*enviroMETS - Mining Rehabilitation & Land Use

Wicked Problem 1: Mining enough metals for 2030? = No Unfortunately the underlying chemistry, physics and maths are against us. It’s the first time that the “aspirational goal” qualifier was widely used in mining industry presentations referring to the 2030 and 2050 (net zero) goals. Only a few speakers like Tania Constable of MCA were to comment that the industry could not meet society’s expectations of it. The 'Copper for the World" component showed the sobering requirement of the global industry; to find, mine and deliver 4.57 billion tonnes of copper in the next couple of decades. This is far more than "challenging" when set against the fact that since the stone age we have only mined a total of 700 million tonnes, a factor of 6.4x. And that was from the easy deposits. What can we do? Ensure we are having an honest, sensible and unemotional public communication of our commitment to the goal, but tempered with the practical realities. Prove our trustworthiness or fear an irrational backlash and blame for not doing enough. Wicked Problem 2: Adopting our Innovation Faster? = Maybe If we can get out of our own way and change risk appetite. It’s sad to repeatedly hear that Australian mining sector is # 1 or 2 in mining innovation, yet # 8 or so in adoption of innovation. “Being first to be second” has become the goal, to avoid taking risks. “Let others fail first”. This runs counter to Australia's founding culture of “have a go”. What's killing it off? Our large tier one mining companies are no longer invention or innovation leaders, they buy the technology once it’s proven. Through regulations and corporate aversion to risk we have made it very hard for smart SME’s to test and develop their ideas. What can we do? Don Duval impressed that the best driver for technology adoption was a purchase order and a reference working mine site like NORCAT. Similarly, as an ‘innovation ecosystem’, enviroMETS Qld Lighthouse Projects seeks to establish working sites where our innovators can develop high value ideas for post mining land use. Wicked Problem 3: Changing our Next Generation Workforce’s Attitude to Mining? = Probably When we need to learn to share our story better and rebuild trust. When “73% (of our Gen Z) think mining does more harm than good to the world we live in”, “56% want the Australian mining industry to decrease in size”, and only 11% would consider a career in mining, we have a wicked problem. Recent public failures of the industry relating to safety, destruction of indigenous cultural sites, and workplace culture have also adversely affected the mining sector’s ability to attract talent. This is a talent pool that values social benefit, ahead of personal wealth accumulation. It manifests itself as a 63% drop in Australian mining engineering enrolment since 2014. At a time we need to double our industry capacity. What we can do? Jenny Agnew of Sedgman Pty Limited makes the case that we need to show the next Gen’s that we offer interesting high tech, socially responsible and vital roles that enables a decarbonised sustainable environment. Wicked Problem 4: Finding New Uses for Post Mining Land? Definitely Only if we can clear the regulatory pathway and create sandbox sites to try ideas. Mining is a temporary land use. Our industry might look at itself and feel the responsibility for the scars of the past it’s left on the landscape, and our industry’s reputation. Those days are mostly behind us in Australia. Through regulatory inspired good practice we are cleaning up after mining, rehabilitating the landscape to its pre mining form. However, this fails to address the social impact of mine closure on the community that developed around the mine site over 1, 2 or more generations, these are families proud of their past and looking for a new future in their region. Irrespective of the current point in the mining cycle all mining affected land, now is the next best time to start developing its post mining future value, ideally through repurposing or recommercialising the asset. What we can do? enviroMETS Qld is a unique initiative of the Queensland Government to facilitate finding innovative and sustainable new ways to make mining affected land more valuable to current, and future custodians. Alison Priceand Cameron Smart shared learnings on how ‘rehabilitation innovation ’ through collaboration can definitely do this. In doing so, we come global leaders....