Abstract
This talk aims to empower the ecosystem of mining partners in Northern Ontario to change the perception that mining only contributes net negative impacts on the environment. This antiquated perception persists globally from images in media of tailings spills, super stacks and GHG intensive operations. What is largely lacking from this conversation is the critical role responsible mining plays in the new energy economy. Paths to decarbonization for our planet to solve our generations’ greatest challenge, climate change, require minerals from around the globe to manufacture technologies like batteries, wind turbines, solar photovoltaics. Responsible mining is a pivotal component to responding to climate change, and the demand for scarce resources globally is going to rise. The entire value chain of mining needs to step up to the challenge to meet these demands with innovation and global action.
Climate change can feel overwhelming, but if we look at Northern Ontario, it appears possible. The Northern mining companies we work with are environmental stewards. The reclamation examples and environmental stewardship standards we are setting need to be extrapolated on a global scale. We invite the audience to recall Northern Ontario images of moonscapes, and fast forward to today’s rehabilitated landscapes. We need only look around the MEMO Conference and broader CIM membership to see how it was achieved. Innovation and collaboration from our mining partners and producers, consultants, suppliers, researchers, academics, trainers, innovators and technology producers, engineers, environmentalists are ready to be replicated around the world to create step change in responsible mining. Mining can have net positive environmental impacts, and Northern Ontario knows how.