Over a decade ago the World Petroleum Council launched an initiative to hold an international professional youth forum. The first forum took place in October 2004 in China, and had as its motto: "Young people and innovations are the future of the oil industry." It was the first major event in the history of the WPC in which young professionals and academics had the leading role, and had the opportunity to exchange their ideas in insights on the oil and gas industry with industry leaders and main representatives of the oil and gas industry. Since then, issues of professional development and the disclosure of the creative potential of young industry professionals have been on the agenda of the World Petroleum Council as one of the key areas for the development of international cooperation focused on a strategic perspective. The Future Leaders Forum of the World Petroleum Council VI is the largest international platform for professional communication of young specialists in the oil and gas industry. The contributions in this book are much of interest to professionals and scientists interested or involved in the oil and gas industry or related areas.

Topical Issues of Rational Use of Natural Resources 2019 contains the contributions presented at the XV International Forum-Contest of Students and Young Researchers under the auspices of UNESCO (St. Petersburg Mining University, Russia, 13-17 May 2019). The Forum-Contest is a great opportunity for young researchers to present their work to the academics involved or interested the area of extraction and processing of natural resources. The topics of the book include: Volume 1 • Geotechnologies of resource extraction: current challenges and prospects • Solid minerals mining technologies. Industrial and labour safety • Underground space development technologies. Rock mechanics and control of rock conditions • Cutting edge technologies of geological mapping, search and prospecting of mineral deposits • Digital and energy saving technologies in mineral resource complex Volume 2 • Breakthrough technologies of integrated processing of mineral hydrocarbon and technogenic raw materials with further production of new generation materials • The latest management and financing solutions for the development of mineral resources sector • Environment protection and sustainable nature management • New approaches to resolving hydrocarbon sector-specific issues Topical Issues of Rational Use of Natural Resources 2019 collects the best reports presented at the Forum-Contest, and is of interest to academics and professionals involved in the extraction and processing of natural resources.

Topical Issues of Rational Use of Natural Resources 2019 Vol. 2 contains the contributions presented at the XV International Forum-Contest of Students and Young Researchers under the auspices of UNESCO (St. Petersburg Mining University, Russia, 13-17 May 2019). The Forum-Contest is a great opportunity for young researchers to present their work to the academics involved or interested the area of extraction and processing of natural resources. The topics of the book include: • Geotechnologies of resource extraction: current challenges and prospects • Cutting edge technologies of geological mapping, search and prospecting of mineral deposits • Digital and energy saving technologies in mineral resource complex • Breakthrough technologies of integrated processing of mineral hydrocarbon and technogenic raw materials with further production of new generation materials • The latest management and financing solutions for the development of mineral resources sector • Environment protection and sustainable nature management • New approaches to resolving hydrocarbon sector-specific issues Topical Issues of Rational Use of Natural Resources 2019 Vol. 2 collects the best reports presented at the Forum-Contest, and is of interest to academics and professionals involved in the extraction and processing of natural resources.

Sri Lanka has long been regarded as a model of a successful welfare state in a low-income setting, yet it has not succeeded in creating a sufficient number of good jobs for the increasing number of young people. Hence, young Sri Lankans perceive their country as an unjust and unequal society, in which mainstream institutions have failed to address inequalities in the distribution of resources, as well as of benefits deriving from economic growth. Against this background, 'The Challenge of Youth Employment in Sri Lanka' aims to identify ways to improve the opportunities available to new job market entrants by addressing existing inequalities and to help young people more fully realize their potentials. Drawing from original research and a review of existing studies, the authors use the 4Es conceptual framework to analyze four key aspects of labor markets employment creation, employability, entrepreneurship, and equal opportunity identifying main issues and results, current trends, and possible new approaches.