didn’t and learnings of each

The presentation explores the importance of decoupling drilling programs that characterise resource from deterministic mine plans; to stabilise strategy and operations while ensuring optimal use of investment capital. 

Issues discussed include:

• How have the technology challenges of exploration discovery changed?
• What innovations are we seeing in the following areas:

    -    drones

    -    mapping

    -    photographic imagery

• What technology can be repurposed from other industries?
• Incremental change vs step change technologies?

In the last few years, miners have sought to build a “social license to operate” by developing relationships with communities and governments. However, as global needs evolve, the industry must now also consider both investor and consumer concerns about a responsible value chain to obtain a “social license to market”.

Issues discussed include: 

• How have stakeholder expectations evolved /changed? 
• How do you build successful relationships?  
• Can governments and miners collaborate better to ‘mine for good’? Do we know what that means?
• How can you make positive the societal and human capital?
• What standards should miners follow? Is there one size fits all?
• The role of local procurement? Global procurement?

It’s often said that the most challenging part about opening a new mine isn’t getting the raw materials out of the ground, it’s managing the complex relationship with all the stakeholders, particularly those that are part of the mine’s landscape.

Issues discussed include:

• What does “effective” mean?
• Identifying the “right” approach: identifying the stakeholders, their concerns and interests.
• Dealing with mining disputes and legal issues on the ground
• Identifying legacy issues with previous activities/owners.
• Clarifying goals and objectives for engagement for you and for them … what does that mean? 
• What does success look like, and how do you get there?
• How does the company engage its internal teams to engage with the external stakeholders on the ground?

Four mining projects. Five natural resources investors. One winner. The Mining Pitch Battle will have three mining companies pitch for just three minutes, followed by an in-depth eight minute Q&A session from the investor panel as the miners battle it out to become the winner.

Trust is the one commodity that can’t be mined but is critical to the growth of the mining industry. Yet, in many surveys, mining comes bottom when compared to other verticals when it comes to trust. What can we do to address the trust deficit?

Issues discussed include:

• Understanding is not trust – what is the public’s understanding of the mining industry, and what practical steps can be taken to address misconceptions 
• Concrete examples of where trust was gained and lost; what were the bottom line/revenue benefits?
• Building the ‘triangle of trust’ between governments, miners and investors
• Innovation happens at the speed of trust. The need for trust between competitors and the importance of co-creation 
• Communicating better with shareholders. Building a better narrative
• Why are some sectors, banking, for example, given a free pass when it comes to trust, but mining isn’t?

Can ESG save the mining industry? With many viewing the sector as being significantly undervalued, why hasn’t the necessity for critical minerals broken down the barriers? If the problem is a reputational risk, then how can this be mitigated?

If ESG is now being widely adopted by mining companies, why hasn’t money flowed in from non-traditional natural resource investors? What needs to change? 

Issues discussed include:

• What’s still preventing ESG funds from investing in mining?
• How does the sector screen on both footprint and handprint solutions 
• If ESG ratings are the solution to raising money from finance, why is the cost of capital so high?
• What ESG questions are end investors / LPs asking institutional investors / GPs before allocating funds?
• How can ESG reporting be improved? Avoiding the common mistakes of greenwashing and green hushing
• The Economist, which recently proposed that the only bit that really mattered was the "E", and that should stand for "Emissions" – would our panellists agree?

• Where will we see the most activity?  Consolidation in the gold space? Greater vertical integration in critical minerals? 
• What is the role of ESG in M&A activity?
• How is the industry repositioning ESG as a strategic imperative in M&A strategy
• How does the shareholder focus on ESG concerns impact M&A and M&A assessment and the ability to get deals done?  
• Seeing ESG as source of opportunity as well as risk in M&A transactions
• Managing risk and successful transaction execution – how do you measure environmental and social impact?

• Tell me about the new investor commission – why has it been set up, and why now?
• What changes do investors see the sector needs to make to justify the extra capital that needs to flow in?
• With so many issues on the agenda from climate to tailings to capacity, what are the priority issues for investors? Are those priorities different in different parts of the world?
• What is the role of policymakers – what areas do investors and the sector need to collaborate on to facilitate change?

With a structural supply deficit are we entering the ‘Copper Age’? Where are the best mining investment opportunities in copper to meet demand? Existing tier discoveries or untapped exploration opportunities.

Issues discussed include:

• What are some of the possible demand scenarios over the next 10 years? On the supply side, what is happening to meet evolving demand; are there viable substitutes for copper and are there any potential technology game-changers in copper extraction? 
• Copper has traditionally flattered to deceive as a base metal. In view of this, is it different this time around?
• A closer look at China’s demand fundamentals
• What will be the impact of copper recycling on demand?
• What are the differences in investment opportunity and exposure to copper via the majors, mid-tier copper specialists, juniors and ETFs and the associated upside and downside risks involved.
• Are particular types of deposit and jurisdiction better suited to either majors or juniors and what sort of deposit / jurisdiction combinations operating approaches by majors and juniors should investors look for or avoid? 
• In view of the discussion of types of possible copper investment company, types of deposit and jurisdiction, briefly, where should investors focus lie and why?

