A well-known former Sudbury mining executive is back in the news and is taking on a new role as chair of the newly formed Energy Transition Metals Board with Vale Base Metals, which calls itself one of the world's largest producers of responsibly-sourced nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum group metals.
Mark Cutifani was previously chief operating officer (COO) at CVRD Inco, but he left Sudbury in 2007 to become chief executive officer (CEO) of AngloGold Ashanti, and then became CEO of mining giant Anglo American, one of the largest mining companies on the planet.
CVRD Inco (Companhia Vale do Rio Doce) was the company name before it became Vale.
Cutifani's appointment was mentioned earlier this year during the company's Q1 earnings call by Vale CEO Eduardo Bartolomeo. He said Cutifani's appointment was taking effect this month.
“I am happy to announce that we have advanced on bringing Mark Cutifani as the chairman of our newly formed Energy Transition Metals Board, starting July this year, " said Bartolomeo.
As Cutifani settled into his new role this past week, he was noticed for his recent comments in The Financial Times in which he suggested the resources sector should take a more proactive role in educating “ignorant” academics, politicians and bureaucrats on the critical role the minerals sector plays in society.
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Cutifani said in order to make the world more sustainable with more clean energy, more mining would be needed to provide the materials for cleaner energy.
Cutifani was reported speaking in Australia at the 2023 World Mining Congress held last week. He told delegates they “must explain how the raw materials we mine are literally the source of everything."
“In short, our modern industrial society and our new technologies are all built off mineral platforms and infrastructure. Minerals provide the raw materials that make life possible for 8 billion people on planet Earth,” Cutifani was quoted in the report.
“If we want a different outcome in terms of regulation and policy framework, we need to get off our bums and educate and promote the facts around how the world works and what we need to do to create a sustainable world,” he added.
Len Gillis covers mining and health care for Sudbury.com.
