The mining industry is increasingly under pressure to transition to more sustainable operations and decrease its carbon intensity by huge margins. Against this backdrop, the 6th Decarbonized Mines Summit held on January 15-16, 2025, in Toronto, Canada, proved to be an important forum in which global stakeholders could discuss innovative solutions and actionable strategies. This two-day event allowed attendees to drive mining decarbonization through collaboration/ networking. Below, we provide a detailed account of the sessions and sponsor contributions that made the summit a resounding success.
Key Insights from the 6th Decarbonized Mines Summit
The 6th Decarbonized Mines Summit’s sessions addressed key issues in mining sustainability. Each session gave different insights as well as practical solutions. This is to address the decarbonization efforts of the sector. Below is an in-depth look at the sessions and their contributions to the broader conversation on sustainable mining.
Sustainable Mine Design for Closure
Gordana Slepcev, CEO & President of Lomiko Metals, offered a comprehensive insight into planning mines for closure. The session stressed the importance of co-creative planning with the local community and First Nations. This is to promote inclusivity in the decision-making process. Furthermore, the speaker describes the engineering possibilities to successfully rehabilitate sites. This is while maintaining alignment with environmental and social priorities. The speaker’s input also emphasized the importance of sustainable mine design as a key component of industry-level environmental management and offered tangible guidance to the stakeholders.
Gold Mining and Decarbonisation – Progress, Opportunities, and Challenges
John Mulligan, Head of Sustainability Strategy at the World Gold Council, gave this highly engaging session. It was on the path to decarbonization of the gold industry. He highlighted the sector’s progress in meeting specific climate targets. This is while addressing challenges tied to physical climate impacts and local adaptation. Moreover, the speaker emphasized adopting a holistic view of mining decarbonization. This is in the context of broader stakeholder expectations and sustainability goals. So, this session offered a comprehensive roadmap for advancing climate-resilient practices in the gold mining sector.
Nordkalk eLIMEnate and Mining in an Ever-Changing Legal Environment
Laura Määttänen, Chief Legal Officer at Nordkalk Corporation, described the innovative eLIMEnate program that links sustainability to mining via innovative lime technology. She noted Nordkalk’s efforts at identifying risks and opportunities in operations while implementing impactful environmental activities. The speaker further talked about the difficulties involved in the rapid pace of the increase of the number of ESG regulations and Nordkalk ways of coping with these difficulties to ensure compliance and implement sustainable practices.
Supply Chain Innovations to Reduce Emissions
The session discussed industries’ roles in supplier decarbonization by way of education and enabling programs. Luke Eisenhauer, Client Development Manager at Schneider Electric, presented the Materialize program, which is meant to boost emissions cuts for the MMM space. He described how companies can procure renewable energy along with their supply chain to lower both Scope 2 and Scope 3 outputs. The session also stressed the value of global best practices, platforms, and innovation in supplier engagement at scale.
Canada’s Critical Minerals in a Decarbonizing Energy System
Andrew Ghattas, Acting Director General, Natural Resources Canada, highlighted the central role of critical minerals in the realization of renewable energy technologies. The talk described the achievements of Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy and its role in pushing Canada’s transition to a net zero economy. Furthermore, the session went through opportunities to continue working in collaboration with partners to keep fulfilling common objectives.
On a Journey Towards Battery Electric Vehicles – Ventilation, Environmental, and Health and Safety Considerations
Anu Martikäinen, Ventilation specialist, LKAB, outlined the operational and environmental advantages of changing to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in mining. The speaker talked about the reduction in surface and underground emissions. Moreover, the session went through technology evaluation through studies and testing. So, the talk focused on the importance of strong primary ventilation strategies and BEV’s ability to change the way mining is done, by enhancing resourcing and safety.
Smart Mining: Harnessing ML-Driven Energy Management Strategies
Alvaro Rozo, Chief Product Officer at Arcus Power Corp, described the revolution that machine learning (ML) is bringing to sustainable mining. He explained the role played by AI-based forecasting algorithms and demand response optimization tools in providing precise market information along with cost-saving potential. The speaker also highlighted the use of smart mining technologies to maximize production whilst meeting environmental targets.
