Minerals4EU - A report of the outcome of the London & Brussels events 2014

Minerals4EU FP7-NMP.2013.4.1-3

Minerals Intelligence Network for Europe

Deliverable 2.7 Stakeholder Consultations

A Report of the Outcome of the London & Brussels Events

Title of the project: Minerals Intelligence Network for Europe – Minerals4EU Grant Agreement number: 608921 Funding Scheme: FP7-NMP-2013: 4.1-3 –CSA (COORDINATING) Start date: 01.09.2013 Duration: 24 months Document title: Stakeholder Consultation − A Report of the Outcome of the London & Brussels Events Workpackage: WP2 Author(s): Compiled by David Ovadia / Claudia Delfini Date of delivery: 17.12.2014 Dissemination level: PU/PP/RE/CO1

Reviewed by: Luca Demicheli

Status of the document: Draft/Final Document location: https://vyvi-some2.vy-verkko.fi/gtk/Minerals4EU/Deliverables

Project web site: http://www.minerals4eu.eu

1 PU=public, PP= Restricted to other programme participants (including the Commission Services), RE= Restricted to a group specified by the consortium (including the Commission Services), CO= Confidential, only for members of the consortium (including the Commission Services)

https://vyvi-some2.vy-verkko.fi/gtk/Minerals4EU/Deliverables�

http://www.minerals4eu.eu/�


Contents 1. Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 London Event ......................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 Brussels Event ........................................................................................................................ 1

2. Event Programmes .......................................................................................................................... 2

2.1 London ................................................................................................................................... 2

2.2 Brussels .................................................................................................................................. 2

3. Attendance ...................................................................................................................................... 2

3.1 London ................................................................................................................................... 2

3.2 Brussels .................................................................................................................................. 3

4 Outcomes ........................................................................................................................................ 3

4.1 London ................................................................................................................................... 3

4.2 Brussels .................................................................................................................................. 4

5 Media Coverage .............................................................................................................................. 4

6 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Annex A – Event Photographs ................................................................................................................. 6

A.1 London ................................................................................................................................... 6

A.2 Brussels .................................................................................................................................. 7

Annex B – London Presentations ............................................................................................................ 9

Presentation: Mattia Pellegrini Head of Unit for Raw Materials, Metals, Minerals and Forest-based Industries at the DG Enterprise of the European Commission ............................................ 9

Presentation: Juha Kaija Project Coordinator WP1 ...................................................................... 11

Presentation: Daniel Cassard WP5................................................................................................ 13

Presentation: James Baker WP2 ................................................................................................... 15

1 Work Package 2: Sustainable Minerals Intelligence Network December 2014


1. Background

1.1 London Event The Project attaches great importance to stakeholder engagement with, and beyond, the Industrial Consultation Committee. To this end, it was proposed at the Project Meeting in Nicosia (March 2014) to organise an event to which a wide range of members of the mining sector would be invited, to hear about the Project and to offer feedback. On the basis that London is one of the World’s major financial centres for the mining industry, it was decided to hold the event in the City of London, on 11th November 2014, and to invite senior representatives from London listed, and private, mining companies, brokers, advisors, specialist lawyers and those involved in mining finance, accounting and insurance.

The leading accountancy firm Grant Thornton agreed to co-host the event in their prestigious City offices. Personal invitations were sent to approximately 100 people known to Grant Thornton and to the Project’s Exploitation Manager, David Ovadia, with the assistance of staff in EuroGeoSurveys. In addition, members of the mining media were briefed through invitations and a press notice.

It was understood that senior people in the mining industry would be most likely to attend if the event was short and took place at the end of the working day. Therefore, the meeting was set to take less than two hours, starting at 15.30, with a drinks reception, provided by Grant Thornton, at 17.15. Presentations were brief and to the point, and were followed by a Question and Answer session.

Almost 40 guests were present, which is a very satisfactory response to the invitation list. Without exception, these were all senior level people, at CEO, Director or Senior Partner levels. Participation by Project staff was limited to four, with three observers and two assistants. In addition, a senior representative of the European Commission participated.

1.2 Brussels Event During the Project meeting in Dublin (October, 2014) a one day meeting was proposed for WP4 purposes, to be held at the Hotel Bloom in Brussels, on 3rd December 2014, at which some members of the Industrial Consultation Committee, and others, would attend. It was decided to use the final hour of the day to brief the meeting on the Project in general, and to seek feedback.

The audience here comprised members of the Industrial Consultation Committee, some mining executives and Project Partners. The discussion was informal.



2. Event Programmes

2.1 London2

15.30 Welcome - Chris Smith, Partner, UK Head of Mining, Grant Thornton UK LLP

15.45 The EC position and expectations - Mattia Pellegrini, Head, Raw Materials, Metals, Minerals and Forest-based Industries, European Commission

16.00 Aims and Objectives of the Project - Juha Kaija, Project Manager

16.15 How to obtain the results: the technology and deliverables - Daniel Cassard

16.30 What are the stakeholder benefits - James Baker

16.45 Q&A and comments to the Project Team - chaired by David Ovadia

17.15 Networking with refreshments / Parallel Press Conference

2.2 Brussels 15.30 – 16.30 Work Package 2 session – The European Minerals Intelligence Network Presentation on the scope of the Minerals Intelligence Network and on the membership of the proposed permanent body Stakeholder consultation on the scope of the network and its membership

