From 23 to 25 October 2024, the IV Aggregates Congress was held in the city of Cordoba, Argentina, under the slogan: Aggregates: Mining for the infrastructure of the Argentina of the future. For three days, all attendees had the opportunity to share the various experiences of each country and continent and discuss day-to-day issues of our sector such as infrastructure, quality control, legislation, mining policy, land use planning, sustainability, production, logistics and quarry restoration.

The Spanish Aggregates Federation (Federación de Áridos – FdA), as could not be otherwise, had a large presence both as part of the European delegation of de Aggregates Europe – UEPG and the Spanish delegation formed by César Luaces (FdA’s General Director and Chairman of several Committees and Task Forces of this organization) and Jaume Puig (FdA’s General Secretary and Chairman of the Communication TF). In addition, on behalf of the FdA, Alfons Porro (vice-president of our institution) and Joaquim Roca (member of the Board of Directors) attended.

The aforementioned César Luaces (also director general of the Ibero-American Federation of Aggregates Producers), in turn, moderated a round table on digitalisation following a conference by Carlos Forero (director general of Asogravas ) on the project financed by the European Commission and led by ANEFA, DigiEcoQuarry.  Luaces also gave a lecture entitled: Social Licence in the Exploitation of Aggregates.

On the other hand, the Spanish delegation oversaw organising the panel focused on another of the projects led by ANEFAand funded by the European Commission, Rotate, entitled: Recycled Aggregates. Luis Fueyo (director of Fueyo Editores and Smopyc) and César Luaces participated in the panel.

Organised by the Mining Chamber of Córdoba, the Chamber of Stone of the Province of Buenos Aires and the Argentinean Stone Federation, its objectives were the following:

– To foster a space for the exchange of good mining practices, promoting the professionalisation of the aggregates industry.

– To generate a space for the exhibition and promotion of new technologies and innovations in the sector.

– Ensure sustainable development, generating environmental care and CSR policies, attending to the various stakeholders.

– Discuss the challenges that lie ahead in the sector, with the aim of improving the productivity and sustainability of companies in the sector, within the framework of socially and environmentally sensitive mining.

– To highlight the strategic importance of the aggregates production activity and its impact on the quality of life of the population.

On 22 October, a face-to-face meeting of the Ibero-American Federation of Aggregates Producers (FIPA) was also held within its framework, focusing on the importance of aggregates in construction and their fundamental role as a raw material in products such as concrete and asphalt. This event will be attended by representatives from Spain, Portugal, Latin America and the Caribbean.