Heavyweights set for forum
30 March 2017
The Kalgoorlie Miner
The program has been released for the 26th annual Diggers and Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie-Boulder from August 7-9, with a diverse range of Australia’s key miners, explorers and developers arriving on the Goldfields’ doorstep.
Highlight speakers include Anglo-American executive director Tony O’Neill, who will follow keynote speaker – former deputy chief executive for the International Monetary Fund and Bush cabinet member – Robert Zoellick on the conference’s first morning.
Other highlights on day one include Mount Monger owner Silver Lake Resources, Philippines nickel miner OceanaGold, market darling Breaker Resources, iron ore star Roy Hill and local players Northern Star and Evolution Mining.
Day two will see some of the top mid-tier gold miners in Australia front the expected 1900 delegates, including Carosue Dam owner Saracen, Bob Vassie’s St Barbara, Wiluna owner Blackham Resources and South African-owned Gold Fields Australia.
The crowd will also get its first look at Chris Bradbrook’s Torontolisted Superior Gold, who recently floated on the back of the purchase of the Plutonic Gold Mine from Northern Star, as well as Metals-X spinoff WestGold Resources and Kalgoorlie-headquartered Macphersons Resources.
The big boys will be out to play on Wednesday, August 9, the third and final day of the forum.
BHP Billiton Nickel West leads a cast of major players in the region, including AngloGold Ashanti, Regis Resources and Western Areas. Developers Gascoyne Resources, Dacian Gold and Gold Road Resources will also get their chance to shine before the conference closes with words from diversified miner Independence Group, owner of the Nova Nickel Mine in the Fraser Range.
Competition was fierce to get in, with a more buoyant mood promised than at recent forums. All up, 79 applications were made for 43 slots.