The dust has officially settled on the 2024 WA Mining Conference and Exhibition, and Mining is here with your comprehensive event wrap-up.
For the fifth year in a row, the WA Mining Conference and Exhibition took over the Perth Conference and Exhibition Centre. This year’s event experienced the highest attendance in its history, with more than 3,000 visitors attending the two-day event.
From 9–10 October, the PCEC was transformed into a hub of technological innovation, with state-of-the-art solutions on display for attendees, across the expansive exhibition floor.
The 2024 exhibition floor featured an expanded range of exhibitors, with big names including Epiroc, ifm, Motion, RaptorTech and Blackwoods all showcasing their latest innovations and cutting-edge technology.
Thought-leading conference
The extensive speaker conference attracted a stream of delegates encompassing the breadth of the resources sector, examining areas such as decarbonisation, tech-driven mining operations and developing a circular economy for critical minerals, to name a few.
Experts from industry, academia and government shared their insight, case studies and thought leadership, including a panel discussion with Rio Tinto and asset- and material-tracking specialists Track’em on empowering operational excellence.
Western Australian Mines and Petroleum Minister, David Michael, kicked off the conference on day one, telling attendees that the Western Australian mining sector has plenty to be excited about.
“It is clear from the breadth of topics on the conference agenda that the sector remains strong and there are opportunities on the horizon.
“Tech in the Western Australian mining sector has been applied to a range of industries and regions worldwide. The continued innovation we see is crucial as companies and governments seek solutions and adapt to climate change,” Minister Michael said.
“Western Australia is already well established as a global resources leader, and this will continue to grow into the future.”
Other presentations from key industry personnel included Minerals Council of Australia, Executive Director – Western Australia, David Parker, Alcoa Principal Research Scientist, Talitha Satini and Head of Economics at the Chamber of Minerals and Energy Western Australia, Aaron Walker.
From the exhibition floor
Throughout the two-day event, Mining took to the floor to hear from some of the event’s exhibitors.
Rick Hurlbatt from Viper Metrics said that the 2024 event was the company’s second year at the show and it was much more successful than last year.
“We had a lot more people coming through and lots of good conversations that are 100 per cent conversations that we probably wouldn’t get access to outside of the event.”
Mr Hurlbatt said that crowd attending the 2024 event had a lot of diversity, which was “fantastic” for the company.
“We don’t do a lot of advertising outside of this event, and this really brings in some new leads who wouldn’t have heard about the products before,” he said.
It’s a sentiment that was echoed by National Account Manager for Blackwoods, Luke Bodel.
“It’s been a good flow of people with lots of new networking opportunities and people to talk to – both suppliers that are exhibiting and just wandering through, and also end-users and customers as well, which is great.”
Mr Bodel said that Blackwoods has such a vast range industries and verticals it works in, so exhibiting at WA Mining gave it a chance to demonstrate its capability and understanding, build its network and find the right people to talk to.
“You very rarely get an opportunity to get everyone in the same room,” he said. “Mining in Western Australia and across Australia is very region-based. It’s very hard and costly to go see all of those and many of those.
“These events give you an opportunity to try and draw those people into one room and one space, to try and capture as much as you can, and is an easy and streamlined way to then follow up later.”
Local Perth business RaptorTech exhibited at the event for its second time in a row. Aaron Locke, one of the founders of RaptorTech, said that exhibiting at WA Mining was incredibly important for brand recognition.
“We kicked off about six years ago as a business, and when you come out, no one knows who you are.”
Mr Locke said that even if RaptorTech doesn’t directly sell anything at the show, it’s important that people know it’s there.
“We’ve got people who saw us last year and they’ve come back this year and seen how much our stuff’s evolved. They’re really interested in working with us,” he said.
“For us, its about getting that exposure that’s in a crowded marketplace and is difficult to get.”
Celebrating innovation
For the first time in the event’s history, the Australian Mining Prospect Awards were held on the first night of the WA Mining event.
Adorned in their finest formal wear, attendees were treated to floor-to-ceiling views of Perth’s skyline as they celebrated those who are excelling and going above and beyond in the industry.
The esteemed awards have been celebrating and rewarding innovation across the country’s resources sector for more than a decade.
This year’s Prospect Awards recognised industry excellence in eleven categories, with awards sponsored by some of the biggest names in the Australian sector.
A big congratulations again to the following winners:
- Indigenous and Community Engagement Award – Buru Rehab
Attendees at the 2024 Australian Mining Prospect Awards. Image: Prime Creative Media - Excellence in IIoT Application Award – Orica Digital Solutions
- Excellence in Environmental Management & Sustainability Award – BHP’s West Musgrave project
- Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S Award – Roy Hill’s ‘Safer Summer’ program
- Project Lead of the Year – Claude Mocellin
- Innovative Mining Solution – IPI Australia
- Outstanding Mine Performance – Mineral Resources
- Mine Project Success of the Year – Robson Civil Projects
- Safety Advocate of the Year – Lani Hilder
- Discovery of the Year – IGO
- Australian Mine of the Year – Roy Hill
What to expect for 2025
This year was Prime Creative Media’s first time holding the event and General Manager of Events, Siobhan Rocks, is eager to build on the event’s exceptional reputation.
“Western Australia is an important market for the mining industry, and we’re focused on connecting buyers in that market, so they don’t have to come all the way over to the eastern seaboard to talk to people within mining communities,” she said.
“At the end of the day, we’re here to connect mining businesses, and our packed exhibition floor showcased technical and digital innovations across the entire resources value chain.”
Ms Rocks said she is delighted that so many people from Western Australia’s mining industry turned up to celebrate the industry.
“It’s clear from discussions at the event that the industry is undergoing a tremendous amount of change and we’re excited to continue to champion the sector’s growth and success.”
The WA Mining Conference and Exhibition will return in October 2025, and Ms Rocks said the team is taking on the feedback they received from this year’s attendees to make next year’s event bigger and better.
“The team have hit the ground running and are already looking towards the next event,” Ms Rocks said. “We’re excited to be involved in championing Western Australia’s dynamic and world-leading resources sector.”
