Dave Kanagy and I are in Brisbane, Australia where we have had very productive meetings that are being held in conjunction with the 2013 World Gold Conference. The week started with a Global Mining Standards and Guidelines Workshop followed by a half day meeting with the Global Mineral Professionals Alliance (GMPA) which is comprised of AusIMM, SAIMM, CIM and SME. The Global Mining Standards and Guidelines Workshop was well attended and provided an update on the status of this initiative which seeks to develop global standards for various aspects of mining including a unified shovel interface, leading indicators, common operational KPI's, and energy efficiency in comminution. One of the highlights of the GMPA meeting was that we signed an MOU that recognizes the increasingly global nature of the mining industry and the geographic mobility of our members. The MOU "foster(s) a mutually beneficial relationship that will facilitate the exchange of knowledge and technology, promote technical and professional excellence across the minerals industries, provide programs for education and professional development, and facilitate opportunities for knowledge sharing, business networking, fellowship and public information." More details will be shared soon. We are very excited about this agreement and the member benefits that will come from this collaborative relationship among the societies.
Yesterday we met with Chris Moran who directs the Sustainable Minerals institute at the University of Queensland. The mission of the institute is "to be a world leader in providing knowledge based solutions to the sustainability challenges of the global minerals industry." The institute has seven research centers each with a specific focus area (mineral processing, mining and geology, coal seam gas, environment, water management, social responsibility, safety and health) and works with industry, government and communities to promote and implement global sustainability in mining. It is the largest and most diverse group dedicated to finding sustainability solutions for the mining industry and 80% of their funding comes from industry. Chris also represents Australia on the international Mining and Sustainability Task Force of the Committee on Engineering and the Environment of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, that 2010 SME president Nikhil Trivedi chairs.
