Vale in it for the long haul, says COO: Ricus Grimbeek talks future of nickel mining – by Karen McKinley (Northern Ontario Business – January 11, 2019)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

The mining industry is rapidly moving toward digital technology, and Sudbury could be at the heart of it with careful planning, said Vale’s Ricus Grimbeek. The chief operating officer for Canada, the U.K, and Asian refineries was the guest speaker at a Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce President’s Luncheon Series on Jan. 10 at the Radisson hotel.

His message was clear: Vale has a decades-long plan to stay in the region, as well as help the city become the global hub of digital mining as it transforms the industry.

“I was talking to somebody and they said they thought there was maybe five good years of mining left here, and asked what I thought and I said, no,” he said. “They asked if it was less or more.” For Vale, he said the mining company is looking at at least 20 to 30 more years of production in the basin alone.

And oddly enough, climate change is going to help spur that sustainability with the increased demand for battery electric vehicles. The world is moving toward battery-powered vehicles, with two million produced last year alone, mostly in China.

He predicted 15 to 20 million vehicles being on the road in the next five years. That demand is going to continue to increase as cities and countries change their infrastructure to adapt to the new technology.

For the rest of this article: https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/regional-news/sudbury/vale-in-it-for-the-long-haul-says-coo-1192041