STONECHANGE 2016

PERC TRAINING COURSE – 15th June 2016
STONECHANGE 2016 CONFERENCE – 16-17 June 2016

Both Training Course and Conference will take place at main “Marmoteca” conference room of Internazionale Marmi e Macchine Carrara S.p.A (IMM Carrara), in Marina di Carrara (Carrara, Italy).

• 15th June 2016 Conference arrival day (see logistic & info documents)
  • 09.00-17.00 PERC TRAINING COURSE “ Mineral Standard Reporting” (see related doc.)
• 16th June 2016 – STONECHANGE 2016
  • 08.45-09.30 a.m.: Registration
  • 09.30-10.00 a.m.: Official welcome speeches
  • 10.00-10.30 a.m.: Technical welcome speeches and Conference program presentation
  • 10.30-11.00 a.m.: Coffee break
  • 11.00-12.30 : SESSION 
  • 12.30-14.00 : SESSION II
  • 14.00-14.45 : Lunch
  • 15.00-16.30 : SESSION III
  • 16.30-16.50 : Coffee break
  • 16.50-18.20 : SESSION IV
• 17th June 2016 – STONECHANGE 2016
  • 09.00-10.30 a.m.: SESSION V
  • 10.30-11.00 a.m.: Coffee break
  • 11.00-12.30 : SESSION VI
  • 12.30-13.30 : Q&A and closure ceremony
  • 13.30-14.10 : “Quick” lunch
  • 14.30-17.30 : FIELD TRIP to Carrara marble quarries

Session I: Institutional Programs and Initiatives to support and modernize a Sustainable Mining Raw Materials Industry in Europe, and in particular the Natural Stone Sector, Aggregates, quarrying and small-scale mining.
This session will include presentations and/or short communications made by representatives of International Institutions and Programs involving the Natural Stone sector and in general the small-scale mining and trading of Dimension Stones (DS), Construction Materials (CM) and Industrial Minerals (IM).
Moreover, Consultants, Consortia and Companies involved in EU Institutional development projects and programs will be invited to present their experiences, problems and/or benefits & advantages achieved. Finally, Financial Institutions supporting Natural Stone projects are also invited to introduce themselves and present their experience and/or expectations.

Session II: International Reporting Standards in the Mining Industries – Standards for public reporting of exploration results, mineral resources, and mineral reserves – A new entry: the Natural Stones Industry.
Session II includes presentations concerning the key issue of Mining Project Evaluation and Resources/Reserves Reporting Standards, very commonly used in the “Classic” Mining Industry, but not yet used much in DS Quarrying projects for a number of reasons: cultural background of DS players, small size of DS companies, low investment for exploration and official valuations, etc.
This trend is rapidly changing due to some new factors in the International DS Market: the presence (mainly in Far East and Arab regions) of large DS groups with new modern business mentality, and interest in investing and carrying out larger scale professional exploration activities.
The EU should quickly adapt to these new trends, to remain competitive , and to continue playing its natural key traditional role in the International Global Industry, based on its historical brands of DS materials, companies and districts.
In this Session will be presented speeches regarding the early use of reporting standards in the DS industry and in particular some new methodologies and tools utilized. The role of Competent Persons and International Mining Codes and Standards, new for the Stone Sector, will be also discussed. Problems, gaps, needs and case histories of DS projects evaluation and formal standard reporting of resources and reserves, will be introduced in this Session.

Session III: Governance and Policy Making for a new sustainable Natural Stone Sector in EU and Worldwide. Seeking a coordinated and harmonized way to manage, regulate, and support the sector, taking into consideration the different mining, environmental and social characteristics of various countries and districts.
The Session includes case histories, experiences and new plans to govern and support the NS Industry in some of the main EU historical districts. Non EU experiences will be also welcome. This key session should be of particular interest to local & central Institutions, administrators and policy makers as well as to private sectoral stakeholders. In fact, at this particular crucial turning point of the NS industry in EU, as well in most of other western and developed countries, the synergy between the private mining sector and the policy makers and regulators is absolutely necessary to make the sector operate in an harmonized, sustainable and successful way.
The only way to reach this result is to create opportunities for dialogue between both parts, and to make them aware about the new sectoral trends of the modern industry as regards: technical and market issues, institutional support and new initiatives.
Sectoral regulators, Institutions, consultants, local and central Authorities, EU stone districts management & associations, trade associations, and private stakeholders are invited to contribute in this Session and to exchange their experience, doubts and expectations.

Session IV: Technical Innovation – Innovative technologies for a more sustainable modern DS industry. A key support to increase its sustainability and performance.
Session IV aims to introduce experiences of design and use of new modern technologies, in the exploration, mining and processing areas, addressed to more sustainable (financial and environmental) production of Natural Stone products. New mining and processing technologies, methods and equipment will be discussed here. In this session new methodologies for field data collection, exploration, selective low-impact mining and processing are welcome.

Session V: Sustainability – Selective Mining, Ethical Conduct and Waste Management are next future priorities for a new sustainable DS sector…
The financial and socio-environmental sustainability of NS projects is the key to future operation of the NS industry. In particular this is immediate and vital, in current economic and social conditions, for the developed countries, although also the developing and in transition countries must work towards the same goal as soon as possible.
In this section all issues to reach this desirable necessary goal and related case histories, lessons learned, and new proposals, will be presented and discussed:

• Quarry and processing waste management and re-use
• Pilot projects concerning the “environmental & social and ethical conduct mark” to be officially accepted in the very near future in developed markets
• New methodologies and other tools to assist NS project sustainability concerning environment, social and economy
• Any other issue that will be considered interesting to reach this imperative Goal for the future world society

Session VI: Attractive Materials and Quarries in EU and in the world: an opportunity of investment and development both for EU and overseas companies.
The development of a new modern NS sector also depends on the availability of high class materials, to attract the interest and finance of investors and final end users.
In this final Session particular new material and product investment opportunities from the most important EU stone districts and all over the world will be introduced and discussed. New and unfamiliar grass roots and operating quarry projects will be described by various local companies, sponsors and consultants, as well.
New materials and quarries from EU and all over the world, looking for international support, partners and or investors willing to establish sustainable business, will be introduced in this Session, too.

Document files:

• Event Presentation
• Programme & Sessions

Website: www.stonechange2016.com