Geologists from the Camborne School of Mines are taking part in a high-profile lecture series, designed to highlight the pivotal role Earth materials such as minerals can play in developing a sustainable global society.

Professor Frances Wall and Dr Kathryn Moore are among the world-leading specialists taking part in the UNESCO Lecture Series of online events, called “Earth Materials for a Sustainable and thriving Society”.

Minerals and other Earth materials are a key component in the development of a sustainable global society, providing essential raw materials for technologies and economic growth while respecting the natural world. This programme of lectures, designed for a global audience, will provide diverse perspectives on Earth materials and their role in society. Leading natural scientists, social scientists, and educators will look at how Earth materials are critical to a sustainable future and how the minerals sector, adhering to best practices, can contribute to society in a socially and environmentally positive way.

The lecture series explores how Earth materials play a critical role in creating a sustainable future, by providing essential raw materials for technologies and economic growth while respecting the natural world.

Over 4000 people worldwide have registered for the lecture series.

The lectures are delivered online by some of the most prominent experts in the field, who will frame their presentations in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The lectures are freely accessible and will be available to access on the day with live Q&A and as recordings after the lectures.

Professor Wall, an expert in Applied Mineralogy at the Camborne School of Mines, based at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall, teamed up with Dr John Thompson from Vancouver, Canada, to deliver the lecture Climate neutrality, the circular economy, and earth materials.

The discussion centred around reimagining metal supply to meet demand and societal expectations, current and emerging demand drivers, and the importance of the circular economy in sustainable mining.

Professor Wall said: “It was a pleasure to give this lecture, and be able to talk to people in so many countries around the world. We had a very wide ranging discussion in the Q&A afterwards.”

Dr Kathryn Moore, a Senior Lecturer in Critical and Green Technology Metals, will be taking part in the lecture Suppliers, consumers, and the global minerals supply chain  on March 2nd 2021. She will be teamed up with Judy Muthuri, Professor of Corporate Social Responsibility at Nottingham University Business School.

The talk will discuss the technical, environmental, business, and social aspects of different scales of mining operations, and well as looking at supply chains work and responsible sourcing programmes and their impacts.

Dr Moore said: “It will be very exciting to explore the diverse ways in which mining is embedded in society, directly for mining communities and indirectly for all consumers through manufacturing.“

The lectures will be delivered in webinar format by recognized global experts who will frame their presentations in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Series will boost knowledge of Earth materials and contribute to better informed local, regional, and international discussions. The lectures will be freely accessible and recordings will be made available online soon after presentation.

Lectures:

UNESCO Lectures – Earth materials: the foundation for development 26 January 2021

UNESCO Lectures: Climate neutrality, the circular economy, and earth materials
02 February 2021

UNESCO Lectures: The neglected minerals and materials of development
09 February 2021

UNESCO Lectures: Mineral extraction and communities
16 February 2021

UNESCO Lectures: Suppliers, consumers, and the global minerals supply chain
02 March 2021

UNESCO Lectures: Earth materials and a sustainable future 09 March 2021

Partners and organizers:

• The UNESCO International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) serves as a knowledge hub of UNESCO to facilitate international scientific cooperation in the geosciences.
• The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) encourages international co-operation and participation in the Earth Sciences in relation to human welfare.
• iCRAG, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Applied Geosciences, is a team of researchers creating solutions for a sustainable society.