This year's Diggers & Dealers was the most optimistic in years with more than 2100 delegates descending on Kalgoorlie for mining's biggest annual event.

Although a light was shining on gold and exploration budgets have grown, it was clear that more investment in exploration is needed to ensure the continued growth and sustainable future of the sector.

Here are some of the Gold Industry Group's highlights from the 26th year of Diggers & Dealers.

In Member News

Gold trails to educate next generation

The Gold Industry Group announced the launch of its first virtual #heartofgold Discovery Trail in Perth, which will take place at Elizabeth Quay on Saturday 7 October, at its Digital Mine breakfast in conjunction with Deloitte on Tuesday at Diggers & Dealers. 

The #heartofgold Discovery Trail will be the first virtual trail of its kind to give the community an interactive ‘gold’ experience via the Heart of Gold app, which will excite and engage students, residents and tourists alike as it tells the story of a city and nation built on gold.
    
Starting at Elizabeth Quay and ending at the historic Perth Mint, the trail offers a fun and educational experience for students. Lesson plans linked to the trail for primary and high school students have been developed and will be provided to all schools across the State.

To mark the opening the trail, a replica of the famous Golden Eagle nugget will be unveiled in Elizabeth Quay at 10am on Saturday 7 October. Elizabeth Quay will be a hub of activity throughout the day, with trailblazers having the chance to win an array of prizes including real nuggets from the Ramelius Resources’ gold mine when they pan for gold with The Perth Mint or complete the trail on the day.  Mining Education Australia and the WA School of Mines will also give visitors the opportunity to see inside a gold mine using virtual reality.

The free Heart of Gold app will be available to download from Saturday 30 September 2017. Download the event flyer and register to attend the launch.

The #heartofgold Discovery Trail is sponsored by The Perth Mint, Gold Fields Australia, Ramelius Resources, City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Mining Education Australia.

Second gold trail to mark Paddy's find

Perth’s gold trail will be the first of many digital journeys proposed to share the story of Australian gold. 

Next year the Gold Industry Group will launch a second gold trail in Kalgoorlie-Boulder to tell its important gold story and celebrate 125 years since Paddy Hannan, Thomas Flanagan and Dan O’Shea found gold at the base of Mt Charlotte, sparking the biggest gold rush in Western Australia’s history.

Diversity scholarship

The Gold Industry Group is thrilled to partner with both the WA School of Mines Alumni and Women in Mining WA to support diversity within the school and the wider industry.

WA School of Mines Alumni President Bill Beament announced the recipient of the WASMA Gold Industry Group's Diversity Scholarship, Sarah Arnoldi, at their event with Women in Mining WA at Diggers & Dealers on Tuesday night

We look forward to following and sharing Sarah's journey as she investigates the Neoproterozoic links between Australia and Antarctica.

The Gold Industry Group's annual Women in Gold Sundowner, in conjunction with Women in Mining WA, will feature a great debate on diversity and will be held at The Perth Mint on Friday 17 November. Thanks to our sponsors Gold Fields Australia, Gold Road Resources, BGC Contracting and Ramelius Resources. 

The 'Digital Mine'

The Gold Industry Group held its annual breakfast on Tuesday at Diggers & Dealers, in conjunction with Deloitte and sponsored by BGC Contracting. 

The sold out event featured a gold panel with Northern Star Resources Chief Financial Officer Shaun Day, BGC Contracting Chief Executive Officer Greg Heylen, Resolute Mining Chief Financial Officer Lee-Anne de Bruin and Deloitte Consulting Partner Paul Klein, with attendees gaining insight into how digital technologies are and will create opportunities for the sector. 

  • At Northern Star Resources, their focus is on increasing operations systems after taking the 4G network underground in a world first and a machine learning solution developed with Curtin University halved their number of inventory items on acquired assets and new mine developments

  • At Resolute Mining, automation could open up opportunities for female miners in the third world

  • At BGC Contracting, their focus is on becoming more efficient through the right culture and people to lead and deliver the right technology

You can read more insights in the Mining News feature: Diggers, dealers and techies. Find out what the digital mine means to you and download Deloitte's Digital Mine report.

Golden Winners

Gold took out three of the major awards at Diggers & Dealers, with founding member Gold Road Resources winning Deal of the Year for the A$350 million sale of 50% of Gruyere to Gold Fields. 

Mining legend Jim Askew was the winner of the GJ Stokes Memorial Award and is currently the Chairman of OceanaGold and Syrah Resources as well as a Non-executive Director of Evolution Mining and Endeavour Mining Corporation. 

The Best Emerging Company Award went to Kin Mining and the Digger Award to St Barbara. Australian Financial Review Journalist Tess Ingram won the Media Award and student Janelle McPhee won the Ray Finlayson Award.

Notably, Tim Netscher was also a winner as Chairman of both Gold Road and St Barbara. 

View the Diggers & Dealers photo gallery

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