MINEXPO PREVIEW
Showtime !
A more global event is on the cards for 2024 compared with the 2021 edition . Dan Gleeson looks at some of the companies presenting their solutions at the world ’ s biggest mining show
“ There is no better time than now to show the deep expertise that is driving innovations in safety , automation , energy management and site optimisation .”
These words belong to Denise Johnson , Group President of Caterpillar Inc , who in March was announced as the Chair of MINExpo INTERNATIONAL ® 2024 .
A well-known leader in the industry and the first woman to be inducted to the American Mining Hall of Fame , Johnson said the show offered “ the most expansive view of the latest advancements in the mining industry ”.
The event covers the entire industry – exploration , mine development , open pit , underground mining , processing , safety , environmental improvement and more – and will run from September 24-26 , 2024 , at the Las Vegas Convention Center .
Rich Nolan , President and CEO of the National Mining Association – the organisers of MINExpo – announced back in March that the event would utilise the new West Hall , in addition to North and Central Halls . This was being complemented by new “ digital formats ”, a wide range of engaging speakers and new engagement opportunities for exhibitors and attendees , he said .
All in all , the NMA expects to have 700,000- plus sq . ft ( 65,032-plus sq . m ) of exhibits for attendees to browse and engage with . IM spoke to the companies hosting such exhibits ahead of time to find out what to expect .
Mineral processing and preconcentration
The full mineral processing value chain will be out in force in Las Vegas , with product launches , simulations and demonstrations taking place across the three halls .
The three major mineral processing OEMs have sizeable booths in two of the three halls , with two of them providing some insights in terms of what attendees can expect to see .
Metso says it is inviting attendees to explore cutting-edge Planet Positive solutions that are revolutionising the minerals processing industry . Through dedicated kiosks , daily in-booth technical presentations and private meeting spaces , MINExpo attendees will have many opportunities to learn , explore and connect with over 50 Metso delegates , the company says .
In addition to product launches and an introduction to Metso ’ s battery minerals offering , digitalisation and end-to-end aftermarket solutions will be featured .
The NMA expects to have 700,000-plus sq . ft of exhibits for attendees to browse and engage with at MINExpo 2024
Metso ’ s Planet Positive offering includes over 100 sustainable products and services that , it says , are demonstrably more energy or water efficient than the market standard . Several of these products fall into the battery minerals category , which Metso has highlighted as a key focus area .
In the pursuit of sustainability in mining , Metso continues to enhance its digitalisation offering to help operators achieve better collaboration , informed decision making and accelerated continuous improvement processes . The company already has over 45 digital products to support greenfield and brownfield operations .
Related to this is the company ’ s aftermarket support , which is becoming increasingly vital to operations suffering from labour shortages and in need of environmentally-friendly solutions to improve uptime . This offering includes spare and wear parts , modernisations and upgrades for improved safety and performance , local service centres and field service teams , maintenance agreements and more , with the entire aftermarket offering having a dedicated space in the company ’ s booth .
With all-of-mine capabilities – from extraction , through the mill and comminution circuits , to tailings solutions – Weir says it is uniquely positioned to leverage its engineering , materials
12 International Mining | AUGUST 2024