I am Lassi Pensikkala and had the honor of participating in the breakfast conference at the Hilton, as well as the Expominas 2024 trade fair in Quito. The “Breakfast and Mining Seminar” event was organized by the Embassy of Finland in Peru, Mining Finland, Finnpartnership, Business Finland, and Team Finland Latin America, with support from the Chamber of Mines of Ecuador. This was an excellent opportunity to bring Finnish technology focused on sustainability to Ecuador.
The Finnish ambassador to Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, Mr. Antti Rytövuori, welcomed the attendees. The event included a panel on sustainability in Ecuadorian mining, moderated by Carolina Orozco, president of the Board of the Chamber of Mines of Ecuador (CME). The panel featured representatives from industry, private, and public entities who discussed the crucial role of sustainability in mining.
Carolina Orozco emphasized, “Mining is a matter of reciprocity, taking minerals from the soil to make them part of the energy transition and the fight against climate change. To have a mining industry, we need quality investment. We have the will, we have the resources, we can achieve it.”
Mining Finland: Promoting technology and sustainability
Lasse Moilanen, CEO of Mining Finland, highlighted that Mining Finland is a non-profit association funded by membership fees. Its mission is to promote the export of Finnish mining technology, attract foreign investments to the Finnish mining cluster, and facilitate R&D and educational collaboration among mining sector actors operating in Finland or in cooperation with Finnish companies.
The Finnish mining cluster
Finland has systematically developed its mining cluster. Today, this cluster is robust, consisting of more than ten mining-related universities and research organizations, more than 200 mining technology and service providers, over 40 mines, and ten smelters and steel mills.
Finnpartnership at Expominas 2024
Expominas, organized in Ecuador’s capital, Quito, plays a significant role in the global mining industry by promoting the development of a high-tech, modern, and responsible industry. In 2024, the trade fair celebrates its 10th anniversary.
In a joint Team Finland effort, Finnpartnership was inviting Finnish mining and supporting sector companies, as well as organizations providing mining-related training and education, to showcase their offerings in Ecuador. Finnpartnership offered all Finnish companies and organizations the opportunity to benefit from a common Team Finland exhibition stand throughout the trade fair. Additionally, Finnpartnership, in cooperation with Mining Finland, Business Finland, the Embassy of Finland, and the Chamber of Mines of Ecuador, organized a seminar on July 10 in Hotel Hilton Quito to showcase the Finnish mining industry to local key stakeholders. Besides the trade fair, the seminar also provided an excellent platform for connecting with potential partners and customers. Expominas was a three-day trade fair spanning from Wednesday, July 10, to Friday, July 12.
Ecuador has excellent mineral resources comparable to those of neighboring Peru, Colombia, and Chile. The most valuable mineral exports include gold, copper, and silver. The country’s mining exports exceeded USD 3.2 billion in 2023. Driven by both higher gold and copper prices and increased year-on-year production, the export value grew by nearly 20% from 2022. The recent favorable development has positioned mining as the fastest-growing sector in Ecuador, also ranking fourth in national exports. Mining has grown to become a significant employer, with around 100,000 jobs registered in the sector.
Finland has a good reputation in the Ecuadorian mining sector, having financed significant mining projects and supplied the industry with crucial technology. Sub-sector opportunities include, among others:
- Mineral exploration, including geophysics, mapping, and tunneling equipment.
- Production equipment for drilling, extraction, loading, hauling, and crushing.
- Mining software for resource estimation, modeling, mine design, and optimization.
- Mine safety equipment.
(Source: Finnpartnership)
Expominas 2024 promises to be a key event for strengthening the relationship between Finland and Ecuador, promoting a more sustainable and technologically advanced mining industry.
Thanks for reading,
Lassi Pensikkala
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