The 14th Mining and Exploration Forum was held in Moscow on October 2-4, 2018.
Reflecting current trends this year, the forum was held under the general theme “Building up Innovative Excellence in mining and exploration”.
MINEX Russia Forum 2018 – facts and figures
Delegates – 504
Exhibitors – 57
Exhibition visitors – 716
Accredited Journalists – 40
Speakers and panellists – 119
Master classes – 5
Number of sessions – 14
Associated events organized in the framework of the forum
The 5th annual meeting of the management of the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use (Rosnedra) with subsoil users – 120 participants.
Micromine Conference users – 200 participants
12th “Russian Mining Excellence Award” contest
MineTeck – 2nd Innovation Solutions Competition for the mining industry
MineVenture – 1st Investment Projects Competition.
“Miners and Mines of Russia 2018” Amateur Photography Competition
Summary of the Forum events
On 2 October, Continental, SRK Consulting, AMC Consultants, ArtGeo and AAEngineering Group held master classes on advanced mining technologies and practices.
In the evening the Australian company AMC Consultants organised a business reception on the occasion of the opening of its Moscow office.
Tradeshow and Business program of the Forum started on 3 October.
Before the official opening, the Federal Agency of Subsoil and Subsoil Use (Rosnedra) held the 5th Annual meeting with mining companies operating in Russia.
The Forum participants gave an in-depth analysis of the mining and geological exploration industries. The forecast of growth of world prices for ores and metals, especially lithium and nickel, as a consequence of the growth of electric vehicles, indicates a coming revival of the industry and a more active transition to innovative methods in the medium term. Optimistic expectations were also expressed regarding the prospect of lifting the US sanctions on Rusal. At the same time, there were noted irreversible tendencies of ousting Russia on the world markets by China, both in mining and in industrial consumption of minerals. Limitations at the legislative level of foreign investment in the absence of domestic investment due to the still unformed culture of geological entrepreneurship were recognised as a significant deterrent to the development of the mining in Russia. Representatives of the Federal Subsoil Use Agency (Rosnedra), responding to questions from mining companies, announced their intention to work to correct the excesses in the legislation that impede geological exploration and investment. Noting the factors of operational efficiency, participants noted that the mining industry, like the construction industry, is currently the area of least penetrated by the digital technologies, however, breakthroughs are expected in the coming years.
The program of the second day of the Forum concluded with the MineVenture competition, which enabled junior mining companies to present their projects to the Russian and International investors.
Experts from Polyus Gold, Polymetal International, Highland Gold Mining, Nordgold, Arlan Investment Company, Russian Gold Producers Union, Prosperity Capital, Bacchus Capital, Eurasian Development Bank, AAR and others were invited to evaluate projects.
Orsu Metals Corp. won the gold award for its Sergeevskoye gold deposit project developed in the Zabaykalsky Krai. Orsu Metals explores Sergeevskoe gold project since 2017. The license area starts some 300 m west from the suspended open pit of the Klyuchevskoe gold deposit and 9 km east from the open pit of the Alexandrovskoe gold deposit. In 2017-18, the company drilled some 15,000 m and trenched 4,500 m at Zone 23, Adit 5, Klyuchi West and Kozie prospects. The identified gold mineralization forms two bands, 800 m long and 200-250 m deep each. Maximum gold-mineralized width (200 m) was identified so far at the Klyuchi West prospect. The average gold grade is 1.5-2.0 g/t Au. Orsu is planning to publish a JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate in Q4 2018.
The “Skytvarn Resources” won the silver award for its project of the development of alluvial deposits of a technical abrasive garnet in Murmansk region. The project impressed the jury with its bold mission to build cost-effective production of abrasive garnet to meet the needs of the domestic market which currently imports materials from Australia and India. Due to the low cost and high quality, abrasive garnet from the Murmansk region can also compete on the international markets.
The bronze award was presented to Terney Gold which is exploring for gold and silver in the north of Primorsky Krai. The jury members were impressed with the quality of the assets and flexible approaches Terney Gold is offering to new partners, lenders and investors.
Other projects were presented at the competition by Central Kola Expedition (Extraction of gold and lithium in the Kola Peninsula in the greenstone belt of Kolmozero-Voron’ya); DVGK and Golden League group (Developments Noni and Bolotistoe gold deposits in the Khabarovsk Territory), Mineral Exploration Network (Finland) Ltd (Logrosan – world class Au-W ore district. Ore district Logrosan is represented by intensive gold anomalies with a total length of more than 25 kilometres. Presence of hard rock gold mineralisation is confirmed by outcrop sampling, trenching and shadow drilling. The scale of mineralisation is comparable with world-class RIRGS deposits).
During the competition, participating companies had opportunities to meet with potential investors and receive professional advice on further projects development.
The winners were awarded the diplomas from MINEX Russia 2018 Organising Committee and received prizes from Polyus Gold and Skyeng English School.
The Forum continued on the 4 October.
