Short Course
The Future is Now: Navigating Global Trends, Shaping Markets, and Mineral Exploration Path Forward
FULL DAY – November 3 | 09:00 – 17:00
Description:
The success of mineral projects hinges on exploration, requiring a systematic approach that integrates geological, legal, investment, social, and environmental expertise. Beyond assessing mineral potential, the value of an exploration campaign lies in factors like access to capital, land, and social approval for permits. This course examines how global trends are reshaping the mineral exploration business model, mirroring the heightened scrutiny faced by the mining industry.
Stakeholder engagement approaches must adapt to mitigate ESG risks, while governmental regulations, especially for critical minerals, play a pivotal role. Participants will engage in an interactive workshop, collaboratively devising strategies to tackle these challenges and cultivate positive stakeholder relationships. Participants will gain firsthand experience and essential skills for effectively engaging in stakeholder participation processes.
This learning experience will provide critical knowledge about global trends, ESG evaluations, legal compliance frameworks, investor perspectives, and stakeholder engagement relating to mineral exploration and mining projects. It will cover assessing ESG factors and social performance prior to project acquisition, evaluating the potential to develop Critical Mineral projects under globally recognized frameworks, interpreting investor views on ESG and impact investing, understanding how human and Indigenous rights are vital for mining projects, building positive stakeholder relations locally and internationally, and gaining first-hand experience with stakeholder participation. This course benefits professionals in geology, social, finance, law, and related fields seeking to understand global trends and define strategies that address the needs and expectations of governments, regulators, investors, communities and other stakeholders in order to make mineral projects successful.
Short Course Objectives:
Critical Minerals: This module provides an overview of critical minerals issues: core terminology, local and global critical and strategic minerals lists, key market trends, geopolitics, and supply chain issues.
Markets: This module explores the interplay of investors, regulators, governments, and communities in revolutionizing mineral exploration through far-reaching global trends extending beyond the energy transition.
Indigenous Rights: Unpacking the importance of stakeholder engagement, this module spotlights Indigenous rights, covering UNDRIP, FPIC, and ILO 169, and addressing trust building between mining companies and Indigenous communities. Particular attention is given in this module to the implications of legislation aimed at speeding up mining permits such as Bill C5 (federal), Bill 5 (Ontario) and Bill 15 (British Columbia).
Case Study: The final module explores the interplay of the mining cycle, global trends in metal demand, investor sentiment, regulators, governments, and communities in resource development by means of a case study. Here, attention is paid to both the mining finance angle and the stakeholder engagement aspect, illustrating the difficult balance that investors and mining companies need to maintain in the development of exploration projects. This model provides practical experience in integrating engagement methods into strategy development to effectively navigate engagement processes.
Target Audience:
Our course design prioritizes engagement and positive learning. Utilizing public participation and dialogue-based workshops led by experts, we delve into crucial subjects such as critical minerals, mining finance, global trends, geopolitics, Indigenous rights, ESG risk, and stakeholder engagement. Attendees actively participate in open dialogues per topic, and interactive Q&A sessions. This hands-on, case-study-based approach significantly deepens attendees’ comprehension. It guarantees an immersive, practical, and impactful learning experience.
Facilitators
Elizabeth Steyn
University of Calgary
David Good
Western University
Pricing
Full day Short course
Price includes two coffee breaks, lunch and course notes