The Australian Embassy in Vietnam said that this week, in order to promote sustainable mining cooperation between Australia and Vietnam, the Australian Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) business delegation will attend the Mining Vietnam 2024 exhibition, with the support of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade).
STRIVING FOR SUSTAINABLE, RESPONSIBLE MINING
Ms. Rebecca Ball, Australian Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner said that the mining sector plays a critical role in securing a sustainable future for our planet, providing the essential resources to create renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, green building materials, medical devices and space technologies that will drive sustainable economic and social development in the coming century.
To ensure we are responsibly providing these resources for current and future generations, it is imperative that extraction is balanced with improved operating efficiencies and sustainable practices.
The mining sector needs to adopt new technologies, processes and business models to minimize environmental impacts and secure social license to operate. Australian Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) companies are leading global partners in helping the mining sector achieve this goal of sustainability, including in Vietnam.
“Australia can further support Vietnam in its aim to develop more sustainable mining operations through the upskilling of its workforce, implementing ESG measures, and adoption of Australian METS solutions, which reduce carbon emissions from mining operations, improve water management and find opportunities to recycle mining waste into valuable construction materials,” Ms Rebecca Ball stated.
Ms Rebecca Ball said that in March, at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit 2024, the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a Ministerial Dialogue on Energy and Minerals.
TECHNOLOGIES TO HELP INCREASE MINING PRODUCTIVITY
Australia’s Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector is at the forefront of developing and deploying innovative and leading-edge technologies for mining operations worldwide. Key Australian companies attending Mining Vietnam this year are global and experienced providers across the mining sector, helping to improve productivity, safety and sustainability in mining operations.
These include Nautitech, which manufactures and supplies underground communication equipment. Blackstone Minerals, Mineral Technologies and Mincore specialize in geological mapping using drone technology and manufacture specialized mining equipment and services, mineral processing and recovery technologies.
Quaker Houghton Australia operates in the area of industrial fluid and oil management. Weir Minerals provides solutions in water management, pumps, wear and spare parts, and processing equipment. Ekion specializes in sustainable materials handling and minerals processing to extract metals.
In terms of mining investment in Vietnam, Blackstone Minerals – an Australian company – is developing the environmentally friendly Tạ Khoa Nickel-Copper-PGE Project, located 160km west of Hanoi in Sơn La Province. The project includes a modern nickel mine built to Australian standards.
The project is an integrated upstream (Tạ Khoa Nickel Mining Project) and downstream (Tạ Khoa Refinery Project) development that will process ore to produce intermediate products for the growing lithium-ion battery industry in Asia. The Bản Phúc Nickel Mine operated successfully using mechanized underground mining methods from 2013 to 2016 and was built to international standards by an Australian contractor.
