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Resourceful Australia?

Australia’s Tech Dilemma

Australians are keen on technology, especially at home, but the country’s broadband is just not cutting it apparently.  Well that’s the only conclusion you can draw from a bunch of…

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Microbial Mining

A new copper leaching discovery suggests biotech-driven mining solutions could soon recover critical minerals, reduce waste and enhance sustainability. A critical minerals platform startup, Endolith, has successfully demonstrated that its…

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The Clean Energy Election?

The return of a Labor Government is also being hailed as an endorsement of Australia’s remarkable renewables journey, but there’s still a long way to go. A lot of issues…

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World Copper Supply & Demand Shifts

The world’s copper market is expected to see a significant surplus over the next two years says the latest forecast from the International Copper Study Group (ICSG). The Group said…

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September 20, 2024 · General, John’s Blog, Mining

A new report from the Minerals Council of Australia is timely, given its argument that mining investment will continue to play a vital role in the country’s future, but only if managed properly.

The study—Minerals-plus:An investment strategy for a resource intensive future—covers a lot of ground but argues there’s been a “seven-year stagnation in mining capital”, adding its urgent we get it flowing again if we want to continue to be a productive, green and global economy.

It’s a reminder, I think, of how important mining has been to Australia, fundamentally underpinning our way of life. As the Australian Financial Review said recently, “Mining has made all Australians prosperous, not just miners”.

And adding—“Australian politicians and voters don’t always fully grasp where our good fortune comes from”. I think that’s true, but it doesn’t mean we can’t find common ground. 

One way to do that says the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) is to overcome a “challenging business environment” to encourage development of the many potential projects we already have here. 

That’s certainly true for copper.  The country has plenty of major resources right across the spectrum from major mines to promising finds to exploration, but where the production potential has not been fully tapped.

The MCA says government can help. They suggest policies like internationally competitive tax settings, expanded trade and investment opportunities and faster environmental planning can improve the mining environment. I agree.

As the country moves toward Net Zero this is going to become even more urgent given that critical metals like copper or nickel will be absolutely necessary to help get us there.  

Finding the middle path between too much regulation and too little has always been a challenge. The MCA report makes clear that we need to get that right as the world decarbonises and electrifies, but it’s also clear that government and the community need to be part of the solution too.

Cheers, John Fennell

Report: https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Minerals-Plus__FINAL_September-2024.pdf

Featured

Australia’s Tech Dilemma

Australians are keen on technology, especially at home, but the country’s broadband is just not cutting it apparently.  Well that’s…

Read More

Microbial Mining

A new copper leaching discovery suggests biotech-driven mining solutions could soon recover critical minerals, reduce waste and enhance sustainability. A…

Read More

The Clean Energy Election?

The return of a Labor Government is also being hailed as an endorsement of Australia’s remarkable renewables journey, but there’s…

Read More

World Copper Supply & Demand Shifts

The world’s copper market is expected to see a significant surplus over the next two years says the latest forecast…

Read More

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