90th Meeting of the World Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress

On May 14, 2009 St. Petersburg State Mining Institute (technical university) hosted the 90th Meeting of the International Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress (WMC) that was conducted with support from the Russian Organizing Committee. Over 60 people from 14 countries, took part in the 90th Meeting, including permanent members of the International and Russian National Organizing Committee of the WMC, and also representatives of the world and domestic mining industry and science. V.V. Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, congratulated the participants of the 90th Meeting and wished them success in their work.

The official part of the 90th Meeting of the WMC International Organizing Committee included presentations on the mineral resources base condition and development perspectives in Russia up to the year 2030 and on the role of coal for the Russian economy in the post-crisis period. The reports were presented by Professor V.S. Litvinenko (Rector of St. Petersburg State Mining Institute (technical university)) and Professor G.L. Krasniansky (Head of the Russian National Organizing Committee of the WMC). The report «On the condition of the world mining industry&кaquo; was presented by Mr. Weber, a representative from Austria.

The business part of the 90th Meeting included presentations prepared by J. Dubinsky, the WMC President on the activities of the World Mining Congress in the future, and also report on preparation to the 22nd World Mining Congress in Ankara presented by the Turkish National Committee.

During the meeting the participants discussed and approved the minutes of the 89th International Organizing Committee held in Krakow, and the results of the 21st World Mining Congress. The venue and time of the 91st International Organizing Committee were discussed; Ha Long Bay (Vietnam) and Teheran (Iran) were considered as the possible locations.

 

Mass Media Digest on the Meeting

Mass Media Digest on the Meeting«The Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress held a meeting in St. Petersburg on May 14. This news was shared to StP-TASS in the oldest technical institution of higher education of Russia – in the Mining Institute. Leading representatives of the international mining industry and science took part in this forum that gathered together mining elite and outstanding politicians.

Modern mining industry faces a number of global engineering, economic, environmental and social problems. In the current situation of the world financial instability it requires mutual co-operation, engineering knowledge and professional experience sharing. These issues were in the agenda of the International Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress in the northern capital».
St. Petersburg TASS Branch

«Unfortunately, crisis phenomena in the world financial and credit sphere interrupted the tendency of Russian coal recovery growth. Because of low demand for coal products, starting from the second half of 2008 we witnessed decrease in the volume of production at coal enterprises, and the rate of reduction in the coal industry is higher than in other industries. At the meeting the following key tendencies of activities in the post-crisis period were discussed: improvement of the financial conditions of mining companies primarily due to the increase in the coal supply volume to the domestic market for electrical energy industry needs; ensuring industry development perspectives primarily due to intensification of coal production in basic coal fields; improvement of coal products quality based on coal processing (including coal beneficiation); development of an export-oriented transport infrastructure with an adequate growth in export supplies volume with a positive dynamics of the international market environment; stabilization of coal companies consolidation processes and separate outsourcing units development».
Berg Privileges Magazine

«Russian mining industry will have to go through reformations comparable to restructuring of the 1990s. At least this condition is required for enhancement of competitive domestic coal abilities at the domestic market and also for release of additional natural gas volume to be exported. This is the opinion of G.L. Krasniansky, Chairman of the Russian Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress and his colleagues who gathered in May in St. Petersburg in order to discuss tasks of the International Coal Forum planned for 2012, and Russian mining industry perspectives»
Power Engineering and Industry Newspaper, No. 10(126), May 2009
Article «Russian coal: problems and solutions»

«The motto of the WMC was “New perspectives and concepts of the mining sector”. Modern mining industry faces a number of global engineering, economic, environmental and social problems. In the current situation of the world financial instability it requires mutual co-operation, engineering knowledge and professional experience sharing, and also assistance to those in need. These issues were in the agenda of the 90th International Organizing Committee of the World Mining  Congress».
Information Agency «Baltic Business News» 

Mining statistics

The report was prepared by Professor Leopold Weber,
Doctor,
a member of the Austrian National Committee,
the federal Ministry of Industry,
Family Affairs and Youth.

«In the beginning of May 2009 the 24th volume of the World Mining Statistics was published in both hard copy and in CD format. As opposed to the previous volumes, this one will be distributed only among the members of the WMC International Organizing Committee that provided the Austrian National Committee with mineral resources production data.

The publication contains information on mining production in more than 60 countries and on over 70 mineral resources. The data is presented with breakdomn by continent depending on various groups and regions; countries are grouped in economic blocks, in terms of global regions, according to YaSA, and depending on the per capita income data and political situation provided by the World Bank. Moreover, information on production of each article is given; each country is classified in terms of production and processing level.

When publishing the 21st volume, the Austrian National Committee faced some problems as only some of the national committees had provided the requested information. We deem such a situation as a lack of interest by the majority of national committee and the secretary in this work, and that is why we would like to discuss the issue of our further cooperation.

