Citadel-MAGNUS brings you a daily update from the 2022 Diggers & Dealers conference in Kalgoorlie.

AGENDA

Major to watch:

BHP Nickel West kicks off proceedings nice and early, with President Jessica Farrell taking to the podium at 8.30. Farrell is expected to have some choice words to say about the representation of women at the conference. BHP Nickel West is fresh off a major supply MOU with Ford Motor Co. in the US, and has also recently announced that more than 70,000 solar panels are to be installed at Leinster and Mt Keith. The Big Green Australian anyone?

Junior to watch:

Boss Energy is sitting on its Honeymoon Project, which has the potential to be a fast starter should the stars align.

Uranium tends to be out of the spotlight at Diggers and Dealers, but with energy prices at long term highs and lower carbon resources all the rage, could uranium be about to have its day? Managing Director Duncan Craib will let us know after the afternoon tea break.

After hours:

Not just after hours – but during the day as well – WA footy royalty in the form of John Worsfold and Jeremy McGovern graced the conference. Also spied was token West Aussie Chris Judd. The trio were happy to have a chat and pose for selfies with awe-struck fans. According to our spy, who has no medical expertise whatsoever, McGovern’s ribs looked “fine.”

TALKING POINTS

As with yesterday, it was airlines and the weather. More punters either missed out or were late for the journey to Kalgoorlie as the combination of bad weather, staff shortages and in the opinion of many – management incompetence – caused flight delays.

Also of note is the amount of digging that’s going to have to get done if the world is going to meet its net zero by 2050 targets. A constant theme of miners with a bet on lithium, copper, cobalt and other battery minerals is the brightly coloured charts with demand curves all pointing up. It’s a big job, but someone’s gotta do it!

PACKED TO THE RAFTERS

Of course it’s dinner time tonight, and after last year’s rather spectacular event, what could the organisers possibly have in store for us this year? There have been no leaks, so we’ll wait and see, but the bar is always high for the entertainment (and the red wine).

The long queue to get in could be a challenge this year, with the wind chill factor likely to be right up there. Fortunately the marquee will be nice and toasty inside.

LAST WORDS

One of the afternoon speakers, who is quite modest so we won’t name them:  “Europe is the second largest battery market outside of China… even I don’t have balls big enough to operate in China.”