In our latest ‘Fisher German Talks’ podcast episode, Partner, Tom Giddings is joined by one of our associates, Ben Minns, and Kirsten Cunningham, the Estates Manager at Aggregate Industries, who are a leading building materials supplier. They discuss the future of the minerals industry and question whether we should be worried about future mineral supply. They also explore ways we can mine sustainably and debate what role decarbonisation will have on the industry.
Tom said: “Minerals are a niche area and there is lots of specialist knowledge you need to know to protect our client’s interest in terms of their rights or the operators who are removing the minerals or working under a minerals lease. We get involved in mineral reserve assessments, quarry designs, and land searches for new quarries to provide that new pipeline of supply to the industry.”
He continued: “Most of us don’t realise how much modern life revolves around minerals, our need for them is endless. We need them to make vehicles, mobile phones, batteries, wind turbines, and medical devices. Without the resource to power and build this technology, industries would grind to a halt. As our tech keeps advancing, so does our reliance on the mineral industry and because of this the growth and maintenance of the industry is more essential than ever before.
“Mineral extraction can provide a very valuable source of income for landowners, in addition, the void created can offer opportunities for landfill or other forms of development. Often landowners are unaware of the value of what lies beneath their land, and many may not know that the rights to the surface of the land can be separate from the rights to the underground minerals. What lies beneath the surface can add significant value and our experienced professionals understand how this specialist sector works and through our extensive GIS mapping capabilities, we already know what minerals are under the ground on our client’s land.”
With technology having an ever-increasing presence in our everyday lives, using specific technology in our business has allowed us to evaluate and review our client’s assets in a lot more depth, allowing the exploration of different opportunities. One of the biggest reasons for market growth and acceleration of demand is the energy transition. By 2040 the world is expected to need four times as many critical minerals for clean energy technology as it does today.
Our minerals team now utilise specialist 3D volumetric software, which can determine the smallest of changes in land surfaces. The digital terrain modelling software ‘LSS’ is a complete land survey, terrain modelling, volume, design, and visualisation package, which provides landowners with a variety of landscape and visual solutions.
The software transforms topographic data obtained from traditional GPS land surveys or points cloud data obtained from survey drones to create digital terrain models of the landholdings. The software can measure and quantify every aspect of the terrain including heights and areas, but specifically volumes.
The capabilities apply to a wide variety of our clients. The minerals team traditionally use the software to create quarry designs and detect volumetric differences within the construction aggregates sector; however, the software is also utilised in agricultural, commercial, residential and infrastructure projects. The application of 3D models can be applied to volume analysis, floodplain analysis, flooding extents, restoration and earthworks designs, pipeline sterilisation claims, landscape and visual assessments and viewpoint analysis.
Typical outputs for landowners can be anything from simple figures and PDF plans to fully rendered 3D landscapes and visual flythroughs of projects and designs. This specialist software and further applications give landowners reassurance that their assets are protected, and value is maximised.
Click here to find out more about our minerals team of experts who have more than 50 years of minerals experience between them and offer a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of geology and mineral property issues.
Click here to listen to the minerals podcast.