The programme focused on Junior Mining, New geophysical technologies in uranium and gold extraction, Innovations in mining transportation, ore processing, and environmental responsibility.
The participants discussed the issues which are impeding geological exploration and fair competition in Russia. Active development of greenfield projects has been constrained by the mandatory requirement of holding open auctions for subsoil use and publishing the exploration data in the media. As exploration data is the key asset, these requirements expose exploration companies to raider attacks and loss of business. Participants agree that Russia should follow the way of the leading mining jurisdictions such as Canada and Australia, where the exploration can be carried out on declarative terms, protecting intellectual rights and ensuring efficient subsoil use. The entrepreneurship has been significantly hashed by poor environmental legislation and control over mining and exploration, allowing for some biased competition on the market. MINEX Russia participants stated that the mining entrepreneurship and investment activity are impeded by “red tape” from Rosnedra and abundant licensing requirements against the common business sense.
To make mining more cost-effective, many mining companies are testing new methods and technologies. Uranium One, Rosatom, CSA Global, Highand Gold, and other companies presented new ISL technologies efficiently used in uranium and Gold mining. GeoProMining demonstrated interesting know-hows in geochemistry and SRK Consulting – in hydrogeology. Wardell Armstrong outlined a problem of handling cyanide and alternative thiosulfate and iodide in gold production and shared their experience in this area of HSE.
The winners of the MineTech – the 2nd Innovative Technologies and Solutions competition were announced at the closing of the MINEX Russia Forum 2018. The competition attracted a group of students of the Kobzas University and experienced mining professionals from Russia and abroad. This competition is held within the framework of the forum and empowers companies with the opportunity to present innovative technical and technological developments to the distinguished jury representing Russian leading mining companies and the Forum audience.
CSA Global (UK) Ltd became the gold medallist of the competition with the idea of optimising the mining planning using modern algorithms, supplemented by stochastic analysis. Back in 1968, this idea was described by Thys Johnson and currently has many followers. One of the parameters for optimizing the model is the reliability of the resource base, which is defined as drilling progresses.
The second and third places in the competition were awarded to AAEngineering for creating digital mines and Diamant for developing and applying new technology for the mining industry, based on the tagged neutron method.
The winners received diplomas from MINEX Russia 2018 Organising Committee, prizes from Polyus Gold and online course vouchers from Skyeng English School.
The 12th Russian Mining Excellence Awards ceremony, honouring the best social achievements and technologies in mining and exploration, was held on 4 October 2018 at the finale of the 14th MINEX Russia Forum at the gala-party in Moscow.
The GEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION PROJECT OF THE YEAR award was presented to GDK Baimskaya for over 100k lm exploration drilling at the Peschanka copper-porphyry deposit in 2015-2018, securing the double increase in proven deposits of sulphide ore from 3.4 million tons to 6.4 million tons, with 70% classified in categories В + С1.
The MINING PROJECT OF THE YEAR Award went to Nordgold on recognition of the field Gross launch in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) to produce 12 mln tons of ore and approximately 230,000 ounces of gold annually for the next 17 years.
The INVESTMENT PROJECT OF THE YEAR Award was given to Kolmar for the most extensive investments in the total of 150 bn rubles at MPC Denisovsky, MPC Inaglinsky and the seaport, with 35 bn rubles spent on the realization of the plans since the beginning 2017.
The HR PROJECT OF THE YEAR Award was granted to Polymetal International Plc for the publication of the world’s best-sellers on mining in Russian translation to upgrade professional level in the mining industry.
The SCR PROJECT OF THE YEAR Award went to AGD DIAMONDS for the implementation of modern environmentally friendly technologies and equipment, social support and charity in Arkhangelsk region.
The BREAKTHROUGH DECISION OF THE YEAR Award went also to AGD DIAMONDS for introducing new machinery in bulldozer ripping and excavation and broadening the existing technology by a set of tools alternative to blasting related to the surface kimberlite and tuffite mining at the Grib Mine in Arkhangelsk region.
The MINING LEGEND Award was presented to V. I. Tarakanovskiy, Russian Gold Prospectors’ Union Board Chairman.
The Mining Excellence Award was established in 2007 by MINEX Russia Forum and become “the Russian Mining Oscar”. The board of the experts selecting nominees and winners consisted of leading mining professionals.
Alongside the Forum on 4 October MICROMINE held a full day user conference for more than a hundred companies. Polymetal, Alrosa, Epiroc, and others shared their experience of using MICROMINE software products.
MINEX Russia 2018 forum report – open link
The online version of the Forum materials can be purchased here
The report includes
- Slides presented during the Forum (in PDF)
- Forum catalog with information about presenters, sponsors, and exhibitors (PDF)
- Video recordings of the Forum sessions
- Delegate list (without contact details)
- Photos in high resolution taken during the Forum
Please ask for a quote for delivery of the materials on a memory stick – russia@minexforum.com.
There are 0 comments