• Ticker: Private
• Exploration
• Copper
• Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia

• ASX:HMX
• Exploration
• Copper, Gold
• Australia 

• FRANKFURT: 9PX, CSE: PTX
• Exploration
• Gold, Copper
• Ontario, Canada

• ASX: TEM
• Exploration
• Copper, Gold, Lithium, Iron Ore
• Western Australia

• TSXV: PGZ
• Exploration
• Copper, Tin
• Spain

• TSXV: GXU
• Exploration, Development
• Uranium
• Nigeria, Zambia, Mali

• TSXV: LITH, OTCQB: LTMCF
• Exploration
• Lithium
• Chile

• ASX: IG6
• Development
• Graphite
• Australia

• Private
• Exploration
• Lithium
• United Kingdom

• FRG Development
• Lithium, Coltan-Tantalum-Niobium
• Côte d’Ivoire

• Mining at a crossroads with a unique opportunity for course correction
• Design Thinking to address the people dimension of a massive transformation
• A selection of disruptive technology thermals worth watching for the coming years

With steel responsible for between 7 to 9% of global emissions, breakthrough technologies have been developed with the aim of eliminating emissions from steel production by using hydrogen and other innovative solutions  instead of fossil fuels. 

Issues discussed include:

• What market share will green steel have by the end of the decade? In which regions and markets will adoption happen first?
• Evaluating the different green steel solutions:

       - Electrolysis

       - Smart carbon capture and storage

• Building an effective framework for the development of green steel
• Establishing a realistic carbon pricing system that makes hydrogen-based steel production more competitive
• Creating a premium market for green steel to encourage companies, organisations and governments to make buying decisions based on sustainability
• Providing sustainable funding instruments that drive low-carbon initiatives
• What are some of the drawbacks of using hydrogen? How can the roadblock of the lack of abundant supplies of low-carbon hydrogen be overcome?

• ASX: ADX
• Exploration & Production
• Oil, Gas, Hydrogen
• Austria, Romania, Italy

• Rutile and Garnet
• Ticker: Expecting info
• Norway
• Development

• (CSE: PGA)
• Lithium and gold
• Canada
• Exploration

Securing mining’s future workforce: Taking action today for a better tomorrow

Some reports predict that as much as 50% of the mining workforce will be retired by 2029. Where will the future supply of talent come from?

Issues discussed include:

• How can the mining industry appeal better to graduate employees?
• Diversifying into other industries to increase the pool of talent
• How can the mining industry encourage greater diversity?
• How does the mining industry rate as a sector as an appealing place to work compared with other sectors? Where is it succeeding? Where is it falling short? The importance of mentorship

Issues discussed include:

• What are the supply/demand fundamentals?
• In which rare earths are we seeing the most significant demand?
• What will be the impact of the LKAB Kiruna Rare Earths discovery? 
• What is the role of China in all of this?

• ASX: HAS
• Exploration
• Rare Earths Metals
• Western Australia 

• CSE: FNI, OTCQB: FNICF, FSE: 6Q5
• Exploration
• Nickel
• Canada

• ASX:PSC  FRA:5E8
• Lithium
• Zimbabwe
• Explorer

• ASX: IMA 
• Production, Exploration, Development 
• Mineral Sands 
• Australia

• (CSE: PMC; OTCQB: PMCCF)
• Lithium
• United States
• Exploration

• ASX: GLN
• Exploration, Development
• Lithium
• Argentina & Australia

• TSXV: PM, OTCQB: POROF
• Exploration
• Copper
• Canada

• ASX: VKA
• Exploration
• Vanadium, Nickel, Copper, Cobalt
• Australia

• Private
• Exploration
• Gold
• United Kingdom

Issues discussed include:

• What is driving commodity demand in 2023? What will drive commodity demand over the next 5 years?
• Which key commodities are in favour with our panellists? Which key commodities are out of favour
• How does this feed into investment strategies into the mining sector?

Issues discussed include:

• Where and how are Chinese companies making strategic investments and partnerships?
• How are the Chinese building  mineral supply chains?

Issues discussed include:

• Is deglobalisation a temporary phenomenon or a long-term trend?  Is higher inflation, less stability and more macro volatility here to stay?
• What will the impact of deglobalisation be on mining supply chains?
• How is the Russian invasion of Ukraine reshaping resource investing?
• How does economic and military geopolitical realignments impact the mining industry?
• How can geopolitical risk be managed?
• How does an investor evaluate the risk/reward of a country with a history of resource nationalism?
• A government’s life expectancy may typically be five years, whilst a mining life cycle from exploration to the end of production may be 20 years – how can this mismatch be balanced from the risk management perspective?
• Where does ESG fit into geopolitical risk management?