Speaker: Nikki LaBranche - (The University of Queensland) 

While there already exists a substantial body of knowledge on particulate matter and its impacts upon human health, it is also clear that there are major gaps in our understanding. After the ‘resurgence’ of coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP) in Queensland, Australia, much work has been done to improve exposure monitoring and health surveillance in coal miners. As a result of this it has been recognized that it is not adequate to talk about particulate matter in general terms as both size and chemical content can affect the potential adverse consequences of excessive exposure. A broader look is required into inspirable dusts, respirable dusts, fine particles and ultrafine particles and the growing awareness of the contribution of silica to respiratory disease.

Speakers: Professor Hannah Le Roux and Malaki Filliano, Wits University: School of Architecture and Planning 

The question of township afterlives is central to re-imagining a post-mining world. Following a collaborative studio in 2014 between the Masters courses from KU Leuven and Wits University that proposed a strategic rethinking of the Rand region, including elements beyond bio-chemical remediation, a first project has taken this thinking to a detailed level. In his 2017 Masters of Architecture, Malaki Filiano has elaborated on the strategies of channeling acid mine drainage (AMD) through constructed wetlands, re-purposing infrastructures and reconnecting the fragmented urban fabrics of townships and towns across the blighted mining belt. His original contribution was to design these spatial interventions around industrial hemp as raw material for beneficiation in the surrounding industrial areas, creating new opportunities for employment and small scale or collaborative agriculture while remediating the toxicity of the landscape.

CONCEPTUALISING A FIBROUS FUTURE INITIATIVE 

Speakers: Aysha Lotter and Tapiwa Chimbganda

Fibrous plants (such as bamboo) can be used to transform degraded (mine waste) land into a restorative agricultural sector and a dynamic manufacturing sector which provides employment opportunities, inclusive socio-economic growth and poverty reduction in mining communities beyond the life-of-mine.

In this forum session, Aysha and Tapiwa will present aspects of the work done in the community of practice 'Resilient Futures', a larger interdisciplinary project focused on developing a fibre micro-industry to generate post-mining economic growth from degraded land. The forum will focus on the negotiations between various stakeholders. The presentation will build a fictional scenario based on an end-of-life mine looking to engage in a fibrous future initiative. The discussion will follow based on issues identified in the presentation.

David Viljoen 

Sustainability reporting is a practice that ought to be a key communication channel with stakeholders, driving increased organisational accountability and transparency. However, the functionality and effectiveness of sustainability reports are affected by quality issues, resulting from the voluntary nature of reporting as well as the proliferation of standards.

In this forum technical session, David will present aspects of his work on stakeholders’ perceptions of the functionality and quality of sustainability reporting in the South African mining industry.

Considering mining in Africa 

In the first week of a new forum cycle we will take a look at the sometimes complex interplay between regulation and mining industry-led best practice guidelines – with a focus on how this manifests in Africa.

The aim of the session is to provide some background and context to this issue, leading into a framework for understanding some of its dimensions. We will consider examples ranging from historical disasters, to the state of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. We hope this will set the scene for a robust discussion and broadening of perspectives.

Conversation with Richard Pakleppa

In previous forum sessions we completed the viewing of the documentary Dying for Gold. In this week’s session we will be joined by one of the directors of the film, Richard Pakleppa. Richard has directed and produced documentaries and fiction films in Southern Africa since 1990. His work has been screened at international film festivals and broadcast in many countries.

He will share his experiences and stories encountered whilst making the film. For those who did not have the opportunity to watch the full movie or one of the parts, to summarize:

The documentary explores the numerous ways in which the gold mining industry was a key force in shaping South Africa. In the first screening of Dying for Gold we engaged with the first part of the documentary which explored the impacts of the growth of the gold industry on migrant labour and rural communities in Southern Africa. In the second screening we engaged with the next segment of the documentary which continues to follow silicosis cases and the ramifications on communities.

Sulfur and oxygen isotopes implications for ARD-related processes at a South African colliery

Role play about circular: The case of waste management

In this forum, we will continue screening the documentary Dying for Gold directed by Richard Pakleppa and Catherine Meyburgh. The documentary explores the numerous ways in which the gold mining industry was a key force in shaping South Africa. This forum session will be the second of a three-part forum series, in the first we engaged with the first part of the documentary which explored the impacts of the growth of the gold industry on migrant labour and rural communities in Southern Africa. In this second screening of Dying for Gold we will engage with the next segment of the documentary which continues to follow silicosis cases and the ramifications on communities. For the third session we will be joined by one of the directors of the documentary.

In this forum, we will be screening the documentary Dying for Gold directed by Richard Pakleppa and Catherine Meyburgh. The documentary explores the numerous ways in which the gold mining industry was a key force in shaping South Africa. Through testimonies from communities in mining families throughout Southern Africa and extensive use of contrasting archive materials the documentary shows the impact the industry has had on rural communities. This forum session will be the first of a 3 part forum series, in which for the first two sessions we will engage with segments of the documentary and in the third session we will be joined by one of the directors of the documentary.

Thabani Mlilo - Head of Sustainability at Anglo American Platinum  

In this forum, we are joined by Thabani Mlilo, the Head of Sustainability at Anglo American Platinum, who will be giving a talk on leadership and sustainability in the mining industry. He will share the organisational challenges of embedding the Anglo American Sustainable Mining Plan which outlines a series of goals across three major areas – the environment, community development, and driving greater trust and transparency (see attached abstract).

