November 29, 2021
Statement from NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee
The NSW Government’s Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy released by the Deputy Premier today provides the NSW mining industry with a positive roadmap for future development.
While it will be important to examine more policy details as they become available, the release of the Strategy is a very welcome ‘whole of government’ approach to deliver certainty and consistency for the mining industry and mining communities across NSW.
Technological advances in industries like telecommunications, medicine, defence, and renewable energy generation and storage are driving increased demand for our critical minerals. This will generate increased economic activity and opportunities for many NSW regional communities like Dubbo, Parkes, Orange, Cobar, Broken Hill and others.
NSW has historically been a significant producer and exporter of copper and gold, and also boasts high-quality deposits of silver, scandium, lead, cobalt, titanium, zirconium, rare earths, and mineral sands that are of increasing interest and demand globally.
Mining is a key contributor to many regional communities across NSW. The metals mining industry in particular is deeply intertwined with the history and development of many communities across the Central West and Far West of NSW. The NSW Government’s commitment to establish Australia’s first Critical Minerals Hub in the Central West provides an opportunity to build on this rich heritage for the future.
The Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy complements the NSW Government’s previously released Strategies for Coal and for Minerals. Together these three important policy documents provide a solid framework for the long-term future of the resources sector in NSW.
Mining is and will remain a vital industry for NSW. The sector provides around 40,000 direct jobs and supports tens of thousands more jobs, including in over 7000 mining supplier businesses across the state, while also providing NSW with its most valuable export commodities.