15^th INTERNATIONAL OPENCAST MINING OMC 2022

The Association of Mining and Geology Engineers of Serbia, the Yugoslav Opencast Mining Committee and the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology co-organized the 15th International Opencast Mining Conference OMC 2022, which was held from 12th to 15th October in Zlatibor at the Palisad Hotel.

The opening of the 15th International Opencast Mining Conference OMC 2022 was attended by about 120 participants from Serbia, Republika Srpska, Greece, Montenegro and Germany. The opening ceremony was led by prof. Vladimir Pavlovic (president of the organizing committee), prof. Tomislav Subaranovic (president of the Association of Mining and Geology Engineers of Serbia) and prof. Carsten Drebenstedt (president of the Association of Mining Engineers of Germany).

The conference was opened by prof. Vladimir Pavlovic. He greeted all the participants and wished them a successful conference. Then the introductory presentations were made by representatives of the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology, TU Bergakademie Freiberg from Germany, Serbia Zijin Bor Copper from Bor, DPM Avala from Belgrade and Technical University of Crete from Greece.

The first introductory presentation titled The state and perspectives of mineral raw materials sustainable mining development was held by prof. Dragan Ignjatovic (University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology).

The next presentation entitled Actual mineral and energy status in Germany in the introductory part was held by prof. Carsten Drebenstedt (TU Bergakademie Freiberg from Germany).

A presentation entitled Strategic partnership as a model of sustainable mining development in the Bor-Majdanpek mining basin in the introductory part was held by Jovica Radisavljevic (Serbia Zijin Bor Copper).

After the representative of the company Serbia Zijin Bor Copper, Zoran Ivanovic (DPM Avala d.o.o.) gave a presentation in the introductory part entitled Dundee as part of modern mining.

The last introductory presentation entitled Ultimate pit limit determination of multi-layer coal deposits considering the production parameters was held by Deligiorgis Basileios (Technical University of Crete from Greece).

In the introductory part, the president of the Association of Mining and Geology Engineers of Serbia, prof. Subaranovic distributed certificates of appreciation for many years of successful cooperation to the following companies: Serbia Zijin Bor Copper, DPM Avala from Belgrade, Rio Tinto from Belgrade, EFT mine and thermal power station Stanari, Tekon Sistemi from Belgrade, Vedir Impex from Belgrade, Skala M from Belgrade and PD Georad from Drmno.

Mr. Jovica Radisavljevic received the certificate of appreciation in the name of Serbia Zijin Bor Copper.

Mr. Zoran Ivanovic received the certificate of appreciation in the name of DPM Avala from Belgrade.

Mr. Stevan Loncar, the EFT Mine Technical Director received the certificate of appreciation in the name of EFT mine and thermal power station Stanari.

Mr. Dragan Maksimovic, the owner and director of Tekon Sistemi received the certificate of appreciation in the name of Tekon Sistemi.

Mrs. Vesna Andjelic, the director of Vedir Impex received the certificate of appreciation in the name of Vedir Impex.

After awarding the certificates of appreciation, the introductory part of the 15th International Conference OMC 2022 was completed.

The conference continued with a relevant round table topic: RESPONSIBLE MINING - CHALLENGES, PERSPECTIVES, APPROACHES. The work of the round table was chaired by prof. Vladimir Pavlovic.

After the introductory presentations by prof. Vladimir Pavlovic and dr Cvjetko Stojanovic (President of the Association of Mining Engineers and Geologists of the Republika Srpska), followed by a detailed discussion by Predrag Mijatovic (Geological Survey of Serbia) and Dragan Maksimovic (Tekon Sistemi), as well as a large number of round table participants.

After the discussion, it was concluded that the mining sector has a great potential that has not been utilized for energy security and safety and overall socio-economic development of the Republic of Serbia, due to the increasingly frequently asked question (of individuals and interest groups) of mining sustainability in the context of the negative impact on the environment and social community.

This trend has been adopted from the developed world, where interests and in this context the lobbying of certain interested parties in recent decades there have been expressed; that the economic and any other development of humanity based on the continuous increase in the mining of primary mineral resources is baselessly declared unsustainable, although all relevant forecasts of world institutions indicate that between now and 2060, the consumption of mineral resources will at least double.

Achieving a balance between economic prosperity, health, environment and social equity is responsible mining. In order to build a system of responsible mining, significant changes are necessary in business strategies, operational technologies, personal behavior and public policies in the mining sector, which will enable rational balancing of the needs for mineral resources in relation to protecting the environment and society from the unnecessary harmful effects of mining.

In order to build a system of responsible mining, it is necessary to:

• 1. Give greater importance to mineral raw materials and the mining sector for the future socio-economic importance of the Republic of Serbia;
• 2. A new Mineral Resources Management Strategy should be created, with defined mineral policy and critical mineral raw materials for the further socio-economic development of the Republic of Serbia;
• 3. Innovate the legislation in the field of geological research and the mining or legislation that has an impact on the mining sector in accordance with good global practice;
• 4. Raising personnel capacity and competence at the level of the entire mining sector through mandatory continuous education, namely:
  • a. modernization and adaptation of study programs of higher education institutions in accordance with modern scientific and technological achievements,
  • b. education programs organized by associations of the mining field,
  • c. education programs of other institutions and the population in the field of the mining,
  • d. participation in domestic and foreign conferences, symposia and seminars;
• 5. It is necessary to promote the awareness that mineral resources are of vital importance for global development, especially among the younger generations, but also through the education of the entire population;
• 6. Within the Association of Mining and Geological Engineers of Serbia, as the main association in mining, it is necessary to urgently start building a system of responsible mining based on good world practice, such as the standard of the Canadian Mining Association towards sustainable mining (Towards Sustainable Mining, TSM), which is a globally recognized sustainability program that supports mining companies in managing key environmental and social risks.