Thabani has extensive experience in community relations, environment, health and safety and climate change. He served as a Senior Scientist at Sasol in South Africa for 4 years before transitioning into environmental consulting at ERM in Houston, Texas. On his return to South Africa he served as a Manager at PwC responsible for Climate Change services and Sustainability Assurance within the Governance and Sustainability group before joining AngloGold Ashanti where he served as the Environment and Community Manager for 7 years. He is currently the Head of Sustainability at Anglo American Platinum where he is leading the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the organisation’s sustainability strategy.

Professor Miao Chen and 

In this forum, we are joined by visiting researchers from CSIRO and RMIT University. Professor Miao Chen is a Senior Principal Research Scientist, OCE Science Leader at CSIRO Mineral Resources and leads a multidisciplinary team which focuses on the development of robust chemical sensors for in situ and on line monitoring mineral processing and mining site environment. Dr Chen is also a Professor at the School of Chemistry, at RMIT university and has developed a keen interest in the area of the fundamental issues related to low grade ore processing and resource recovery from mine waste and mining site environmental remediation. For the Minerals to Metals forum, Professor Miao Chen’s presentation will be on the Electrochemical study of sulphide minerals during leaching.

Xiyu Gao is a visiting PhD student from RMIT University, under Professor Chen’s supervision, and will give a background of her work on the Investigation of the effects of chloride ions on the dissolution of sulphide minerals.

Xihluke Mabasa & Tapiwa Chimbganda 

The Resilient Futures Community of Practice project, which is a multi-disciplinary project bringing together research from Minerals to Metals, the Centre for Bio-processing engineering, Mineral Law in Africa and the Development Policy Research unit, is currently investigating the potential for fibre-rich crops to transform post-mining land into a restorative agricultural economy. Fibre-rich plants, such as hemp and bamboo, have the potential to remediate land and create a post-mining economy through multi-product value chains.

In this forum, Xihluke and Tapiwa will present an overview of CeBER and Minerals to Metals work on fibre crop cultivation and multi-product value chains for post-mining industrial development, respectively, as part of their work on the Resilient Futures Community of Practice project. Xihluke is currently doing his MPhil on the remediation of mine land through fibre-rich crops and Tapiwa is doing her PhD on an integrated approach for the transformation of post-mining land use.

Adjunct Professor Michael Solomon 

In the last months we have seen significant news updates on mines closing. How do you plan for a post-mining economy? This week we will be joined by Prof. Mike Solomon, who will talk us through a case study on post-mining economic succession planning.

Prof. Solomon has 36 years’ experience as a mining engineer in the gold, platinum, diamond and coal sectors. He sits on the council of the SAIMM and is the chairman of its Mineral Economic Division, amongst numerous previous roles in the mining and minerals sector

Nicole Uys 

In this forum, Nicole will discuss three zinc sulphide processing operations: Trail (British Columbia, Canada), Flin Flon (Manitoba, Canada) and Mount Isa (Queensland, Australia). 

The reasons for the initial design choices and any proposed or implemented design changes will be discussed in terms of techno-economic and environmental considerations.

The focus is on the commodity zinc, due to its strategic value coupled with a limited resource availability and the wide variety of substantially different process technologies in existence. Nicole is a PhD candidate within MtM.

Remembering Dee's Legacy: One Year On 

We would like to mark one year since Dee passed on with a special Forum this week. We would like to invite everyone to share how they have bridged the "Liminal Space" over the last year and how they are taking Dee's legacy forward by keeping the "Living Gold" shining. 

Chad Naude & Sfiso Mkhize 

Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential ingredients for the high-tech industry, especially in the manufacture of permanent magnets, laser and optical devices, and chemical catalysts. Due to export restrictions imposed by the Chinese government, REEs are classified as critical and strategic metals. 

In this forum, Chad and Sfiso will present on the evolution of REEs and review the complex geopolitics surrounding their processing and production. Both Chad and Sfiso are currently doing their MSc degrees on REEs within MtM.

Prof Catherina Schenck 

Professor Catherina Schenck of the University of the Western Cape's Social Work Department, is the South African Research Chair in Waste and Society. The Chair is one of South Africa's first ever research chairs on waste management, aimed at transforming the sector while contributing to the country's socio-economic development. Prof Schenck has been working with Minerals to Metals, particularly regarding urban mining and the electronic waste research projects. 

In the presentation Prof Schenck will provide an overview of the focus of the Research Chair and stimulating interdisciplinary and inter institutional research on (1) opportunities to create jobs and improve livelihoods through the transition away from landfilling in South Africa; (2) business models to support a secondary resources economy, (3) required behaviour change to drive the transition away from landfilling.

Reuben Dlamini 

The Forum is about to start a new theme exploring mineral value chains and strategic metals.

We will begin with a brief technical talk from Reuben Dlamini who will update us on his MPhil research, after which we will branch out into a broader discussion.

Brian Chicksen (VP Sustainability for AngloGold Ashanti) 

Sustainable development has become somewhat of a buzzword in both industry and research. How companies approach and work towards achieving sustainable development is not widely publicised, and how they then measure their success in this is not obvious. Join us this week as Brian Chicksen discusses AngloGold Ashanti’s approach to sustainable development.

Brian currently holds the role of VP Sustainability for AngloGold Ashanti responsible for design of the Group sustainable development strategic framework, supporting its integration into the business and assisting disciplines in the sustainable development portfolio with its translation into discipline strategies.  He holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor with UCT, and is a non-executive director of AngloGold Ashanti Health and the Global Compact Network South Africa.