Mining needs to adopt new technologies to be sustainable

AMMAN — Mining needs to use novel technologies to support the world’s sustainable development goals, said Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Hala Zawati during the opening ceremony of the fourth International Edition of Arab Mining and Minerals conference on Tuesday, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.اضافة اعلان

The conference, held in Amman over two days, has returned to the Arab world after years of being held in the UK. This year it is showcasing the outstanding potential on mining, minerals and materials in the Middle East and North Africa.

In her remarks at the conference, Zawati said that Jordan’s subsequent governments have been making sincere efforts towards achieving innovation capacity for long-term sustainable development.

“Most countries realize the urgent need to consider alternative and innovative development processes for mining, along with alternative energy-producing sources, which will reduce dependence on fossil fuels in order to manage climate change risks, global warming, wildfires, floods and many other natural disasters,” she said.

The minister said that the coming annual UN climate change conference (COP26) will gather heads of state, climate experts and campaigners to agree on a coordinated action to tackle climate change. 

Policy makers will place great attention on the wellbeing of the planet and of people, which means cutting fossil fuels, reducing air pollution and improving health worldwide.

Zawati also pointed to the importance of silica for solar panels, and the need for copper, nickel, lithium and rare-earth elements in the manufacture of energy storage equipment and batteries, and said “mining will help us reduce the carbon footprint of fossil fuels.”

Mining in Jordan, the minister said, makes up 7.6 percent of gross domestic product, and about 19 percent of the Kingdom’s exports, making the country one of the largest producers and exporters of phosphate, potash, bromine, fertilizers, and chemical acids to the world.

“The Dead Sea region and its environs provide distinctive opportunities for investment in mining industries, along with many other locations that are rich with strategic minerals such as copper, gold, zircon, rare-earth elements, and a group of industrial rocks like basalt, pure limestone, dolomite, silica sand and zeolite,” Zawati said.

The conference brings together regional mining companies, government decision makers, mining-focused investors, and expert service providers, truly interested in the last mining frontier from Jordan, Iraq, Mauritania, the UAE, the UK, the US, France, and Australia.

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