3. Attendance

3.1 London Attendees are categorised as follows:

Category Number of attendees Comments Mining companies 12 All at CEO or Director level Mining consultants 9 Including 2 global companies Legal and accounting 5 Including AIM-NomAds Financial, advisors, brokers 7 Including banks and funds Public sector 2 Excluding Project staff Media 2 Plus one email link Others 1

2 See Annex B for the slides used in the talks.



3.2 Brussels Invitations were issued as follows:

Category Number of attendees Comments Mining sector 11 Including trade associations Project Partners 27 Others 4

4 Outcomes

4.1 London Mr Pellegrini positioned the Mineral4EU project within the context of the broader EC initiatives and emphasised how this bigger picture is designed to improve European industrial competitiveness in general, and of the mining sector in particular. In the subsequent discussions, this contextual setting was greatly appreciated by the audience, who felt unaware of these initiatives. The situation was well summarised by one comment which was that “Clearly the EC is supporting some very good initiatives but is not very good at communicating these with us in the private sector”

Action Point: To ensure continued and effective communication with all stakeholders including, and especially, those in the private sector who feel removed from the cauldron of debate that takes place within and between public institutions.

Mr Kaija described the Minerals4EU project in greater detail, with an emphasis on the types of data, information and expertise that would be available to the mining sector through the Network. The post-project sustainability aspects were particularly appreciated, as it is admitted that too many EC supported projects in the past have ceased to function at the end of the project term.

Action Point: To ensure that Minerals4EU has an effective and efficient post-project Permanent Network run for the benefit of the stakeholder community.

Dr Cassard explained how the information would be accessed over the Web. The audience was less interested in the technical challenges and solutions but rather enthusiastic to start using the system, even in “Beta-test” mode, as soon as possible. Dr Cassard hoped that a pre-launch test version would be available in early 2015.

Action Point: To notify explicitly some or all of the audience when they may access a pre-launch test version, and give feedback, in order to keep the momentum going.

Dr Baker summarised the benefits of the system to the mining sector, emphasising that better information reduces business risk, speeds up decision making and enables a level playing field.



The Q&A session that followed brought up a number of opinions, generally favourable, about the project. In particular (as Action Points to be noted and executed):

Action Point: The audience thanked the Project for the briefing and wished to be kept up to date with events, possibly through a second event in London in ~6 months [Note that Grant Thornton has indicated its willingness to host such an event]. Meanwhile or otherwise, the guests can be circulated with succinct news updates, by email.

Action Point: There was a strong request supported by several mining companies that a key data layer currently missing from the project is that of licence areas in Europe (cadastral system). Whilst it was accepted that this is beyond the scope of the present project, it remains an important data layer to be added at a later stage (although not by geological surveys who generally do not have these data).

Action Point: The audience noted that all the basic data would be freely available and free of charge, but were supportive of the concept of additional information or services being built on by third parties, on a commercial basis.

4.2 Brussels The principal outcome of the Brussels briefing was to further acquaint the audience with the Project and to request informal feedback post-event by email.

5 Media Coverage Immediate media coverage included articles on the London event, published on line.

2nd December 2014, Headlined “Super database set for Euro mines” and strap-lined “Some of the most influential thinkers and industry leaders across Europe met recently in a bid to roll out the most comprehensive database to help crank up sector profitability.” See http://www.mineralandwasteplanning.co.uk/news/1324666/super-database-set-euro-mines/

In International Mining, Headlined “Minerals4EU project meeting set for London in November”. See http://im-mining.com/2014/08/20/minerals4eu-project-meeting-set-for-london-in-november/

Further media coverage is anticipated.

http://www.mineralandwasteplanning.co.uk/news/1324666/super-database-set-euro-mines/�

http://im-mining.com/2014/08/20/minerals4eu-project-meeting-set-for-london-in-november/�

http://im-mining.com/2014/08/20/minerals4eu-project-meeting-set-for-london-in-november/�



6 Conclusions The two events marked important early milestones in stakeholder engagement, with the reminder that there is still much to be done, in particular to maintain healthy engagement with the mining industry. We may conclude that it is necessary but not sufficient to have a project web site; the messages must be taken directly to the stakeholders and their responses carefully noted and acted upon. The Project is very mindful of the two major threats to its success which are

- That it fails to communicate effectively with the beneficiaries of the work. - That it ceases to operate efficiently beyond the end of the project life.

The Management Committee is firmly committed to avoid these risks.



Annex A – Event Photographs

A.1 London

(above) Mattia Pellegrini, Head, Raw Materials, Metals, Minerals and Forest-based Industries, European Commission, addresses the London event. (below) Juha Kaija, Project Manager, describes the Aims and Objectives of the Project



David Ovadia, Exploitation Manager, chairs the Q&A session in London.

A.2 Brussels

Slavko Solar, Policy Officer at the European Commission DG ENTREPRISE



Luca Demicheli, EuroGeoSurveys Secretary General and WP2 Leader

David Ovadia, Exploitation Manager WP3



Annex B – London Presentations

Presentation: Mattia Pellegrini Head of Unit for Raw Materials, Metals, Minerals and Forest-based Industries at the DG Enterprise of the European Commission



Presentation: Juha Kaija Project Coordinator WP1



Presentation: Daniel Cassard WP5



Presentation: James Baker WP2

Minerals4EU - A report of the outcome of the London & Brussels events 2014

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