Timings reflect Canadian Eastern Time

27 April 2023

8:30 am

Registration, refreshments and networking

9:00 am

Welcome from the chair

Speaker

  • Nadja Kunz

    Nadja Kunz
    Canada Research Chair - The University of British Columbia

9:05 am

RESOURCE RECOVERY & CIRCULAR ECONOMY

9:05 am

Keynote: Building a circular economy from mine waste

Exploring how the industry can unlock value in waste products to safely extract products. Disclosing how permitting needs to shift to enable a circular economy to be established. How does water management strategy need to develop to mitigate risk to local communities, wildlife and surrounding environment? 

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

Speaker

  • Andre Gagnon

    Andre Gagnon
    Director, Tailings & Geotechnical Engineering - Lundin Mining

9:30 am

Water reporting and regulation in South Africa

Explaining Mine Water Management Policy and how it seeks to address gaps identified in regulating mine water in South Africa. Outlining emerging regulation to facilitate reprocessing of tailings and help mitigate risk to communities.  

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

Speaker

  • Raquel Nosie Mazwi

    Raquel Nosie Mazwi
    Director of Mining & Industrial Water Quality Regulation - Department of Water and Sanitation

9:50 am

Towards re-mining (waste valorization) with advances in membrane filtration

Providing a brief overview of the latest innovations in membrane materials, coatings, and processes. With these advances, we might efficiently and reliably concentrate mining tailings and enable economical resource recovery. What challenges remain?  

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

Speaker

9:55 am

Permitting to meet demand: what needs to change?

  • How can collaboration drive efficiency in the permitting process? 
  • What should be considered when permitting the reprocessing of tailings? 
  • What is the regulators’ role in incentivizing a circular economy? 

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

Speakers

10:30 am

Networking and refreshments break 

11:00 am

BREAKOUT SESSIONS – Pick a topic of your choice

Stream A: Culture, Community & Social License

Stream B: Treatment Technologies & Innovations

 

11:00 am

Implementing a robust stewardship strategy

CULTURE, COMMUNITY & SOCIAL LICENSE

Combining global best practice to develop a cohesive strategy which prioritizes communities at site level. Gaining company buy-in and lining up with governance policy. 

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

Speaker

11:00 am

Optimizing treatment works to treat 3million m3 of water

TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIONS

Overcoming operational challenges to achieve required treatment volumes following a one in one hundred precipitation year. Outlining the optimization works to increase capacity of existing treatment infrastructure.  

Chaired by Lesley Warren, Director, Lassonde Institute of Mining 

Speaker

11:20 am

Overcoming growing social conflict around Las Bambass mine in Peru

CULTURE, COMMUNITY & SOCIAL LICENSE

Sharing lessons learnt from managing breakouts of social unrest directly affecting mine operations. Improving engagement approaches with communities and prioritising stewardship strategies.  

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

Speaker

11:20 am

Challenging mine water treatment

TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIONS

Ammonia treatment is a main contaminant of potential concern in mine using explosive and cyanides. Presenting case studies of nitrogen removal at Agnico Eagle.

Chaired by Lesley Warren, Director, Lassonde Institute of Mining 

Speaker

  • Thomas Genty

    Thomas Genty
    Water Treatment Expert - Agnico Eagle Mines Limited

11:40 am

Question & answer session

CULTURE, COMMUNITY & SOCIAL LICENSE
11:40 am

Membrane Applications on Mining Industry – A General Overview

TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIONS

Membrane processes have been applied for water and wastewater treatment for many decades. The application of membranes in mining is relatively new and has certain technical challenges due to the complexity of mining waste water. In this presentation a brief introduction of membrane technology is given. Some typical membrane systems and processes for wastewater treatment are described. Certain mining applications with cost effective membrane processes are also illustrated.

Chaired by Lesley Warren, Director, Lassonde Institute of Mining 

Speakers

  • Fab Pakizekhar

    Fab Pakizekhar
    North American & Caribbean Domain Leader - Industrial Process - Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions

  • Kang Hu

    Kang Hu
    Global Membrane COE Leader - Veolia Water Technologies North America

11:50 am

Roundtable discussions: Achieving water stewardship

CULTURE, COMMUNITY & SOCIAL LICENSE
  • How can our industry avoid virtue signaling? 
  • Should the mining industry have site/regional approaches to stewardship or a globally strategy? Why? 

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

12:00 pm

Question and answer session

TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIONS
12:25 pm

Feedback session

CULTURE, COMMUNITY & SOCIAL LICENSE

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

12:30 pm

Sit down lunch and networking 

1:30 pm

OPERATIONAL MINE TO MINE CLOSURE

1:30 pm

Repurposing abandoned coal mines to provide green heat

Showcasing how the UK are taking advantage of abandoned, closed mines to heat homes. Explaining how the existing infrastructure can provide the source for new head network developments. 

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

Speaker

  • Richard Bond

    Richard Bond
    Innovation and Engagement Director - The Coal Authority

1:50 pm

Long term closure planning

Delving into the importance of forward planning and stakeholder engagement to ensure a successful closure. Exploring the liability, responsibility and security of legacy mines regarding environmental impact, considering indigenous communities and local taxpayers.

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

Speaker

  • Bill Pain

    Bill Pain
    Environmental Scientist - Government of the Northwest Territories

2:10 pm

Case study: Closing Flin Flon mine

Transitioning an operational mine and surrounding assets into closure and planning for changes in water flow and seasons. Unveiling modelling work used to predict and assist with building strategies to closure.

Chaired by Nadja Kunz, Assistant Professor, The University of British Colombia

Speaker

2:30 pm

Question and answer session

2:45 pm

Refreshments and networking break

3:15 pm

ESTABLISHING COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIES

3:15 pm

Improving operational performance through new strategy

Implementing strategy based of ICMM frameworks. Benchmarking where Goldfields are now and the obstacles that needed be overcome to create change across the whole business and site-specific operations.  

Chaired by Lesley Warren, Director, Lassonde Institute of Mining 

Speaker

3:35 pm

Rethinking Water Management Practices to Improve Project Viability

Unpacking the leading-edge water management practices helping mining companies achieve agility, avoid risk, and find success in a  modern investor and regulatory environment. Discover best practices in early strategic planning, avoid common mistakes through a modernized approach, and improve long-term mine value.

Chaired by Lesley Warren, Director, Lassonde Institute of Mining 

Speaker

  • Monique Simair

    Monique Simair
    Founder & Principal Scientist - Maven Water & Environment

3:55 pm

Developing climate-driven strategies for water

An overview of Newmont’s approach to incorporating climate change into water management plans.

Chaired by Lesley Warren, Director, Lassonde Institute of Mining 

Speaker

4:10 pm

Gaining board level buy in to develop a successful target programme across the Rio Tinto

Explaining the journey of setting water targets and executing change through improved transparency of EDG across 60 operations globally. Sharing lessons learnt from gaining board approval to disclose asset level information publicly. 

Chaired by Lesley Warren, Director, Lassonde Institute of Mining 

Speaker

4:30 pm

Question and answer session

4:45 pm

Closing remarks from the chair 

4:50 pm

Close of conference