World's Best Mining Companies to Watch In 2022 1

1. December Issue : 13 2022 GLOBAL INSIGHTS The Components Enhancing the Mining Industry INCLUSIVE INSIGHTS The Segments Impacting the Quality of Mining Operations C Brian Hesse, CEO, Co-owner and President PerenniAL 2022 Ensuring Sustainable Services in The Mining Industry

2. Mining asteroids will ul?mately benefit humanity on and off the Earth in a mul?tude of ways. -Peter Diamandis

4. Editor’s Note

5. Navigating the Uncharted Waters of Mining How Mining is Muta?ng to Meet the Challenges of a New Age! ining has been an age-old prac?ce that has the social and economic well-being of local communi?es. provided humanity with impera?ve resources These ini?a?ves aim to empower communi?es to take M for centuries. From gold and silver to coal and control of their resources and benefit from mineral wealth. oil, the world has relied on miners to help build the future. Thus, mining companies adhere to stringent standards to From the Industrial Revolu?on to the present, mining has operate sustainably and responsibly, both ecologically and been an essen?al part of our world, with its remarkable economically. In doing so, they bring a range of benefits to progress providing invaluable bequests to humanity. Yet, local and global economies. Through further technological with the dawn of a new age of technological progress and advances and greater public awareness, mining companies environmental awareness, the mining industry finds itself con?nue to be a powerful force for posi?ve change in the facing unprecedented difficul?es. With more complex and world. hazardous methods of extrac?ng minerals and resources, along with growing concerns about the effects on the In its latest edi?on, Insights Success seeks to explore "The environment and nearby communi?es, the mining sector is World's Best Mining Companies to Watch in 2022" and facing a cri?cal juncture. their various advances. Flip through the pages to discover the cap?va?ng journeys that these companies have to offer Despite the challenges posed by the need for sustainable and embrace the progress they have brought. and responsible mining prac?ces, this also presents an opportunity to innovate and advance. We are witnessing Have an enthralling read ahead! the emergence of new technologies and crea?ve solu?ons, such as drones and AI, to monitor and op?mize mining opera?ons, as well as the development of materials and technologies that lessen the environmental impact of mining. Thus, the industry is now enclasping innova?on in Adiba Taranum Tarade exci?ng ways. Furthermore, there is a growing movement toward small- scale, community-driven mining ini?a?ves that priori?ze

6. COVER STORY 08 PerenniAL Ensuring Sustainable Services in the Mining Industry

7. 16 24 32 Avalon Advanced CXO MEC Mining Budget-Conscious Startups Delivering Sustainable Materials Inc Still Benefiting from & Advanced Bridging Sustainability Flexible Work Policies Mining Solutions in Business Articles 28 20 INCLUSIVE INSIGHTS GLOBAL INSIGHTS The Segments Impacting The Components the Quality of Mining Enhancing the Operations Mining Industry

8. The way of business solutions Editor-in-Chief Merry D'Souza Prashik Bombarde Managing Editor Assisting Editor Adiba Tarade Shreyasi Shelke Visualiser David King Art & Design Head Sonia Raizada Co-designer Paul Belin Art & Design Assistant Rohil Shinganapurkar Business Development Manager Shruti Tikotkar Marketing Manager Joseph D'souza Business Development Executives Kelly, David Sales Executives Mark, Alice Technical Head Jacob Smile Assistant Technical Head Prachi Mokashi Technical Consultants Prashanth, Rajeshwari Alina Sege Digital Marketing Manager Assistant Digital Marketing Manager Renuka Kulkarni SME-SMO Executive Gemson Research Analyst Eric Smith Circulation Manager Tanaji Fartade sales@insightssuccess.com March, 2023 Corporate Ofce Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-859-2600 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.com www.twitter.com/insightssuccess Follow us on : www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/ We are also available on : RNI No.: MAHENG/2018/75953 Copyright © 2023 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success.

9. Company Avalon Advanced Materials MEC Mining Inc. avalonadvancedmaterials.com mecmining.com.au Featuring Don Bubar Christofer Catania CEO CEO Brief MEC Mining is a global technical Avalon specializes in cri?cal consul?ng firm specialising in metals and minerals with mining services capabili?es growing demand in new across the project life cycle from technology. early-stage explora?on. Company PerenniAL theperennial-group.com Brian Hesse Featuring CEO Brief Perennial brings aluminum consumers the most consistent, high quality, environmentally focused aluminum with the best customer service and market analysis. 2022

10. Ensuring Sustainable Services in the Mining Industry PerenniAL Perennial’s focus is on sustainability and to ensure, we source our products from manufacturers and mines that have a low carbon footprint.

