Euro Mine Expo presents a world of opportunities

There are still great findings to be discovered, there is still room and we can still learn from each other. The international outlook that took place during day two of Euro Mine Expo in Skellefteå, Sweden, proved the globe is full of opportunities for mining companies around the world.

The second day of Euro Mine Expo focused largely on mining economy, covering subjects and areas such as mining as a motor for regional development, mining royalties and strategic business risks in mining. In addition to this, Wednesday’s program featured the Exhibitors Innovation Forum, which consisted of several mini-seminars where exhibiting companies informed visitors of new innovations, products, services, exploration developments, and recent technical or commercial successes.

Euro Mine Expo attracts delegations from around the globe and on the theme “Opportunities in Mining and Exploration” six delegates took part in an international outlook seminar moderated by Magnus Ericsson, professor in Mineral economics at Luleå University of Technology and co-founder and partner of the Raw Materials Group (RMG).

”This is the peak of the day. I think this is a good supplement to the otherwise strong Nordic influence at the Euro Mine Expo,” Ericsson said as he introduced Dr Paul Heithersay, deputy chief executive at DMITRE, South Australia. 

Among other things, Dr Heithersay spoke about the area’s vast amounts of uranium, presumably 25 per cent of the world’s resources, and the dramatic increase in numbers of mines throughout southern Australia – despite the challenging nature.

”We have a proactive government that supports prospectors. It has led to new mines in places where they normally wouldn’t look.”

And there are still great findings to discover at other places as well.

”Colombia is significantly unexplored”, said Mauricio Acuña, commercial attaché at the Colombian Embassy in Sweden.

The perhaps most concrete suggestion during this outlook was courtesy of Yan Weidong, deputy director of the Information Centre at China’s Ministry of Land and Resources, who promoted a mining cooperation between China and the Nordics.

”We can share the knowledge and experiences of mining in extreme conditions. For example there are similar conditions between Tibet and Kiruna [in Northern Sweden]”, Weidong said.

Thursday is the final day of the Euro Mine Expo, and will focus primarily on technological advancements.