Please note that the Federal Ministry of Economics of Austria finances publication of reports in mining statistics for the amount of 100,000 euro annually. That is why the future of reporting in world mining statistics as a publication of the International Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress will depend on the desire to cooperate actively during their preparation on the part of national committees and the secretary».

The National Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress members’ speeches

Prof. Sinasi Eskikaya,
a member of the Turkish Organizing Committee

«Turkey deserves the right to host the congress. The twenty-second congress will provide a rare and good opportunity to get acquainted with Turkey and to have a good time. The congress will be held in Istanbul Exhibition and Events Centre where 65 exhibitions and trades are conducted annually.

The congress will start on September 11, 2012 with a greeting.

  • September 12. Official opening of the congress and exhibition. Cultural events.
  • September 13. Scientific meetings and reports.
  • September 14. Continuation of the congress. Scientific programs. Official dinner.
  • September 15. Closing ceremony. Istanbul declaration.

Theme of the congress: mining industry innovations and problems.

Program: advanced ecologically friendly recovery processes. Advanced ground monitoring techniques. Geo information systems application. Waste management and natural environment rehabilitation. Mining processes mechanization. Deep seabed mineral resources mining. Waste conversion. Advances in research methods. In-situ coal gasification and convection. Bioengineering in mineral resources processing. Geomechanics. Blasting operations. Jointing. Health and safety. Human resources issues. Legal issues of closure of pits. Impact of the mining industry on the environment. Mine planning. Mine assessment. Financing. Transportation of mineral resources by sea. Use of fuel elements. Boron, gold, recovery and production. Mining machinery.

Alternate theme suggestions are welcomed. Also we offer a broad range of programs for connection with and exposure to cultural heritage. Trips. Entertainment».

Prof. Shayam Kishor Choudkhari
a member of the Indian Organizing Committee

«In order to implement our aims, more extensive membership and attraction of large Asian states to our works is needed. Such countries should be involved in work and discussion on a wide range of issues that they may help resolve. We should have regional units, and we might solve issues both in industry sectors, in separate industries, and in regions.

One of the most important issues is the publication of information in each state of our strategic reports. We should carry out outreach activities and publish books, as it will promote and attract of attention to our work. The Congress should publish small booklets on relevant topics, for instance on climatic changes. We may publish our own recommendations. We may carry out publishing activities».

Prof. Joseph Dubinsky
Chairman of the WMC International Organizing Committee

«The aim consists in maintaining and promoting scientific and technical co-operation in solid minerals mining and surveying, and also of natural mineral resources recovery.

We think that the key target of such congresses is conduction of large international meetings every 2–3 years under the auspices of the WMC for those who want to exchange information. Herewith we should provide high quality reports and corresponding efforts for such congresses to shape further development trends. Moreover, publication of various statistical data may also be useful, where such data are viewed as results of our activities».

Prof. Ivo Cotman
a member of the Croatian Organizing Committee

«I would like to propose some topics that we may discuss. First, let us consider the WOC membership structure. Members should represent producing companies, the scientific community and politics. In a number of countries the corresponding organizations are governmental ones, in some countries they are non-commercial ones and organize their own activities. Thus, we have a need for representation in such sectors. And second. As our congress grows, we have to form new directions. But at the same time it is necessary that all countries (both close and remote ones) are represented in one congress, under auspices of one organizing committee, so our activities are not divided into separate regions».

Dr Tomas Drnek
a member of the Austrian Organizing Committee

«We need changes. Small changes will not be sufficient. We need a revolution. We have to change; otherwise it will be the end of the International Committee».

Prof. G.L. Krasniansky
Doctor of Economics,
Chairman of the WMC Russian Organizing Committee

«All spokespersons emphasize the non-commercial character of the World Mining Congress and its national committees. It is a more than a fifty-year long tradition.

At the same time, practically all national committees and the WMC in general lack funds even for minimal organization and information activities. We are poor and have to rely on sponsor contributions. My business experience shows that we are able and should find a way out from this negative financial situation. With this end, national committees have to organize their own non-commercial units for independent mining machinery examination and economic-and-financial reliability of mining companies’ shares. Distribution of their products — results of the examination under the auspices of the WMC — may ensure financial basis for the activities of national committees and the WMC. Vendors of mining machinery and mining companies’ shares will gladly use the reliable WMC examination brand. It will ensure a wide circulation and a large volume of information publications, we may gather together for discussion of acute mining problems at least once a year or even more often if needed.

The results of such examinations will provide for extensive statistical material on the practical side of new machinery and techniques distribution, economics, finances, production organization and management in mining companies. And this is an additional source of analytic surveys, scientific research, consolidation and recommendations within the framework of the World Mining Congress».

