Mining Professionals to explore Global Leadership and the Courage to Change at CIM 2013 Convention

MONTREAL, April 29, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - "Global Leadership - the Courage to Change" will be the topic of discussion and debate at the upcoming CIM 2013 Convention taking place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from May 5 to 8. The convention, put on by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), is expected to attract over 6,000 mining industry professionals.

"As the premier technical society for mining industry professionals, CIM is well-placed to support both corporate and individual members as we navigate these turbulent and challenging times," said CIM 2013 Convention co-chair Terence F. Bowles, president and CEO of Saint Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation. "Over the course of the CIM Convention we will be tackling the many issues that our industry is struggling with and discussing where we might need to find the courage to change in order to set the stage for the sustained resilience and strength of our industry going forward." 

CIM 2013's three-day, six-stream technical program will kick off with an electrifying Plenary session featuring a marquee line-up of industry leaders examining the convention's theme, moderated by award-winning investigative journalist and co-host of the CBC's The Fifth Estate, Mark Kelley. Speakers scheduled to participate include: Stan Bharti, executive chairman, Forbes & Manhattan, Inc.; Egizio Bianchini, BMO Capital Markets; Chris Lewicki, Planetary Resources; Richard A. Ross, Schulich School of Business; and Zoë Yujnovich, Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC). An open dialogue between the panellists and the audience will follow.

"The conference theme will serve as an important catalyst for establishing the direction, tone and calibre of the presentations, face-to-face exchanges and discussions that will take place over the course of the three days," said CIM 2013 Convention co-chair Tom Rannelli, senior mining engineer, BMO Capital Markets. "At CIM 2013, the boldest and most innovative change-masters will exchange ideas and initiate positive change."

The Technical Program will feature six streams including: Operations & Maintenance Best Practices; Leadership in Investment & Management; Social & Environmental Responsibility; Rock Mechanics and Geology Advancements; New Frontiers/Open Innovations; and for the first time, the CIM Convention will host the Planetary and Terrestrial Mining Sciences Symposium (PTMSS). The program includes a 2,000-square-foot display area on the CIM Exhibition floor showcasing advances in ISRU (in situ resource utilization) technologies.

"Extraterrestrial exploration and the extraction of various elements outside the orbit of our planet - some minerals, even simply water - will require expertise and technology quite akin to that required for mining," said Jean Vavrek, CIM executive director. "At the same time, new developments in areas such as automation, telerobotics and reduced energy consumption can bring our industry advances that can pave the way to remote, deeper and smaller-scale mining resulting in a smaller footprint and in less pressure on the labor demands we are presently forecasting."

CIM EXHIBITION: In conjunction with the CIM Convention, the CIM Exhibition will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2013. Sold-out again this year, it will host 425 exhibiting companies featuring the latest in mining equipment, tools, technologies and services.

There will be a Press Room on site at the CIM Convention, and press are invited to register for media passes for access to the various venues.

ABOUT CIM:
The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) is the leading Canadian technical society for the minerals industry with over 14,000 members across Canada and globally. CIM is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and technology as well as the facilitation of networking, fraternity and professional development for the mining industry.

SOURCE: CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF MINING, METALLURGY AND PETROLEUM (CIM)

Zoë Koulouris
Communications Coordinator
Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM)
[email protected]
514-939-2710 (1339)