On Wednesday, 17 June, the International Forum-Contest “Topical Issues of Rational Use of Natural Resources” will take start. Traditionally, it is attended by students, postgraduates and young scientists from Russian and foreign universities, employees of mining, geological, oil and gas, energy, engineering, and metallurgical companies.
This year, more than a thousand participants have registered for the forum, which is an absolute record for the entire existence of the competition. These are speakers and experts from 50 countries and 180 universities of the world. Russia will be represented by the winners and prize recipients of the similar national competition which took place last April. Among foreign participants, there are 65 young scientists from China, 64 from Belarus, 46 from Ukraine, 33 from Germany, and 28 from Poland.
Thanks to the new online format of the event based on the ZOOM platform, the geography of applications for the competition has become much wider. They come from both post-industrial countries, such as the U.S., the UK, Japan, and such countries as Mozambique, Namibia, and Ecuador.
Young scientists’ research is devoted to such pressing topics as enhancing the technology of complex processing of mineral raw materials to produce new generation materials; geological mapping, prospecting and mineral exploration; improving the energy efficiency of the mineral resource complex’s production, waste recycling, water treatment, restoration of disturbed lands and other relevant scientific areas. Most of the surveys are of practical importance and are ready for introduction into production.
Rector of St. Petersburg Mining University Vladimir Litvinenko, Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov, UNESCO Head of Research Peggy Oti-Boateng, top managers of major Russian specialized companies - PhosAgro, SIBUR, Geotech-seismic and others will attend the opening ceremony of the forum competition. They have repeatedly noted that the competition “helps to improve the quality of the system of training scientific personnel, assists in the progress of mining and processing industries, and facilitates the integration of scientific systems of various world countries.”
The online broadcast of the competition, organized by the St. Petersburg Mining University and the International Competence Centre for Mining Engineering Education under the auspices of UNESCO, is available at the links below:
10.00 Official Opening
12.30 Breakout sessions
- Breakout Session 1. New approaches to resolving oil & gas sector-specific issues
Subsection 1.1. Oil & gas field development
Subsection 1.2. Well drilling
Subsection 1.3. Midstream - Breakout Session 2. Technologies of integrated processing of mineral raw materials with further production of new generation materials
Subsection 2.1. Chemical engineering in natural energy carriers, carbon materials and inorganic substances
Subsection 2.2. Technologies and equipment for ore processing and metallurgy, their physics and chemistry - Breakout Session 3. Geotechnologies of resource extraction: current challenges and prospects
Subsection 3.1. Solid minerals mining technologies. Industrial and labor safety
Subsection 3.2. Underground and ground space development technologies. Rock mechanics and control of rock conditions - Breakout Session 4. Geological mapping, exploration, and prospecting of mineral resources
- Breakout Session 5. Economics of sustainability and global investment trends
- Breakout Session 6. Information telecommunication technologies and digital transformation
- Breakout Session 7. Equipment, vehicle maintenance and energy efficiency at the enterprises of the mineral resources sector
Subsection 7.1. Innovations and prospects for the developments of mining mechanical engineering
Subsection 7.2. Energy efficiency at the enterprise of the mineral resources sector - Breakout Session 8. Climatic changes, environmental activity, and principles of sustainable development in the mining facility
Subsection 8.1. Sustainable development of regions and environmental safety
Subsection 8.2. Waste management utilization, water treatment, off-gas treatment and land reclamation - Breakout Session 9. Topical issues and contradictions of modern society development
- Breakout Session 10. Modern trends in architecture and urban planning