Dr Man Dac Pjun
a member of the Vietnamese Organizing Committee

«Last year the Vietnamese Mining Association became an active member of the International Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress; it takes active participation in the events.

As you know, Vietnam is one of the rapidly developing countries that achieved significant economic, social and political progress during the previous 20 years.

Despite the world economic crisis, growth of our economy is at the rate of 5–6%. At the same time the mining industry plays a very important role. We recover and process oil, coal, bauxites, titanium, apatite and other mineral resources. Such operations affect the environment and nature leading to a number of engineering, technological and biomechanical problems that may not be solved without scientific research, use of results of such research and engineering advancements in the world mining industry. Extensive works are carried out for new pit and mine construction feasibility assessment, solution of rational coal pit use issues, complex drifting and treatment operations mechanization, coal pits in severe mining conditions, and development of a new coal field under the Red River bottom. I may enumerate many problems that, when unsolved, would hinder normal development of the Vietnamese mining industry. In order to attract attention of the scientific community to solution of the above mentioned problems, in 2010 we plan to hold an International Conference in under the common topic “Modern progress in mining” Vietnam. We also hope to attract a lot of foreign and Vietnamese specialists.

The Conference will be held under the initiative of Vietnamese Mining Association, Vietnamese National Coal and Mineral Industry Group, State Oil Group with the assistance of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the Ministry of Education and Technologies.

We plan to hold the Conference in Ha Long Bay. Within the framework of the conference there will be various technical and cultural events. We would like to propose to the WMC Organizing Committee to take a resolution on holding the 91st Meeting of the Organizing Committee in Vietnam and invite all its members to take part in the Conference that will be organized during this Meeting on September 23, 2010».

Dr Jamshid Ephtekharnejad
a member of the Iranian Organizing Committee

«We plan to organize a regional meeting of extracting countries in October 2010, and it would be quite logical to hold the 91st Meeting of the Organizing Committee in Teheran at the same time».

Press conference related to the Meting of the WMC Organizing Committee

Prof. Vladimir Stephanovich Litvinenko
Rector of St.
Petersburg State Mining Institute,
Doctor of Science in Engineering

«The current economic crisis is based on the lack of state (or social) control over financial, purely speculative issues. To put it simpler, in terms of the mining industry, businessmen made money primarily on the account of increase in prices, and not due to increase in resources recovery and processing. Nowadays, when «financial bubbles» blow out, mining companies have no guarantees of profit making. We once again witness a grievous regularity: countries recovering mineral resourcing are poorer than states that buy and process such resources. Profit from mineral resources processing is much higher than from recovery».

Prof. Georgy Leopnidovich Krasniansky
Chairman of the WMC Russian Organizing Committee,
Doctor of Economics

«In the future coal will be the «engine» of our economy. Under conditions when Russia is positioned at the international market as the world’s leader in gas energy resources supplier, we have to limit dynamic growth of internal gas consumption and to increase the volume of use of coal at domestic power plants, as the majority of countries do. On the one hand, it will ensure significant decades long currency earnings from gas export, and, on the other hand, will provide for overcoming of technological weakness of the Russian miners and power engineers in high quality coal fuel production and consumption. According to our estimates, by the year 2020 consumption of Russian coal at domestic power plants may be increased from the current 108 mln. to 160–170 mln. tons transiting to new modern, ecologically friendly coal technologies. But it will require transition to new, efficient coal burning techniques and consequently development of the power engineering industry; world wide increase in coal processing capacity and transition to coal products release with a high added value will be needed. And finally, state economic control measures will be required so that all the procedure is commercially attractive for Russian coal processors and power producers».

Prof. Joseph Dubinsky
Chairman of the WMC

«Modern mining industry faces a number of global engineering, economic, environmental and social problems. Solution of such problems during current financial instability requires mutual co-operation, engineering knowledge and professional experience sharing, and assistance to those in need.

Prof. Alexander Borisovich Kovalchuk
Director General of Institute for Coal Market Conditions,
Doctor of Science in Engineering

«Due to the crisis, control over expenditures has intensified. Company heads have to define the areas for significant decrease of expenses harmlessly for the follow-up rehabilitation. Control over expenditures is the key to success in the future».

Anatoly Ivanovich Skryl
Director General of Rosinformugol CJSC

«During the first 4 months of 2009 coal mining has decreased by 17% as compared to previous periods, and amounted to 92.3 mln. tons.».

Download the booklet in PDF format

Russian Mineral Resources Characteristics

Prepared by Professor V.S. Litvinenko
Rector of St. Petersburg Mining Institute (technical university)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The role of coal in the economy of Russia during the post-crisis period

 

Prepared by Professor G.L. KrasnianskyPrepared by Professor G.L. Krasniansky, Doctor of Economics,
Chairman of the Russian Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress