WIM 2010 GATHERS OVER 300 DELEGATES

The Second International WIM Congress surpassed our expectations and proved itself to be a well-recognised international forum that put technical excellence first. The event provided industry professionals with a unique opportunity to interact with their counterparts from different countries, sharing ideas and experiences on innovations related to safe and responsible water handling and management in mining operations.

The Congress’s three-day technical programme included 46 presentations and seven keynote lectures and was well-complemented by 25 poster presentations, eight of which were student projects.

Different presentations and discussions that took place during the Congress made it clear that improved water use efficiency is not enough and that alternative water supply options should be further analysed and developed. Sea water or desalinised sea water may, in some cases, represent an interesting alternative. However, various factors, such as capital costs for the desalination plant, energy supply, water transport distance, selection of material and necessary water quality should be analysed before choosing the most suitable supply option. A better knowledge of groundwater resources and multi-sectoral water management at the watershed scale are also important topics that have been addressed by the mining industry and analysed by WIM 2010 authors. Other topics discussed during the Congress include the need for reliable and transparent indicators of water use and water consumption, and newly-available and more affordable technologies for mining effluent treatment.

In addition to being an excellent networking opportunity, the WIM Congress Series will continue to explore the most pressing issues that face the industry today in order to make better decisions for tomorrow.

ORGANISING COMMITTEE’S THANK YOU NOTE

We were proud to welcome 344 delegates from 23 countries to Santiago, to the second Water in Mining Congress! After the success of the first WIM congress held in this same city in 2008 and attended by over 350 delegates, we trust that you found the second one even more exciting and thought-provoking. Water, once considered a never ending, easily available and manageable resource, has now emerged as one of the most important environmental concerns for mankind and for the mining industry, in particular. In several countries, mining activity takes place in arid and semi-arid regions where water threatens to become a limiting factor for the development and even the survival of mining operations. During recent years, the industry efforts have been focused on efficient water use throughout different mining and metallurgical processes. These efforts have not always been recognised by the community and are in part offset by the inevitable, gradual but continuous decrease of ore grades. Even in regions where water is not yet considered a scarce resource, the impact of mining on natural water quality and availability for alternative uses is one of the major concerns of the surrounding community. The aim of the WIM congress series is to address and discuss these concerns.

We trust WIM 2010 provided you with a unique opportunity to discuss with colleagues from around the world recent innovations and developments related to the availability and the efficient use of water in the mining industry, as well as share proven solutions and define emerging needs. The congress showcased the aspects of water management that have already been researched and studied, as well as those that still need to be developed.