IMARC 2024 opens to record-breaking attendance, major announcements and key industry-government dialogue

This year’s opening day saw a 19 per cent increase in attendance on 2023 and a cumulative 35 per cent increase over the past two years, with over 1,000 meetings taking place throughout the day in the IMARC Traxys Connect Lounge, and more than 700 already scheduled for Wednesday.
 
“IMARC 2024 is our most dynamic event to date, so we’re thrilled to have even more industry leaders, innovators, and investors from around the world here in Sydney. With two days to go, the opportunities are just beginning,” said Anita Richards, Chief Operating Officer at IMARC.
 
The Hon. Madeleine King, Minister for Resources addressed attendees on the opening day, unveiling priorities aimed at fostering sustainable growth, reinforcing Australia’s critical mineral supply chains, and supporting the country’s path toward net-zero emissions.

In her keynote address, Minister King highlighted the findings of a new CSIRO report, launched at IMARC today, which outlines Australia's community sentiment on the mining industry.

72 per cent of Australians are now feeling supportive towards the mining industry, particularly when it comes to essential minerals vital to the development of renewable technologies. 45 per cent now view the industry as responsibly managed and a key player in the post-COVID economic recovery.
 
"This study, with nearly 7,000 participants, has revealed a significant shift in public attitudes toward the mining industry over the past decade. Trust in the industry has improved, and acceptance of mining has also grown, reflecting a growing confidence in the industry’s ability to act responsibly."
 
Underscoring the significance of IMARC to Australian industry, Minister King spent several hours at the event, touring exhibits and holding seven key bilateral meetings with representatives from Timor-Leste, France, Germany, India, Mongolia, Chile and Peru, fostering new opportunities for international partnerships across the global mining sector. Several other bilateral meetings also took place today. 
 
New Zealand Minister for Regional Development, the Hon. Shane Jones led a large Kiwi contingent and used his speech to emphasise the importance of strengthening international partnerships for growth in the mining sector – and let delegates know New Zealand is resource rich and ready for business.
 
“Momentum is building, but to unlock our natural resource opportunities, we need to rebuild international investor confidence in our mining sector, which means we need to be proactive and visible on the international stage,” Jones said.
 
“I’m delighted to update potential operators and investors at such a pivotal moment, and my message to them is simple – we are taking an active, deliberate, and coordinated approach to move our resources sector from open for business to doing business. We are looking for responsible operators who want to partner with us to realise our minerals potential.”
 
The World Economic Forum hosted its second consecutive roundtable at IMARC, building on the success of last year’s dialogue on the future of mining and sustainability. This year’s roundtable focused on collaborative strategies for carbon reduction and advancing green technologies in resource extraction.
 
Day Two of IMARC on Wednesday will mark the arrival of the NextGen program, with students from years 9 and 11 set to hear from speakers and explore the exhibition floor. 
 
“Tomorrow, students will have the chance to dive into an interactive Minecraft experience at the Gamification Zone, giving them an inspiring, hands-on introduction to the industry and encouraging the next generation of talent to imagine a future in resources.” said Ms Richards.