High-level panel discussion on The Northern Miner’s Canadian Mining Symposium

The Northern Miner’s Canadian Mining Symposium

Between 11-12.10.2023, The Northern Miner Canadian Mining Symposium took place in London. The conference gathered mining industry leaders and innovators who discussed subjects related to ESG, energy trends, digital transformation, and de-carbonization. This year’s panelists were among others: Kevin D’Souza, Jocelyn Douheret, Courtney Adler, Graham Dallas, Chris Hinde, Martino De Ciccio, CFA, Antti Gronlund, Jonathan Cordero, Jean-Philippe Mai, Alisha Hiyate.

Panel discussion

During the Symposium one of the panel discussions was related to the importance of critical metals, energy transition, and opportunities for the future. The discussion moderated by Courtney Adler was between Ana Cabral-Gardner, Don Lindsay, and Martino De Ciccio, CFA.

Transparency and education

Martino De Ciccio, CFA explained how to balance the increasing demand for critical materials. He underlain the importance of education. ”When you talked about concerns the concerns the consumers have, the concerns can be resolved by further education explaining.” He adds that the future is about transparency and education. Moreover, Martino De Ciccio, CFA has highlighted that the expected resilience business always is thinking about legacy and what will be left behind. “We are building strategies on the mine level to be able to fund side-business, boost economy weather of population not only around the mine but for a country as a whole. As for legacy, you want to look back and look at what good the mine brought after it’s closed.

Lego model

Ana Cabral-Gardner indicated the role of mining in a green energy transition. “Mining is a transition. Without mining it is no transition”. She has pointed out that in the last decades mining didn’t follow transition and it was quite brown. She indicated that mining is essential and must adopted not to be innovative out. She sees: “We need to be green as our clients and users are.” Based on her experience she indicated what sustainable innovation she deployed in Sigma Lithium Corp. to reach environmental commitments She explained that a lot of actions were more a matter of determination instead of invention. Based on the Lego example she explained: “We like to use the example of a room full of Legos’. Invention is when you have to create the Lego parts. They were already there. Nobody had bothered to assemble those Legos differently. Cabral added, “It cost almost nothing to do those innovations.”

Circular economy and recycling

Don Lindsay pointed out that today’s innovation relies on the circular economy and recycling. Mining companies will be leading them. He stated: “I’ve noted in two last week that Glencore, just had an investor tour of their facilities in Ontario and Quebec highlighting their ability to recycle”. He has also suggested internal awards and funding to generate new approaches.