11. COVER STORY C Brian Hesse Co-owner, President and CEO PerenniAL

12. constant resource flow flourishes the regions performer in customer service, logistics, finance, and around it and spreads happiness to both – humans technical service. A and the biodiversity. Talking proudly about the company's journey, the CEO But with the clock ticking ahead, one might ask, “is this says, “Perennial/s focus is on sustainability, and to ensure resource flow perennial?” And if not, how to keep it so? this, we source our products from manufacturers and mines that have a low carbon footprint. We predominantly service And here, the role of advancing technology is reflected. It is the building and construction, solar, auto, truck trailer, coming up with innovative solutions to ensure industrial recreational vehicle, and general aluminum fabrication processes produce sustainable products. markets.” But, technology alone won’t do the charm! The company, despite its recent establishment, is not And this highlights the importance of incorporating limited in its services and has a diversified product range REDUCE. REUSE. RECYCLE., in key industrial that caters to other associated industries. operations. Serving the Buffet Considering this and the rising market demand, aluminum has emerged as a diverse metal that is delivering A company is known in the market by the unique products sustainability in the process along with maximizing it provides, and PerenniAL stands true to this principle. It customer satisfaction. It’s current trade is not only as a final offers value-added aluminum products to the Americans. product but also as a value-added product too. These include; · Billet, To supply this demand, many companies are finding · PFA (Primary Foundry Alloy), innovative solutions for the same. One company that is · Rolling Slab, pioneering the production of value-added aluminum is · High Purity Alloys and PerenniAL. The company is shaping the value-added · Wire Rod. aluminum market by being dedicated to sustainable production and, at the same time, enhancing customer experience. As an evergreen stream requires a source to keep going, PerenniAL has found its source in its Co-owner, President and CEO, C Brian Hesse. His hard work and dedication We only work with have made this company come a long way. partners who are Let's read more about this company which is revolutionizing the green metal industry. achieving certain targets The Inception Story and always working to be better. Our world With the goal of addressing the deficits in the mining industry and making the industry resource efficient, depends on this. PerenniAL was formed in May 2022 as an MBO (Management Buyout of Rusal American Corporation). PerenniAL is in the top three importers of value-added aluminum imports to North America. It is also a top

14. This dedication has helped the company achieve a prominent position in the market in such a short time period. The Industrial Problem Matrix With great success comes greater challenges, and an But, ensuring quality with quantity is the key. Underscoring efficient leader translates these challenges into the importance of this, the CEO says, “These products are opportunities. Being the leader with an insight, Brian says, sourced from smelters and mines that are low carbon and “The key challenge in the mining industry is to meet driven to reach sustainability goals in the future to ensure consumer low carbon demands in the future. our manufacturing customers can meet their goals.” Though there are multiple ways to address this challenge, Improvisations in the Industry the CEO points out to a unique and essential solution. He says, “Mining operations are the first step that contributes The mining industry has been overshadowed by challenges to carbon content, and there is a lot of investment and related to health and safety, access to resources, procedural changes that need to happen to lower their environmental footprint etc, that have inhibited the sector's carbon footprint.” growth globally. Working to reduce the carbon emissions from the industry, the CEO elaborates, “PerenniAL The Eagle’s View distributes on low carbon aluminum. We demand our suppliers meet specific requirements when it comes to their Everyone resonates with a popular poem – The Road Not carbon footprint and their overall sustainability factors. We Taken. The dilemma at crossroads needs one to make a only work with partners who are achieving certain targets choice. A choice that is important and will shape the present and always working to be better. and future. Similarly, a company positioned in a market has Our world depends on this.” various options to comply to where it becomes important to have a clear mission and a vision to keep the growth curve upwards.

15. A Dedicated Leader Brian Hesse has been in the metals industry since In 2019 Brian was hired as President and CEO of Rusal America Corp based on New York. 1996. He began his career with Ryerson Inc and held several posi?ons in sales and marke?ng. Rusal America had just come off sanc?ons by From 2009-2011 he was Global Account Director the US Government, and his primary role was for Ryerson, handling the largest account in the to rebrand the company and grow it. He reposi?oned the company's business strategy company that accounted for 72 million in revenue. Brian then went to Aleris Interna?onal to focus on OEMs, established US opera?ons (now Novelis) where he started his first role that and ensure compliance with post-sanc?on involved interna?onal business as their Global regula?ons and built a team of the best people Sales Director with an emphasis on defense and in the industry. Under his direc?on, the common alloy aluminum plate. He had company grew its annual tonnage from responsibility in 12 countries and handled sales 135,000 metric ton in 2019 to over 350,000 of 75-100 million per year. metric ton in 2022. On May 1, 2022, Brian and his business partner Andrey Donets In 2018 Brian accepted the posi?on of VP of successfully completed a Management Buy Out Sales and Marke?ng for Vedanta, an India-based of Rusal America to form PerenniAL. He aluminum manufacturer. He was responsible for proudly expresses, “PerenniAL is now a 100% the Americas and grew the book of business owned and operated US company.” more than 60% achieving 200K metric ton of sales in on year.

16. To supplement the company's short term ambitions, it is best sales and service in the industry. We are launching a commanded by the mission statement of Perennial, bringing brand-new customer service portal in October 2022 aluminum consumers the most consistent, high-quality, through Waybride that will cement our place as the best environmentally focused aluminum with the best customer customer service company in the aluminum industry.” service and market analysis. The depth is signified when Brian expresses, “We develop long-term partners, not The Master's wise words customers.” The industry is brimming with opportunities and most According to the CEO, PerenniAL is driven by the vision, venturers are trying to use them to their advantage. The “To be the largest and the most reliable American owned mining industry encompasses everything from extracting and operated supplier of value-added aluminum products to from the earth's service, and manufacturing semi-finished the Americans while providing better than the best customer products to the sale and distribution of aluminum products service before and after the sale with an immense focus on to manufacturers. impacting the World with responsibly sourced aluminum.” And, here is where a guiding light becomes important. Ascending the Success Stairs Showing the path to the budding entrepreneurs, Brian advises, “My best advice is to ensure you work with a Perennial will scale its product offering in 2023 and company that has specific targets for their carbon footprint beyond. It considers interaction with the customer as a and overall sustainability plan. These are key factors for crucial step in scaling business and so the CEO while success in the future.” briefing about the company's future operations, says, “We will do so with low carbon, sustainable products and the

17. Global Subscrip?on Excellence, Choose Choose The way of business solutions

18. Don Bubar CEO Avalon Advanced Materials, Inc.

19. World’s Best Mining Companies to watch in 2022 Bridging Sustainability in Business he way technology has escalated its way into our Let us know more in detail about Avalon’s marvels. modern lives, it's inevitable to diminish its T presence. Be it our phones, laptops, tractors, cars, The Rare Earths electrical transmission lines, and jewelry as well. To sum it up, all our lives revolve around technology and the perks of Seeing its rooted experience as a steadfast name that will these advancements. maintain its stance on sustainability and social responsibility, Avalon provides its tactical resources and With all these technological advancements, a trigger process solutions to efficiently empower the full functioning questions is, “do we realize what goes into their making?” of supply chains in North America. Well, it's our mineral resources that our Earth is abundantly rich with. Without these, our industries would fall, and our Furthering ahead, it is interesting to note that, to utilize its standards of living too. strategic reserve inventory to serve as a leading North American company, the company is standing tough amidst Thus, to maintain a balance between our mineral wealth and a small scale of evolving companies towards innovative our vital technological aids, Avalon Advanced Materials ways. The main strategy of Avalon is to adopt principles of Inc. retains sustainability by restoring mineral wealth to the sustainability to align with impending customers like clean Earth in pioneering ways and by improving supply chains technology, who demand their supply chains to be purely for earth elements in industries such as aerospace, sustainable. medicine, and others. Avalon acts like a mediator for the one who values these elements. With the ever-growing demand for elements like lithium, tantalum, lithium, tantalum, cesium, rubidium, indium, To restore sustainable elements to our ecosystem, the CEO gallium, germanium, zirconium, and tin for utilization in of Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.,Don Bubar, formed Medicine, Aerospace, modern electronics, clean energy, Avalon with a VSE listing and over 20,000 shareholders defence, the rich mineral resource endowment can take the worldwide. Avalon attained an ESG Risk Rating in 2021 lead in implementing environmentally and socially and the ranks rose to 5% of a total of 150 industry responsible development. companies. There is already a significant shortage of lithium as increased demand grows within new secure supply chains Currently, Avalon is primarily focused on its five perilous projects: Rare Earths, Cesium Tantalum Lithium, for lithium battery materials for electric vehicles. From Differentiating Lithium, and Technological evolutions like 2006-2014, the potential to create rare earth from the Basal Clean Technology. Zone was highly discussed. In 2019, Avalon and Cheetah 17 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

