1614 Global Sustainability (economic, environment and social). The fact that we generally mine higher grades of desirable materials at industrial scale allows us to concentrate and minimize our physical footprints, while delivering sufficient materials to customers to satisfy society’s needs. That is, we ensure that the demand for materials is met at a reasonable price, for most people across the globe to be lifted from hunger and poverty, while being sheltered and protected in societies that generally try and deliver for the common good. While not perfect, the concept of comparative advantage and the trade of goods drive our ability to share across societies to minimize our human footprints as we mutually benefit from surpluses in one location for those in another. Our global progress is built on the thesis we can help each other build a better world. Mining’s role in our global economy is foundational to this thesis. And with my third point, consistent with why we come together to encourage each other to think about doing things smarter, we must also anticipate how our work needs to evolve to continue to provide the materials the world needs to support global growth and diversity of human and planetary prosperity. Of course, as we evolve and grow the demands we place on primary minerals and metals supply will also grow to the point where product thrifting, substitution, and progressive circularity will become more important conversations in the materials supply equation. To be architects in our own future we must introduce and integrate these material supply opportunities into our global operating systems and processes in a way that neither dislocates of corrupts the imperative to deliver materials to broader society on a consistent and affordable basis. If we fail that dual objective test for our customers, we will be replaced by those that can. In my view, our continued transformation into the “Minerals Solutions Industry” is key to our playing our role in defining and delivering what a better future looks like for our children. I can only hope that the seeds of today’s discussion might push us a little harder towards the future of mining and the role we play in delivering the materials that support the world and how we might progress over the next 100 years and beyond. 2. DISCUSSION – MINING IN CONTEXT So, to build a conversation on where we are and where we need to go, let’s unpack these 3 concepts to put better shape around how we must continue to transform our industry in our future context. 2.1 Where does “Stuff” come from? In recent years, there have been numerous books written explaining how the world works. Vaclav Smil and others deserve great credit for helping us understand how all these moving parts fit together. Unfortunately, we are still struggling to see these educational pieces translated into social studies and broader education programs in our schools and universities. In setting context for any conversation on mining’s role in society I always start with a few points on “where does matter come from?”. Of course, Einstein gets an appropriate mention, but the conversation on the Ancient Greeks is always a lot more illustrative to most people, when I talk to their understanding of the world they experienced. In 4 words the Greeks captured the nature of physical materials and energy they experienced in 450BC. In the 4 words used by Empedocles at the time: • Air • Water • Earth • Fire In our modern world, with Einstein and others helping us navigate science and the world we live in, we now believe we have a better understanding of atomic and molecular structures. And so, our modern
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