Geoscience Ireland (GI) was delighted to co-sponsor the recent “Signs of Revival in Ireland’s Natural Resources” Conference, held in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath on 19 September. The event was co-hosted by the Irish Association for Economic Geology (IAEG) and the Irish Mining and Quarrying Society (IMQS).
The keynote address was delivered by Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment (DCEE). Minister O’Brien highlighted the importance of developing Ireland’s natural resources in a responsible and sustainable way. He reaffirmed his Department’s commitment to Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) in areas such as:
- Research to maintain the quality of aggregates
- Participation in EU Critical Raw Materials programmes
- Reuse of construction and demolition waste (C&D)
- Remediation of historic mine sites
Speakers from GSI and the Geoscience Policy Division expanded on these themes.
The well-attended conference also featured updates from across the sector, including:
- The reopening of the Galmoy zinc-lead mine
- The establishment of an Irish Minerals Fund
- Delays affecting the Dalradian Project in Northern Ireland
- Promising exploration activity from Group 11, Conroy and Minco
- Ongoing research at iCRAG
- Advances in geotechnical safety in quarries
- C&D waste categorisation initiatives
GI was strongly represented at the event, with members ARUP, APEX, AURUM, BRG and SLR joining as co-sponsors, alongside Roadstone, TOBIN, Priority Drilling, GSI and iCRAG.
In his closing remarks, Sean Finlay, GI Director and IMQS Conference Committee member, reflected on recent developments:
“The resumption of operations at Tara Mines; the reopening of Galmoy; planning approval for Gyproc’s expansion; and continued operations at Irish Salt all point to positive momentum for the sector. While overall exploration remains subdued, several advanced projects are emerging with strong potential. This joint IAEG-IMQS Conference, much like Canada’s PDAC events, highlights the achievements of Ireland’s minerals sector. IMQS is deeply grateful to IAEG for its support in making this conference possible.”