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World Mining Frontiers Volume 1 2023


Editorial Editor Nicholas Kenny


nicholas.kenny@progressivemediainternational.com Sub-editor Liam Murphy Production manager Dave Stanford Group art director Henrik Williams Designer Martin Faulkner Head of content Jake Sharp


Commercial Client services executive Ruchita Marwaha Publication manager Roy Morris roy.morris@progressivemediainternational.com Managing director William Crocker


World Mining Frontiers is published biannually by Progressive Media International.


www.nsenergybusiness.com ISSN 2054-4219 © 2023


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ack in May, Gina Rinehart, executive chairman of Hancock Prospecting, made headlines after a speech to the Queensland Resources Council where she called for an end to the regulation she claimed was strangling


the mining industry. Towards the end of speech, she called on those attending to remind the world about the essential contribution of mining, saying, “Please don’t let a day go past without devoting at the minimum, 15 minutes each day to spread the mining message.” While we wouldn’t ask our readership to go quite so far, there definitely is an issue with public perception of the mining industry, alongside a lack of awareness of the importance of mining in modern society – whether that’s regarding its crucial role in the energy transition or the contribution that mining companies make to their local areas. The industry certainly can do better in a lot of areas and has made some serious mistakes in the past – but without improving the way in which it communicates with the public, this image will never change.


In this issue, we look into some of the challenging aspects of mining’s image, taking a deep dive into the debate around deep-sea mining on page 40. Poor perception among certain parts of the public has also been one of the contributing factors to a lack of skilled tech workers within the industry, with many graduates reluctant to start a career in mining. We learn more about the tech skills shortage in mining on page 22. Then, on page 30, we look at how abandoned mines are being used as long-term energy storage solutions, playing their part in the energy transition.


Practiced properly and with a mind towards minimising its environmental footprint, mining plays an invaluable role within society, and the metals and minerals it provides will be sorely needed in the years to come. With that in mind, maybe we all should take the odd moment here and there to try and highlight some of mining’s positive achievements. No need to do it every day, however – we won’t be keeping notes.


Nicholas Kenny, editor


UK £67 EU €104 US $135 RoW $136 UK £105 EU €163 US $215 RoW $216


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