How will an industry that historically approaches environment-focused goals rather lethargically , rapidly evolve to meet sustainability obligations ?

All hope is not lost . For many industry thought leaders , this exact problem can , in fact , be reframed as a pivotal moment for growth – a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the mining sector to unlock new sources of value through digitalisation and ESG-focused innovation .

Reimagining ESG goals for the mining sector Jeanette McGill , Vice President and General Manager , Metals & Mining at AspenTech , believes that within these energy transition challenges lie plenty of opportunities . Mining companies can target what AspenTech calls ‘ the dual challenge ’ – meeting the growing demand for energy and chemicals , while also addressing the risks of climate change in the environment .

“ Issues around ESG are becoming increasingly prominent across the mining sector . The latest Ernst and Young report , ‘ Top 10 business risks and opportunities for mining and metals in 2023 ’ highlights : last year ’ s list of risks was topped by environmental , social and governance ( ESG ), reflecting miners ’ new focus on considering different business models . In fact , ESGrelated issues made up the entire top three risks of last year ’ s report – each with a significant , distinctive impact that made it impossible to treat them as one risk ,” explains McGill . miningdigital . com 25