This week I am attending the SME co-sponsored 7th Sustainable Development in the Minerals Industry (SDIMI) conference in Vancouver, BC. The objective of the conference is to utilize the scientific, technical, educational and research potential of the mineral extraction community to contribute to a sustainable future.
The biennial conference brings together engineers, government officials, researchers, technical experts and NGOs to create a community of mineral professionals who evaluate the challenges of creating and implementing practices in the mining industry that contribute to sustainable development.
Jessica Kogel, SME's 2013 president and chair of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations' (WFEO) task force on Mining and Sustainability, moderated a panel called, "Is Mining Broken? Social, Economic and Environmental Challenges and Engineering Solutions." SME's 2015 president Steve Gardner participated along with Dr. Priscilla Nelson, Chair of the Mining Engineering Dept at Colorado School of Mines; Dr. Elaine Dorward-King, EVP of Sustainability and External Relations at Newmont; Bryan Cox, VP of Corporate Affairs at the Mining Association of British Columbia; Dr. Juergen Kretschmann, President of TFH Georg Agricola University of Applied Sciences; and Darrel Danyluk, WFEO VP from Engineers Canada.
Panel discussion 2015 SME President Steven Gardner
The panel addressed the contribution of engineering to sustainable mining practices including recent mining engineering advancements that support sustainability and the role that individual engineers play in promoting sustainable mining practices.
WFEO Vice President Darrel Danyluk
SDIMI attendees from over 30 countries represent a spectrum of interests involved in broad industry-wide initiatives in the area of mining and sustainable development.
http://sdimi2015.com/
