The global energy transition requires new metals and wider use of already known resources. Against this background, countries rich in natural resources should receive development opportunities in the next 50 to 100 years. For Armenia, the transition to the next stage of mining development, which will take into account social expectations, the position of local communities and government issues, is becoming a key task. Mark Cutifani, an international expert in the mining industry, keynote speaker and executive consultant of the Mining Armenia Forum 2026, told this to reporters on the sidelines of the forum.

According to him, the world is going through many changes, and the energy transition requires new metals and wider use of already known resources. Scientific achievements and artificial intelligence open up new technological opportunities and enable finding new ways to use metals. Humanity continues to evolve, and the role of various metals and minerals has constantly changed over the millennia. As per Cutifani, the forum participants gathered in Armenia to figure out how the country can benefit from and participate in these changes. In his opinion, countries rich in natural resources will develop and prosper in the next 50 to 100 years.

Speaking about Armenia, Cutifani noted that good work has already been done in the country's mining sector, but now it is time to move on to the next stage. In his assessment, the sector's agenda has become more mature and takes into account social expectations to a greater extent. He called this a positive signal. Cutifani emphasized that further development will depend on the ability of industry representatives to listen to the local industrial community, as well as taking into account the broader context of mining sector development.

He called the interaction with the government an important condition to define the political and regulatory frameworks that will promote the development of the sector and take into account the interests of the local population. According to Cutifani, it is necessary, on the one hand, to know the government’s agenda and provide support to it, and on the other hand, to ensure the opportunity to make the position of local communities and various social groups heard. If the sector can combine these approaches, in his opinion, this will provide an opportunity to form a positive dialogue between all stakeholders.

Talking about the preparation of his speech, Cutifani identified three main directions. The first concerns the role of the mining industry in the life of society. At the same time, he intended to consider this topic in a slightly different way than it had been done before.

The second direction is devoted to how the mining industry actually contributes to reducing damage to nature. As per Cutifani, similar processes can be observed all over the world. He emphasized that this theory needs additional explanations. Without mining, humanity would be able to feed only 50% of the Earth's population.

Cutifani explained that fertilizers and agricultural mechanization make it possible to increase the quality of agricultural and food production. Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce the land area used for agriculture and free up more space for nature, thus ensuring the preservation of biodiversity. According to him, this interdependence needs to be explained more convincingly and properly communicated to the public.

The third direction of Cutifani's speech concerns local communities. He emphasized that it is precisely the inhabitants of those areas where mining activities are carried out who directly experience its consequences and the changes that are taking place. Therefore, in his opinion, one of the most important issues in the sector is how to help the government, industry, and local communities build a joint dialogue—a tripartite interaction where all parties will be represented. Cutifani noted the need for such interaction as one of the central themes of his speech.

The co-organizers of Mining Armenia Forum 2026 are the Mining Forum Development Foundation and the Armenian Mining and Metallurgy Association. The strategic sponsors of the forum, which is being held for the third time, are the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine and the Lydian Armenia company, and the main sponsors are Ameriabank and Teghout CJSC.