Mining Weekly

The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) is offering mining industry stakeholders the opportunity to participate in three four-hour ‘high-impact forums’ with top industry figures focused on the future of the mining industry.

The SAIMM’s Mining for the Future conference will run concurrently with the Electra Mining Africa trade show between September 12 and 13 at the Expo Centre, in Johannesburg.

The institute highlights that panel discussions, case studies and networking opportunities at the conference will enable delegates to gain much-needed insights into the status of the sector and what to expect in future, particularly in terms of technological innovations.

The topics that will be discussed include opportunities for mining in view of the ongoing digital revolution, global connectivity in mining, product life cycle management in mining, what the sector can learn from the automotive industry and mining organisations of the future.

There will be a forum dedicated to addressing the issue of high-tech mines, which will cover topics such as what mechanisation means for the future of mining, imaging of mines in real time, high-tech shaft sinking and the next steps in automation in mining.

Further, there will be a forum entitled ‘The Future Mine Now’ which will explore a range of topics, including the acceleration of research and development and the implementation of next-generation technologies in mining, multi-industry and role-player collaboration, systems thinking for mining, appropriate mechanisation and the connected underground mine.

The conference is sponsored by local enterprise software developer NxGN, geotechnical slope stability monitoring radar systems supplier Reutech Mining, infrastructure development and shaft sinking company Redpath Mining South Africa and mining services, solutions and equipment provider Maxem.