20. In April 2022, Avalon entered an LOI with Essar Group in collaboration for the development of a regional lithium battery materials refinery in Ontario, Thunder Bay. It would process lithium mineral concentrates from other producers from the many pegmatites that occur in northwest Ontario. Avalon has a strong appeal in Avalon has a strong appeal in the petalite product line for the petalite product line for high-strength glass and ceramic products. With the growing high-strength glass and ceramic industry through the invention of new products, all expect lithium, where a high purity lithium aluminium ceramic products. silicate like petalite is frequently the preferred ingredient for including lithium in the glass formulation. Business Opportunities in Clean Technology Avalon has been evaluating several opportunities to apply Resources Pvt Ltd shook hands upon an agreement where innovative extraction technologies to recover critical Cheetah attained the surface of the T-Zone and Tardif Zone minerals from historic mine wastes, including acid mine with light earth resources for C$5 million and kept a 100% drainage, at closed mine sites. Some examples of closed interest in the Basal Zone for potential development. mine sites developed decades ago to recover one traditional commodity where ore is contained by many minerals that The Trio of Cesium Tantalum Lithium had no value then, but now they do have it. The work program carried out in 2001 confirmed the Avalon's East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project (currently presence of substantial cesium and tantalum mineralization inoperative) is an excellent example of a closed site where associated with lithium in the field of pegmatite dykes. only tin was produced historically but the resource obtained Furthermore, one dyke was found to contain rich cesium indium, gallium, germanium, and lithium, accompanied by mineralization. Drilling identifies a preliminary resource of copper and zinc, sits on the surface in 25 million tonnes of 340,000 tonnes at 2.294% CS2O and 0.037% Ta2O5 with waste generating acid mine drainage. noteworthy room for expansion. This was revived by Avalon in 2020 with a sampling program focused on cesium Avalon’s Future Initiatives potential. Past test work has shown an effective process using sensor-based ore sorting to concentrate the rare Avalon intends to procure and process a 5,000-tonne bulk cesium mineral pollucite. sample collected in 2021 and used during demonstrations of a scaled-up dense media separation facility. It will produce Due to the short supply of cesium, now the process of new large product samples for glass and ceramic manufacturers technology and new cesium production needs to meet the that have expressed interest and will be used for finalizing increasing demand as the prices have raised with the process flowsheets and design parameters for the increasing demand. Follow-up geological and geochemical concentrator and the refinery. surveys were conducted in 2021, which successfully defined total cesium aims for future drilling. The goal is to recover the elements of economic interest at a much lower cost compared to a new mining operation while Subset of Fleet Lithium fully remediating long-term environmental liabilities. Alongside, Avalon plans to reactivate the project as soon as In 1997, the Separation of Fleet Lithium Project discovered it can secure surface rights from BHP, who continues to a minimum of 10 million tonnes and was acquired by wedge Avalon's access with no plans for reactivation of Avalon. It is unusual in that it is fortified with the rare high- sites. purity lithium mineral petalite, which has long been in demand for high-tech glass-ceramic applications. It is a potential producer of both petalites for glass ceramics and lithium hydroxide for battery applications. 18 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

22. Global Insights The Components Enhancing Mining the Industry 20 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

23. nnovation plays a vital role in the mining industry. It is a tool to improve the efficiency I of its process, reduce costs, and meet is crucial in exploiting new deposits in the most complex scenarios. Over the decades, the mining industry faced challenging scenarios for its operation. Enhancing productivity to overcome natural factors like lower grades of ore, deeper deposits, and more brutal rock mass combined with an increasing environment and social awareness has boosted the industry to constantly work to enhance their process along the whole value chain. Innovation is crucial in giving appropriate solutions to surpass difficulties, ensuring the continuity and sustainability of mining activity, and improving the understanding of dynamics and mechanisms involved in the innovation process while analyzing status. Let's learn about some of the elements enhancing the mining industry! Labor Productivity The analysis of labor productivity is the first approach to understanding the relevance of innovation within the industry. Technological advancements typically influence output, allowing for higher production rates. While also keeping the workforce and reducing personnel through automation processes. A series of other reasons cause the changes in labor productivity. Natural factors have a decreasing ore grade and deepening of deposits, meaning a more significant amount of material in more complex situations is eliminated to obtain the same final metallic output that negatively impacts labor productivity in an aggregated view. The discovery, accompanied by the exploitation of new and better deposits, affect positively overall labor productivity. 21 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

