By Vanessa Zhou

March 3, 2020 - The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and the Indian Institute of Technology (The Indian School of Mines) have signed a three-year agreement to connect Australasia and India’s communities of resources experts.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed in front of representatives from both organizations, the Australian Government including Australian Minister for Trade Simon Birmingham, as well as industry bodies including the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

The partnership will bring together more than 200 years of combined history of professional development and excellence as the two bodies agreed to exchange knowledge, implement mutually beneficial professional development programs, and further build community confidence in resources professionals across Australasia and India.

As the peak body leading the way for people working in resources, AusIMM shapes careers, develops leaders and connect professionals. The organization was founded in 1893 and represents a global community of 65,000 professionals with people living and working all over the world – including India.

The Indian School of Mines was founded in 1926 and has produced more than 11,000 engineers and scientists who have shaped India’s resources sector.

Both Australia and India rely on highly skilled resources professionals to create significant value for their countries and communities.

Australia’s resources sector accounted for 73 percent of Australia’s goods exports in 2018-19, and the sector was responsible for 35 percent of the country’s GDP growth in the same period.

India is currently home to more than 1500 mines and produces 95 different types of minerals, and is a world leading producer in iron ore, bauxite, coal and chromium.

AusIMM president Janine Herzig said that the MOU provided a fantastic opportunity for AusIMM and IIT-ISM to broaden the professional communities of both organisations.

“By working together, we will be able to provide even more value to the mining professionals and economies of our nations. This partnership allows us to exchange knowledge and collaborate on professional development programs,” Herzig said.

“Upholding professional and ethical standards is a core purpose of AusIMM. This agreement will help advance the skills and professionalism of people working in the resources sectors of India, Australasia and further abroad.

Birmingham said the MoU was a step forward in a strategic partnership between AusIMM and IIT-ISM, as well as Australian-Indian cooperation in the resources sector.

“India has outlined a clear vision for a transformed economy, with energy and resources central to achieving its development ambitions, and this presents huge opportunities for Australia’s resources industry,” Birmingham said.

“This MoU offers India the chance to benefit from Australian best practice in the reporting of mineral resources and will create opportunities for Australian METS companies to feed the growing appetite in India for efficient, cost-effective and innovative mining solutions.”

Birmingham visited India on February 24-27, leading a mission of more than 120 Australian businesses as part of Austrade’s Australia-India Business Exchange 2020.