The PDAC 2024 Convention, renowned as the world’s foremost Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention, is scheduled to take place in Toronto, Canada from March 3-6. This annual, award-winning event is often likened to the “Super Bowl” of the mineral exploration and mining sector, serving as a pivotal gathering for individuals, companies, and organizations involved in this field.
The convention’s Keynote Program is structured around four themes aimed at inspiring attendees and broadening their knowledge.
These themes include a Commodity Outlook, an overview of the Mining Industry, a focus on Technology and Innovation, and a highlight on the Discovery of the Year.
The presenters will delve into innovative concepts and confront the intriguing challenges that mineral exploration and development will face in 2024.
Keynote 1: Commodity Outlook Keynote Speech – Sunday, March 3, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
In the keynote speech titled “In a World in Transition, Metals Matter”, Jakob Stausholm, the Chief Executive of Rio Tinto, will delve into the increasing importance of metals in our shift towards a renewable energy system.
Renewable energy, derived from resources like the sun, tides, and wind, is used for a variety of applications, including electricity generation, heating, cooling, and transportation.
The transition to this system necessitates large quantities of metals, posing a significant challenge for producers operating within a complex geopolitical and economic landscape.
This environment is fraught with risks, including trade relationships, security partnerships, alliances, multinational climate initiatives, supply chains, and territorial disputes. Concurrently, societal expectations regarding material sourcing are evolving, underscoring the urgent need for secure and sustainable supply chains.
The significance of metals, and how we provide them to society, cannot be overstated. Mining companies have long wrestled with the “green” or sustainability agenda. However, the advent of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) has unified these themes into a comprehensive framework. This can guide mining companies, as well as their supporters and investors, in successfully navigating and balancing the benefits to the planet, people, and profit.
Keynote 2: “Mining Industry Outlook Keynote Speech” – Monday, March 4, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
In the keynote speech titled “Catalyzing Minerals for Development”, Michael Stanley, the Mining Lead at The World Bank, will discuss how countries within the Global South can play a more significant role in mineral supply chains and capture a larger market share.
Defined by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Global South encompasses regions including Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia (with the exceptions of Japan, South Korea, and Palestine), and Oceania, excluding Australia and New Zealand. These areas are frequently marked by lower standards of living, manifested through diminished incomes, extensive poverty, swift demographic expansion, substandard housing conditions, restricted access to education, inadequate healthcare systems, and deficient infrastructure.
Investors are currently cautious due to the uncertainties in these developing countries. Project developers in the Global South require support to unlock sustainable development, given the political and economic risks associated with investing in these regions.
The World Bank is dedicating efforts to bolster institutional governance and establish conducive environments that ensure the sustainability and integrity of investments in mining, as well as in the downstream processing of minerals.
This strategy is intended to stimulate economic diversification and enhance the participation of the Global South in the mineral supply chains.
Keynote 3: “Technology and Innovation Keynote Speech” – Tuesday, March 5, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
In the keynote speech titled “Holistic Approach to the Energy Transition”, Denise Johnson, Group President – Resource Industries at Caterpillar Inc., will discuss the transformative opportunities that the energy transition presents for the mining industry.
The concept of energy transition describes the worldwide shift in the energy sector from reliance on fossil fuel systems, which include oil, natural gas, and coal, towards the adoption of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, alongside the use of rechargeable batteries.
Mining plays a crucial role in this net-zero transition due to its involvement in extracting the critical minerals that are essential for green technologies, including batteries and renewable energy. However, it is projected that by 2030, mines will only produce about half of the required cobalt and lithium and approximately 80% of the necessary copper.
This keynote will delve into these opportunities and discuss how the mining industry can collaborate to address the changes in people, processes, infrastructure, and technology that will be needed to establish a more sustainable mining ecosystem. The focus will be on creating a future where mining contributes positively to both the environment and society.
Keynote 4: “Discovery of the Year Keynote Speech” – Wednesday, March 6, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
In the keynote speech titled “Perseverance, Reinvention, and Culture: The Building Blocks of Value Creation in the Vicuña District”, Wojtek Wodzicki, from the Vicuña Exploration Team of Lundin Group, will share their journey of discovery and value creation.
This year, the Vicuña Exploration Team from Lundin Group is the proud recipient of the Thayer Lindsley Award at the PDAC. This award, which will be presented at the annual PDAC Convention on March 5, 2024, acknowledges an individual or team that has made a significant recent mineral discovery globally. The award pays tribute to Thayer Lindsley, a legendary figure in mining who was inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame in 1989.
The Lundin Group has a rich history in Argentina, with involvement in the Alumbrera and Veladero projects since the 1990s. In the early 2000s, they staked the Vicuña district, leading to the discovery of a major new copper district in the heart of the Central Andes, a region that already contributes to 40% of the world’s copper supply. The Vicuña District is now emerging as a globally significant metal deposit cluster.
Extensive exploration efforts conducted by the Vicuña Exploration Team of the Lundin Group have exposed this new mining district. This area includes four significant porphyry systems of copper, gold, and silver from Lundin Group companies including the Filo del Sol project (Filo del Sol (TSX: FIL)), the Josemaria project (Lundin Mining (TSX: LUN)), and the Los Helados and Lunahuasi projects (NGEx Minerals (TSXV: NGEX)).
This success story, which unfolded over two decades, is a testament to patient and practical exploration, creative and flexible geological thinking, and a strong entrepreneurial corporate culture. It serves as an inspiring example of the potential for discovery and value creation in the mining industry.
Final Thoughts
The keynote speeches, delivered by industry leaders, provide a valuable perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. Attendees are encouraged to participate in these sessions for a deeper understanding of the industry’s future direction.
All keynotes will take place in Room 701 and recordings will be available online for those with an “All Access Pass”, ensuring wider access to the shared insights.
For more information, please visit < www.pdac.ca/convention >.
FIGURE 1: Keynote Speakers at PDAC 2024
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