Minnesota SME Section meeting lays out strategies for a new generation of mining

Two key strategies for a new generation of mining are developing domestic raw material production and doing so in an environmentally responsible way, according to presenters at the 83rd annual meeting of the SME Minnesota Section in Duluth (the 71st annual University of Minnesota Mining Symposium). From technical sessions detailing how to build com-munity support, to a short course on international perspectives in iron ore mining and processing, the two-day meeting emphasized the potential of Minnesota state deposits and the importance of maintaining productive community relations both locally and globally. The meeting of more than 300 mining industry professionals began on April 20 with a traditional convocation celebrating the values of northern Minnesota. The accompanying tradeshow, with a record 131 booths, showed the speed and vigor of the economic rebound. Keynote speaker Scott Anderson, vice president and senior economist at Wells Fargo, stated the prevailing mood of the conference: ?Wow, what a difference a year makes.? With metal prices and sales up and heading higher, he said, it was clear that the production-centered economic recovery is reaching the mining and the minerals industry. However, Anderson sounded a few notes of caution. Serious threats to economic stability remain, including the burgeoning national de?cit, high unemployment and the still out-of-control foreclosure crisis. Overall, he predicted a below-average recovery and stressed the importance of developing a long-term business strategy.