Admission for registered delegates only

Discussion themes:

• Review of the key sources of growth in the Russian mining sector: Science, Technology, Capital and Government regulation.
• Transformations of the interaction between the state and businesses in the face of declining revenues.
• Commodity markets outlook for 2017-18: are we at the bottom or at the peak prices?
• Economic equilibrium – should we expect the new “Black Swan” events and when?
• Accessing the prospects of continuing impact of rouble devaluation on reducing costs and improving investment attractiveness of the Russian mining businesses.
• What are the sources of new money in the Russian mining industry?
• Government support in the sphere of subsoil use: what support the subsoil users expect and that support the authorities are ready to offer?
• Modernisation and re-equipment: how to spend to save the money?
• Exploration in Russia: Who funds it? Who develops? How the money is spent?

Discussion themes:

• New incentives and powers enabling local governments to stimulate mining projects.
• Mechanisms to support investment projects at the territories of priority development.
• Developing investment projects. The win-win stories.
• Practical aspects of preparation and support of investment projects proposed for implementation at the territories of priority development.
• Infrastructure, energy and communications development – benefits and opportunities of private public partnerships.
• Business and Regional Government – creating win-win partnerships.

Discussion themes:

• Experiences of “first come – first served” practices Russian mining sector.
• New procedures for revocation of licenses from companies that do not fulfil obligations.
• Accessing state-owned geological information – current provisions and planed changes.
• A new system of classification of resources and reserves of minerals in Russia – introduction of the “one window” concept in subsoil use practice.
• Review of de-offshorisation practices and current tax initiatives.
• Amendments to the law “On Subsoil” on the accompanied extraction of minerals.
• Practical implications of the amended legislation on complex mineral deposits in Russia.
• Amendments in the law “On Subsoil” on developing mines classified under “federal importance” status.

Discussion themes:

• The costs of transportation and roads in mine economics in Russia
• Reducing transport costs for open pit mines – technological and implementation challenges.
• Accident preventing fleet management solutions.
• Automation of the mine transport processes.
• Remote control of the underground transportation systems.
• Robotisation of mine transportation systems – technical challenges.
• Conveyor – an alternative to truck fleet?

Discussion themes:

• The Eurasian Economic space – opportunities for developing cross-border trade and investment in the mining sector.
• Mining regulation – what the EEU member states can learn from each other?
• Provisions of the Russia-Belarus joint program on “Exploration and subsoil use”
• Reserves and resources evaluation systems – opportunities for creating common EEU standard.
• Developing cross border investment projects: opportunities and advantages for miners.
• Financing mining projects in the EEU member states: who currently supports them? What are the opportunities for creating the Eurasian Capital Market platform for mining?
• Developing a single market supply chain standard for mining machinery, equipment and services in the EEU member states.

Discussion themes:

• Planning and Operating mining projects – opportunities for improvement
• Unified management systems for improving to productivity and efficiency.
• New projects: how to build on time and on budget?
• A mine without borders: managing cross-border mining projects.
• Supplying and servicing mining enterprises – balancing costs and delivery terms.
• Building mining project – managing multiple suppliers and contractors.
• Integrating mine design solutions at the planning stage.
• Outsourcing – benefits and wider implementation opportunities.
• Modular approach to mine construction and modernisation.
• Using spare capacity – improving efficiency.
• Mining grade control efficiency – saving money at design & planning stage

Discussion themes:

• Evolving digital systems for geological data collection and analysis – examples and cases.
• Use of automated reserves and resources evaluation systems in Russia.
• Aerogeophysics and geochemistry – the possibilities and limits of use.
• The core – the art of deciphering.
• Use of drones in geological exploration.
• Accuracy of laboratory tests – the basis for a reliable model of the deposit.
• “Blind” exploration – making discoveries with a minimum cost.

Discussion themes:

• The future of mining industry – key change drivers to watch.
• Digitalisation of production: where to start?
• Using software products from different vendors: how to ensure they “understand” each other?
• ISA-95 – a unified industry standard for data transfer and integrating production processes.
• Systemic approach to Big Data transfer and evaluation.
• Real time data control and management in mining – new technologies and opportunities.
• Underground mine internetisation – technical challenges and solutions.
• Information security and data protection.
• Safe mine – accident preventing digital technologies and solutions.
• Automations and robotisation of mining processes – technical, financial and social aspects.

Discussion themes:

• Building self-sufficiency in the Russian mining sector – prospects, benefits, limitations.
• Russia’s claim to end imports of REMs by 2020 and to become producer. Challenges and projections.
• Evaluation of the resource base and the development of rare-earth metals in Russia.
• Is it possible to profitably produce rare-earth metals in Russia, while China sells?
• Demand projection for REM in Russia’s hi-tech industry.
• The new rare earth projects in Russia – technological challenges.
• Enrichment of ideas – what will make Russian industry REM efficient and competitive?

Panel discussion:

• The role of science and technologies. What has changed over the last decade?
• What key scientific discoveries and technologies will determine mining development?
• Who drives science and research in the Russian mining sector?
• Optimisation – cadres are the key to everything!
• Transforming scientific discoveries into technological innovation – science in its own right.
• State mechanisms and programmes to support R & D.
• Making mining safer and more sustainable by harnessing fast-developing technologies and practices from different sectors.
• Sources of funding mining science and research – new collaboration opportunities.
• Innovative solutions. How to determine their commercial value?
• Evolving new materials – impact on future demand and supply.