24. Drivers of Innovation Future of Mining Through innovation, it is possible to unlock the potential of It is not easy to define the industry's outlook for the future. deposits that were technically infeasible to exploit using The world is changing at a much faster pace than ever traditional methods and increasing productivity. before right now. New advancements are fostered Preconditioning the rock mass, for instance, with hydraulic consistently, influencing the way individuals live. The fracturing, confined blasting, or a combination of the two, perception that "we live in a different world than the one has made it possible to extract deeper ore bodies in high- where our parents grew up" is not entirely accurate in stress environments. describing the current state of affairs. Innovation has also been mainly fueled by addressing Nevertheless, in the mining sector, specific trends that can environmental and safety concerns. Through process assist in describing this future scenario can be identified. automation and the use of autonomous and semi- The most obvious and first major technological shift occurs autonomous (remote-controlled) equipment, the goal has across all industries: as the transition to the digital era, the been to remove workers from essential tasks over the past so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0. Then environmental and social concerns have already few decades. compelled mining to look for safer, more effective, and sustainable business practices. The minimum requirements for maintaining the social license to operate are complying with more stringent Analytics AI and ML environmental regulations and attending to the concerns of local communities. As a result, the business's entire value The wave of digitization of processes advances in IoT with chain has been the focus of innovation, as has the development of cleaner and more environmentally friendly real-time data capturing, and mining operations have solutions. This is in addition to increasing the process's enormous data available regarding production, processes, reliability and effectiveness. and performance of machines, among others. Digital Transformation With advanced analytics methods, it is possible to transform this information allowing its use for better planning of Since the beginning of industrialization, several changes in activities to support fast and effective decision-making production paradigms have taken place, promoted by the processes for operation. surge and application of novel technologies. New transformation is in progress from the hand of cyber- Predictive models can also be developed to enhance physical systems with new technological developments like equipment maintenance, thus improving productivity. These automation, IoT, AI, and analytics. methods could be expected to optimize prospection and exploration activities, reducing costs and, most importantly, The fourth Industrial Revolution brought a new industry improving accuracy. concept called Industry 4.0. It is based on advanced digitization of the production process. It functions in a To summarize, combination of internet-oriented technologies, allowing connection between intelligent sensors, machines, and IT The significance of strengthening the mining industry as a systems across the value chain. critical factor in improving labor productivity over the past decades was examined. Mining companies typically have Implementing cyber-physical systems should bring benefits, low levels of R&D intensity, comparable to mature including increased productivity by automating production industries and far from high-tech firms. We rely primarily and decision-making processes, improved equipment on equipment manufacturers and suppliers to develop utilization, and reduced maintenance costs. Although it is innovative solutions. not about adopting technologies, it would demand organizational changes accompanied by knowledge and expertise. - Shreyasi Shelke 22 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

26. Conscious Startups S?ll Benefi?ng from Flexible Work Policies ompanies around the world, initially wary of work- Some employers are developing productivity paranoia and from-home policies at the onset of the COVID-19 are worried that their remote staff will not have the same C pandemic, seemed to be leaning towards adopting output as in-person employees. The data, however, proves remote working full-time, but many have now made a they should be more worried about their in-person complete U-turn, naming productivity as a major factor. If, workforce. While those who work from home take longer however, you are in Startup land, you may look at this as a breaks, 22 minutes versus 18 minutes, they work an extra golden opportunity that would previously have been 10 minutes a day. Not to mention, in-person employees are frowned upon. unproductive for an average of 37 minutes per day, not including designated breaks. Bokafix, a fast-growing startup that this year will launch its app for booking tradespeople on demand for home Researchers have also found that employees who are improvements and repairs, is a proponent of remote remote-capable but forced to work in the office “have working, especially for companies that are just getting significantly lower employee engagement, alongside higher started. burnout and desire to quit. They simply do not feel well positioned to do their best work or live their best life.” “Although working side by side in an office environment might seem ideal, on a more streamlined budget when we Lower Operational Costs are trying to build a product and grow without outside investment, remote working is crucial. However, it has to Cost savings are a huge perk of fully-remote employment, be done in the right way. Things like regular stand-ups, especially for new startups. Companies can save as much as quick catch-ups over Slack, and showing your team trust £10,000 for every employee working remotely for as little and flexibility are key to success,” Bokafix CEO, Natascha as 2-3 days per week due to reduced rent, increased Cox employee productivity, and decreased burnout rates. Major companies have benefitted from a remote work model, Increased Productivity including Sun Microsystems, which saves £60 million Data shows that employees do not need to be in the office to annually in its real estate costs. be productive. In fact, studies show that employees who work from home are even more productive than those who Not only does working from home cut costs, but it can work in an office. Remote employees can increase actually boost revenue. More and more remote workers are productivity by more than 77% as opposed to their in- hitting what’s called the “triple peak”- logging additional person counterparts. hours past traditional business hours from the comfort of their homes. 24 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