Cultivating a Growth Mindset in a Technology Team
Vinay Poojary, Manager, Vale Base Metals Technology, discussed promoting a growth mindset among technology teams. He stressed openness, ongoing development, and flexibility as drivers of innovation. Moreover, the speaker’s session provided a practical framework for creating a culture of collaboration and resilience to navigate technological and operational challenges effectively. This stands to be amongst the most effective decarbonization strategies in the mining industry 2025.
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for Remote Mining Operations
Brent Wilhelm, Nuclear Energy Technology and Economics Analyst at the Nuclear Energy Agency led the session. The speaker summarized the NEA report on SMRs for Mining: Opportunities and Challenges for Small Modular Reactors. The report, based on two years of analysis, reveals significant interest from the mining sector in SMRs as a means to support decarbonization efforts. SMRs, including micro-SMRs, are estimated to provide a 31% cost benefit over conventional diesel generators for remote mine operations. The session also explored future NEA priorities, including SMRs’ potential to aid deep decarbonization in potash mining.
Panel Discussion: Ensuring ROI on Decarbonization Investments
Panelists: Samira DADGAR from Deloitte, Duncan ROTHERHAM From Deloitte, Jahan KARGAR from Deloitte, Tom KRUMINS from Vale Base Metals, Andrew COOPER from Newmont, and Gordana SLEPCEV from Lomiko Metals
The panel discussion at the 6th Decarbonized Mines Summit focused on ensuring ROI in decarbonization investments. Panelists talked through how to obtain government funding, identify projects that support both mining decarbonization and productivity improvements and make a persuasive case to executive board members. They highlighted the need for utilizing industrial data for understanding, de-risking through sound design, and achieving effective stakeholder involvement to achieve the greatest returns and the lowest risks in the context of a complex, uncertain environment.
Mining’s Challenge: Electrifying the Future
This session at the 6th Decarbonized Mines Summit was taken by Kyle McCall, Director, Commercialization Services, CEMI & MICA. It discussed the role of climate change in inspiring innovation in the mining sector. Furthermore, the session emphasized the urgent need for electrification to address global environmental issues and to achieve a green economy. The presenter also talked about the need to change the mining industry by adopting new trends and revolutionizing activities to respond to the increasing demand for electrification.
An Effective Strategy for Decarbonization
Andrew Cooper, Energy Consultant, SYNERGISE led this session. The session covered the importance of an effective energy management system in achieving the decarbonization goal. Given the ambitious goal of several organizations to achieve a 30% reduction of GHGs by 2030, the presentation outlined the advantages of energy management systems such as reduction of costs and emissions. It also dealt with the important points that influence the successful implementation and why such systems are needed for decarbonization. Participants learned about the potential of energy management to make real changes toward energy cost and carbon reduction.
CO2 Emissions Abatement in the Iron and Steel Sectors
Patrick TOBIN, Project leader, Stegra presented original technologies regarding CO2 emission reduction in the field of iron and steel production. He emphasized the role of green hydrogen and hydroelectric power in achieving over 90% emission reductions per tonne of steel produced. So, the session illustrated the potential for these technologies to make a major contribution to decarbonization in the sector.
MICA: Connecting Canada’s Mining Innovation Ecosystem
Kyle McCall, Director, Commercialization Services, CEMI & MICA, showcased what is MICA, their work, and its methods. Furthermore, the speaker talked about connecting Canada’s mining innovation ecosystem and why it holds the utmost importance. The speaker also delved into opportunities in Canada and abroad for made-in-Canada technologies in mining.
The NICO Cobalt-Gold-Bismuth-Copper Project
Robin Goad, President & CEO of Fortune Minerals Limited, presented the NICO Project, a vertically engineered development that centers on the mining of critical minerals. He described the innovative design of the project, which encompasses a mine and a concentrator in the Northwest Territories and a hydrometallurgical processing plant in Alberta. The session also brought to light how the project seeks to address key drivers of mineral price volatility, increase resource security, and decrease their environmental impact. This is whilst ensuring supply chains for lithium-ion battery, automotive, and pharmaceutical industries.
From Groundbreaking to Legacy: Building Impact That Lasts
Nermina Harambasic, Founder of O-MOD, and Sabrina Dias, CEO of SOOP Strategies Inc., led this session. They talked about the way that environmental and community factors are incorporated into every stage of the project to minimize impacts and enhance results. Speakers outlined ESG as an inherent aspect of the design and planning for new facilities. They also investigated the potential applications of both emerging and conventional technologies in innovative ways.
