MineFacts & Innovation Critical Materials Seminar

Seminar 1: MineFacts – the exploration and mining process explained

When: 6 December, 9:30 – 17:45

In this seminar, we use the MineFacts educational package to discuss the stages and processes of mineral exploration and exploitation as well as environmental, social and economic sustainability in relation to mining. The aim of the event is to equip the participants with tools to help inform others of exploration and mining activities after the seminar.

Mining is complicated and requires knowledge in many fields, from geology and waste management to law and communication. Mining provides our society with materials essential for regional and national development, but at the same time, there are environmental and social impacts.

To avoid conflict in relation to mining, our greatest tools are dialogue and knowledge. The material used during the seminar builds on the results from the MineFacts project, partly financed through EU funding through EIT RawMaterials. The day will feature speakers from mainly SGU. Talks will in English as a courtesy to international visitors, but the MineFacts booklet is available in Swedish, English and Finnish.

Who should attend?

Professionals, government or municipal administrators, NGOs, students – anyone that would like to:

• understand why certain areas are interesting for exploration and mining,
• learn about the life cycle of exploration and a mine, including associated processes,
• discuss sustainability issues related to exploration and mining activity,
• share helpful tools in participatory dialogue around the interactions between a mine and the society,
• get connected with people that share similar challenges around mining activities.

Seminar 2: Our modern society and its essential metals

When: 6 December, 16:00 – 17:15

This seminar addresses the issue of why some raw materials are on the European Commissions “critical” list and how this is linked to, e.g. Agenda 2030. We further explore their essentiality to clean technologies and modern society, and why reliable and unhindered access is a growing concern within the EU and across the globe. Talks will be in English as a courtesy to international visitors.

Who should attend?

Anyone that would like to learn why there are critical raw materials. The seminars will cover why certain metals are deemed critical to supply risks, challenges and opportunities for the society.

Seminar 3: Critical metals and minerals for the future society

When: 7 December, 9:30 – 16:00 (coffee from 9:00)

This day offer thematic seminars on today ́s much talked about and sought-after critical metals and minerals. We offer several presentations on the occurrences and geology of the critical metals and minerals, with a focus on, but not limited to, deposits in Sweden. Among prime topics will be the rare earth elements, graphite, tungsten, gallium, germanium and cobalt, and their occurrences, mineralogy, distribution and development potential.

We look forward to a very interesting and informative day, featuring speakers from, e.g. SGU, Uppsala University, Luleå Technical University, Åbo Akademi University, and the University of Helsinki. All talks will be in English.

Who should attend?

Anyone interested in the ore deposits of critical materials. Basic knowledge of geology, mineralogy and/or chemistry is recommended due to the scientific content of most of the talks.