27. N A T A S C H A C O X 25 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

28. ABOUT BOKAFIX Bokafix was founded in Sweden in 2021 by serial entrepreneur Natascha Cox and her Co-Founder. Bokafix is an app that allows customers to browse and instantly books ve?ed, qualified tradespeople for home repair and improvement services without the hassle of research, quotes, and long wait ?mes. Customer reviews make it easy to see if a Fixer has had any past issues, helping to guide the user through their decision-making process with speed, ease, and price transparency from the get-go, ensuring users have clear visibility of all costs before approving and making payment directly in the app a?er the job is done. Companies save on costs outside of real estate as well. Dow reasons for their preference. In fact, more people than ever Chemical and Nortel report saving more than 30 percent on before, 78 percent, wish to continue working from home non-real estate costs with a work-from-home model: even after the coronavirus pandemic and despite the fact that most companies have returned to the office. Ÿ Utilities: The average utilities cost for a small business is £1.86 per square foot, depending on location and The National Institute of Health found that working other factors. That can mean spending between £ 177- remotely improves employee health, job satisfaction, and £1000 on average monthly for a 700-square-foot space. ability to work, in addition to reducing stress-related Ÿ Cleaning Services: Small businesses can expect to pay symptoms. It also improves workers’ feelings of autonomy. between £12 - £70 per hour for cleaning services for their office space. All things considered, businesses that embrace the remote Ÿ Food: Employers who are fully remote don’t have to work model can expect to cut costs, increase employee worry about stocking the company fridge or catering productivity, and in turn, increase employee satisfaction and lunch meetings. retention by improving work-life balance and giving Ÿ Taxes: Working from home means eliminating the workers more autonomy over their own lives. traditional cost of property tax for an office space. Promoting Work-Life Balance Sixty-one percent of people working from home today have chosen not to return to in-person work because they actually prefer to work remotely. Employees point to better work-life balance, productivity, and relocation as the 26 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

30. The Segments Impacting the Quality of MINING Operations he economic wealth that is derived from any country holds a very important part of progress T and development, be it open, underground, or both. It affects the environment on many levels. The adaption of heavy machinery with increased production has overburdened the existing environmental challenges and problems. Problems like that increase groundwater pollution, air pollution, and noise pollution. Thus, the management of the country's mineral resources must be closely associated with overall economic development, environmental protection, and many other preservation strategies. Mining projects have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment before any projects can be undertaken and approved. Mining can alter environments, but remediation and mitigation to restore systems. Let's have a look at the various segments impacting the quality of mining operations and know about them! Positives and Negatives Mining can have both positive and negative impacts on humans and societies. While looking at positive impacts, mining is a source of local employment and can contribute to local and regional economies. Remediation of potential environmental impacts like water treatment. Ecological restoration has a positive net effect on environmental systems. 28 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

