China’s Belt and Road Initiative will take centre stage when resource industry heavyweights gather for this year’s International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC), to be held from 30 October to 2 November at Melbourne’s Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Chief Executive of the Australia-China Belt and Road Initiative (ACBRI) Jean Dong will introduce the topic, as part of IMARC’s spotlight on the impacts of infrastructure both on resource extraction and the international commodities market.
IMARC General Manager – Asia Pacific Anita Richards said the Belt and Road Initiative would be a defining piece of infrastructure in the 21st century, with far reaching effects on the dynamics of the global resources market.
The government of the People’s Republic of China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013 – a plan to construct a continuous land route connecting Asia with the Middle East and Europe – loosely following the route of the ancient Silk Road.
In order to be completed, the BRI will require the involvement of over 60 countries, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank estimates that it will require $8 trillion of investment from 2010 to 2020.
“The BRI will require the input of a huge range of industries, and vast quantities of resources to complete, which will have long-term consequences on trade movements in commodities,” Ms Richards said.
“The world has never seen an infrastructure project of this scale, and the opportunities for the resources sector presented by the BRI cannot be understated.”
Honorary Auditors of the BRI, ShineWing Australia, will be exploring the opportunities for infrastructure development at the upcoming IMARC conference.
Matthew Schofield, Partner of ShineWing Australia said “We are very excited to be a long-term supporter of IMARC. It gives us opportunities to be part of the leading-edge discussion around new possibilities and opportunities for both inbound and outbound investment for the energy and resources sectors.
Networking with visionaries is a great way to engage in meaningful dialogue with our clients.”
Conference goers will also have the opportunity to hear from Jeyakumar Jankaraj, CEO of Adani Australia, as he discusses the challenges and opportunities with their Carmichael coal mine and rail project in Queensland.
his will be followed by a presentation from AECOM, who have recently been appointed by Adani Australia to carry out survey and design work for the Carmichael Rail Network, linking Galilee Basin mines to the broader network.
“Infrastructure plays a pivotal role in any mining project and Adani provides a perfect case study in how the presence or absence of the right infrastructure is often the factor that determines a project’s viability,” Ms Richards said.
“Delivering infrastructure presents a range of unique challenges, and unique opportunities, to the resources sector.
“Resources companies and consultants alike need to have a firm understanding of both global and local infrastructure trends.”
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International Mining and Resources Conference
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