Navigating Carbon Intensity-Based Funding Programs
Kevin Poirier, President & CEO of SCV Consulting, led the session at the 6th Decarbonized Mines Summit, which focused on technical strategies for the mining sector. The discussion went through programs like Ontario’s Emissions Performance Program (EPP), with a deep dive into technical criteria, performance benchmarks, and emissions measurement protocols. The speaker also went through strategies for enhancing competitiveness in carbon regulations and provided key insights on preparing effective funding applications to maximize eligibility and financial support for mining operations.
Panel Discussion: Clean Energy Applications for Mining
Panelists: Katherine ARBLASTER from Uranium Energy Corp & Group Of Companies, Andrew COOPER from Newmont, Luke EISENHAUER from Schneider Electric Renewable Energy and Carbon Advisory, and Brent WILHELM from Nuclear Energy Agency
The panel discussed the use of renewable energy devices in mining activities. They discussed difficulties in implementation and the advantages of operation when the task goes to clean energy. The session also offered concrete information on how to use renewable energy for sustainable mining.
Green energy, a cornerstone of the European steel Industry’s strategy to reduce emissions and transition to sustainable production
Prasanta Kumar Mishra, Managing Director, LIBERTY Steel Group, conducted a session on green energy as part of the strategy of the European steel industry to decrease emissions and undergo sustainable production. He described the decarbonization aims of the industry. This focuses on the use of hydrogen in steelmaking and the integration of renewables into the power system. The presenter also commented on the difficulties faced and presented Galati’s CN30 decarbonization scheme. This is as an example of a path toward green steel production.
Brainstorming Session: Achieving NET Zero Targets in Mining Operations
The participants of the session discussed conducting detailed emission level assessments and setting realistic, achievable NET Zero goals. In addition, the session focused on the alignment of the operational goals with global sustainability criteria. Furthermore, the session went through the active involvement of employees in sustainability projects. The session also reflected on case studies on companies achieving net-zero targets.
Who were the sponsors of the 6th Decarbonized Mines Summit?
The sponsors were instrumental in achieving the 6th Decarbonized Mines Summit’s goals by delivering insights, cutting-edge solutions, and support. Here’s an in-depth look at their contributions:
Schneider Electric – Silver Sponsor
Schneider Electric, a global innovator in the field of energy management gave a glimpse into its Materialize program. It is a program that helps to decarbonize mining supply chains. Furthermore, the company emphasized IoT-enabled solutions, renewable energy adoption, and automation technologies designed to improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions. So, Schneider Electric’s contributions highlighted its commitment to fostering sustainable practices within the mining sector.
Management Controls – Exhibiting Partner
Management Controls showed their myTrack platform, which delivers increased visibility with the added benefit of improved contract workforce management and compliance. Furthermore, the platform simplifies processes, removes waste, and supports adherence to sustainability objectives. So, by optimizing labor and resource management, Management Controls offered practical tools to enhance productivity while minimizing environmental impact.
Arcus – Presenting Partner
Arcus Power Corp. contributed key information on how to use energy market intelligence and large data analytics to ensure energy efficiency. Their adaptable offerings enabled industries to make savings in operational expenditures, cut carbon footprints, and reach sustainability targets. Arcus enabled companies to take advantage of smart technologies to improve energy efficiency and deliver sustainable, pay-for-performance results.
SCV Consulting – Presenting Partner
SCV Consulting made a significant impact by sharing its expertise in climate risk mitigation, emissions management, and carbon regulations. This experience provided attendees with the understanding to move through complex regulatory landscapes, obtain funding, and effectively develop decarbonization strategies so companies could obtain sustainability goals while further improving financial and environmental results.
Deloitte – Panel Sponsor
Deloitte provided helpful insights on the integration of decarbonization objectives into operational and economic objectives. Their methodology focused on strategic planning, interdisciplinary cooperation, and industrial data-based risk management. Deloitte’s expertise enabled attendees to access capital and create resilient decarbonization plans with a long-term nature that promised sustainability and profitability, ultimately leading to game-changing results in the mining industry.
To Sum Up
The 6th Decarbonized Mines Summit demonstrated the industry’s common ground in the journey toward a sustainable future. It laid out revolutionary technologies, implementation strategies, case studies, and much more to advance decarbonization. So, to keep pace with the field of sustainable mining, keep an eye out for upcoming summits like these!