31. Inclusive Insights 29 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

32. When looking at the negative impacts include human health future. As of 2015, there are almost 373 mineral mines across and living standards. Mining is also known to affect Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, The Faroes, Norway, traditional practices of indigenous people living in nearby Sweden, and Russia, with the top mineral in gold, iron, copper, communities and conflicts in land and often observes social zinc, and nickel. impacts on public health and human wellbeing. Mine abandonment, decommissioning, and repurposing could Impact on Ecology have a positive and negative social impact too. The clearing of vegetation to vegetation from land is used for Mitigation Measures dumping overburden and construction of infrastructure. Deforestation when the mine is situated in a forest area, with The measures implemented to avoid, eliminate, reduce, disturbance in wildlife and other fauna due to clearing control, or compensate for negative impacts and ameliorate vegetation. impacted systems are referred to as mitigation measures. These measures need to be considered and outlined in terms Noise and vibrations because of blasting and machine of environmental and social impacts. operations drive animals from the region with the retardation of growth because of lower water regimes and air and water Mitigation of negative environmental impacts within the pollution. The water table of the adjoining area gets lowered system (like water and soil) can influence other systems, because of fractures created in the aquifer by underground such as the well-being of local communities and mining. It harms the growth of vegetation and agricultural biodiversity, in both ways, positive and negative, produce. respectively. Vegetation in the ecology supports the capacity of the topsoil To adhere to these mitigation measures are designed to in the tensile zone of subsiding areas to be impaired. minimize the negative impact of mining on social and Discharge of polluted water from the underground mine to environmental systems. They may not always be effective, surface water bodies affects the aquatic ecology. particularly on a long terms basis and across systems. As mitigation is designed to affect an environmental change Mining is always together with the environmental disorder in and knock on the doors of changes in a social system, open caste mining. Opencast mining contributes to land research appears to be conducted into effectiveness and degradation, vegetation degradation destruction of productive overview on a system level over metal mining mitigation land in addition to affecting river flow, situation, water measures. pollution, and deforestation in many cases. Mining in the Arctic In a nutshell, Mining in boreal and arctic regions are sensitive to the Mining practices have serious environmental impacts related impact of mining and other mining-related activities on to water pollution, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and social and environmental systems. The northern latitudes air pollution. Increase in health-related problems, noise are often considered harsh and, therefore, challenging for pollution and vibration, land subsidence, landslides, and human activities and industrial development. surface and groundwater pollution of significant impacts of mining activity. Although the artic is home to substantial mineral resources and predominantly focuses on mining activities in the last It has to be mandatory for all mining activities taking place on th 100 years, with a marked increase in the early 20 century, both large and small scales to submit a true environmental the intensifying interest in exploration accompanies impact assessment report to get a mining license. Government exploitation in recent years to meet the growing global must strictly implement the act "The Environmental Protection demand for metals. Act 1986" in all mine sectors and appoint inspection officers to check whether mine holders are following the act. With the region's geological features with society's need for metal, resource extraction is likely to dominate the discourse on the development of northern latitudes in the - Shreyasi Shelke 30 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

34. MEC M I N I N G Delivering Sustainable & Advanced Mining Solutions he world has evolved a lot since the Industrial revolution in terms of coal mining, considering it T to be the primary energy source for industrial areas and transportation. But in the entire revolution till date, the primary source of energy remains constant, which is Coal. With the invention of new technologies, the coal mining industry has grown in capabilities covering all the aspects of exploration and mining activities. th In the 17 century, the first coal mining experiments were carried out, and since then, there have been rapid changes in the mining process. Automated tools with emerging technologies are being integrated in the present time to transform the future of the mining industry. An Australian-based Global Consulting Firm, MEC Mining, started using automated tools and new technologies by implying AI in the mining industry to provide well-placed support to their clients by transforming their operations. Concerning Advancing Sustainable Mining, MEC Mining is providing new, cleaner, and more efficient methods of operations, as this is the future of mining to minimize the environmental effects. With the leadership of Christofer Catania, CEO, he states Christofer Catania about the founders Daniel Chippendale, Simon Cohn, and CEO Ted Boulton implying first-hand knowledge of the mining MEC Mining industry and the challenges owners encounter while 32 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

35. World’s Best Mining Companies to watch in 2022 implementing a project because they were mining engineers Boulton, had a first-hand understanding of the mining with practical experience. landscape and the pitfalls that owners face in executing a project. When establishing MEC Mining, they built a team When they founded MEC Mining, they created a team that focusing on communicating and collaborating with clients was focused on speaking with and working together with to deliver the best-tailored resolutions to each problem. clients to give the most individualized solutions to each This has remained the company’s vision and mission. challenge. Tell us about your company’s journey in the mining So let’s unfold the journey of the founders in MEC Mining sector. and learn more about their experience through the inter- view highlights below: Established in 2005 in Brisbane, the company, which initially offered technical support to Australian mining Please describe your firm in detail. companies within coal, has since grown in response to demand from clients locally and internationally and now MEC Mining is an Australian-based, global consulting firm services both metalliferous and coal mining organizations. that specializes in mine technical services capabilities In 2021, Chris Catania was appointed Chief Executive across the project life cycle, from exploration and early- Officer as part of the company’s organizational re-structure stage development to mine closure and rehabilitation. Our to facilitate MEC’s accelerated growth trajectory. That Geotechnical Engineers, Mining Engineers, and Geologists growth included the creation of advisory and geotechnical support clients from both open-cut and underground mining business units and the establishment of offices in Perth to across a broad range of commodities. better serve our Western Australian clientele. What was your inspiration behind venturing into the Earlier this year, MEC Mining also acquired Integrated mining industry? Geological Mining Services (IGMS). The established firm, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, further bolstered our As mining engineers with real-world experience, our growing capabilities to cover all aspects of exploration and founders Daniel Chippendale, Simon Cohn, and Ted mining activities. 33 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

