Description
Germany is shaped by mining activities, both past and present. Germany is also a major importer of raw materials extracted through mining and a supplier for mining. At the Georg Agricola Technical University in Bochum (THGA), mining and the planning of safe mining activities have been the focus of teaching and research for over 200 years.
The VISION ZERO Conference, organized in 2025 at THGA in collaboration with ISSA Mining, also aimed to raise and sharpen international awareness of the need to consistently follow the 7 Golden Rules. The title of the conference, “Responsible Leadership - Sustainable Partnership: Shaping the Future of Mining (Sustainable Mining 2025),” is reflected in the content of the “Bochum Declaration” signed by all conference organizers. This declaration forms an essential basis for the training of our next generation of mining and engineering professionals.
This paper deals with the fundamentals and experiences regarding the integration of the VISION ZERO approach into the education and training of future mining executives. What steps need to be taken to create identification with this approach, what scientific support can be provided with regard to informal processes within mining companies, and how can trust and openness be generated?
Planning and organizing safe, healthy, and responsible mining require identification, trust, and openness within the company. This calls for robust risk management and meaningful analysis of hazards, accidents, and near misses. In this context, the paper also describes the possibility of meaningful use of AI.