Sustainable Minerals '16 off to flying start

Next year's Sustainable Minerals '16 will run back to back with Biohydrometallurgy '16 in Falmouth.

Preparations for the conference have got off to a great start with the recruitment of a very eminent keynote speaker, Prof. Robin Batterham, Kernot Professor of Engineering at the University of Melbourne. Until recently he was Group Chief Scientist, Rio Tinto Limited, President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and Chairman of the International Energy Agency Expert Group on Science for Energy.  Robin was Chief Scientist to the Australian Federal Government from 1999 to 2005. His current research interests centre on energy systems: including geothermal energy, energy reduction in comminution and in dewatering of low grade materials. His keynote lecture "The mine of the future - even more sustainable" will show how sustainability is something that is ever important but not necessarily easy to progress. He says that his presentation will reflect on his own sustainability journey of many years with a focus on the massive changes seen in the mining industry.

Giant international company Outotec has a proud record on sustainability (posting of 12th February 2014) and we are proud that the company recognises the importance of the conference, and is our first major corporate sponsor. We are also pleased to be able to congratulate Prof. Markus Reuter of Outotec, our long-standing consultant to the sustainability (formerly SRCR) conferences. Markus is co-author of the Handbook of Recycling (posting of 14th July 2014), which discusses the multifaceted field of metal and materials recycling, reuse and reclamation. The book was recently awarded 1st prize for the publication award by the International Solid Waste Association ISWA. Markus has also been awarded an honorary doctorship for his work from the Université de Liège, Belgium (MEI Online).

Finally I would like to thank our two media partners, International Mining, and Industrial Minerals, for their active involvement in what is set to be a fine conference in Cornwall next year.