36. Another initiative of which we are immensely proud saw the creation of MEC’s Mining Graduate Program, which fosters and supports new graduates in their careers with us. We also recently welcomed our industry partnership with AusIMM, which will further advocate for best practices and technical excellence in the sector. A real commitment to ongoing learning sees us hosting regular technical talks to support and promote best practices and technical capabili- ties across our team. This not only enhances our team’s personal growth and knowledge but value-adds to the industry when our consultants share this knowledge with clients. What were the initial challenges you faced while venturing into the mining industry? As a core team with excellent industry connections, we quickly established reputations as knowledgeable and reliable consultants among our clients and, importantly, excellent communicators who were willing to ‘get their hands dirty to solve clients’ problems. But, like many others, the company faced the volatility of the industry and had to become adept at being flexible to support the varying demands of clients. It was our success in this area that encouraged and enabled company growth. What are the USPs that highlight your brand/company’s uniqueness as a leading name in the mining niche? Our value proposition extends from our core values of quality, impact, and relationships. At MEC, we have a team of innovative, creative thinkers whose broad spectrum of skills and experiences complement and support each other and deliver maximum benefit for our clients. Our team members have been selected and developed as experts in their field and are considered amongst the best in the industry. They come from diverse backgrounds and bring a passion for continuous learning, both from each other and from the projects in which they are involved. Their commitment to delivering value beyond client expectations is a unique quality and is at the core of our team. Regardless of position, manager, or CEO, all input is not Built a team, focusing on only valued but invited because communication lies at the heart of what we do. Hearing our clients, listening to communicating and collaborating clients, and responding rather than reacting to their with clients to deliver the problems or imposing solutions, means we deliver and best-tailored resolutions to each develop enduring relationships. problem. 34 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

37. Advancing Sustainable Mining There is a consensus that Climate Change is the number 1 strategic threat to our mining industry. It is cri?cal for players to understand the changing paradigms around this issue to ensure that they not only have con?nuity of opera?ons through vola?le climates but also have a strong understanding of how the stakeholder expecta?ons are changing and how they must respond. Sustainable mining in the future will require players to minimize their environmental and ethical footprint through decarboniza?on, water and waste management, and forging strong rela?onships with open and transparent communica?on channels across indigenous communi?es, government, investors, as well as communi?es in the general public. But, as with any significant change, shi?ing behaviors to achieve environmental and social governance will require suppor?ve mechanisms to enable the transi?on and a good degree of resilience. The journey to achieve ESG guidelines also needs to be defined as part of a company’s long-term purpose and its economic case. It’s important to integrate sustainability into every employee’s job, including the company board. The financial benefits of conserva?on need to be well communicated so that each individual sees environmental sustainability as not only a business requirement but as a personal responsibility. The moves will encourage greater transparency and account- ability from the industry and a more developed and open engagement with the public. Already there are numerous official and industry resources being made available to move to sustainable mining prac?ces, and it is clear that, when implemented, the benefits to employees, communi?es and the planet will be there and not necessarily at the expense of produc?vity or profitability. MEC Mining is already providing support to clients who are proac?vely planning, and the overwhelming sen?ment is one of posi?vity in embracing change. The happy collision of this move with the growth of new technologies means that AI, EBV, and hydrogen vehicles, for example, will provide new, cleaner, and more efficient methods of opera?on for the sector. And, while cost is an inevitable and important considera?on, small incremental changes will deliver results in the first instance. As an experienced professional, what would you like to How do you envision your company’s operations with advise the budding aspirants willing to enter the mining the emerging technologies and automated tools that are sector? revolutionizing the mining industry? Aspirants are entering an exciting and crucial industry. In Our team is excited by the burgeoning new technologies our Graduate Development Program, we advocate a holistic and the implications of AI for the future of mining and is approach with a 70:20:10 formula: hungry to explore ways it can impact the future of mining. This means that we are well-placed to support our clients as Ÿ 70% of learning happens on the job, e.g., project work, they consider if, when, and how they will embrace the new daily tasks, job shadowing  technologies to transform their operations. Indeed, our Ÿ 20% of learning happens through others, e.g., man- consultants are not only already engaged in these discus- ager/mentor support  sions but are delivering online sessions to disseminate Ÿ 10% of learning happens through formal learning, e.g., information about how to integrate emerging innovations workshops, courses (formal and online) into mining technical service practices today. 35 December | 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

40. The way of business solutions Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-859-2600 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscrip?on: www.insightssuccess.com Follow us on: www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/ www.twi?er.com/insightssuccess We are also available on: