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Encouraging Innovation in Mining – A Key Contributor to our Economy

25th May, 2017

Guy Barnett, Minister for Resources

Mining and mineral processing is a key pillar of Tasmania’s economy, accounting for about 50 per cent – or $1.95 billion – of the value of the State’s exports.

In the 2017-18 Budget, the Hodgman Liberal Government is Building Tasmania’s Future by committing $1 million over four years to a new Mining Sector Innovation Program, which is aimed at helping to keep the industry at the cutting edge of technology and best practice.

An increasingly high-tech sector of the economy, mining directly employs more than 2000 people across regional Tasmania, many in skilled occupations.

This initiative will build on Mineral Resources Tasmania’s collaborative work with the University of Tasmania’s Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits (CODES) and with the Tasmanian Mineral and Energy Council.

The program will support the industry through:

  • Innovative uses for geoscientific data using new technologies;
  • Investigation of innovative solutions for mine rehabilitation and remediation;
  • Development of best practice Acid Mine Drainage Management Guidelines; and
  • Improving our understanding of landslip reactivation and implications for future planning and emergency response.

This Budget also confirms the Government’s recent commitment of $9.5 million to Copper Mines of Tasmania to assist in bringing forward a potential re-start of the Mt Lyell mine.

Further, the Budget continues funding for the $1.4 million Geoscience Initiative Program, which was introduced last year and is designed to improve our capability to attract exploration investment through providing new geoscience data and mapping.

The final stages of the relocation of Mineral Resources Tasmania to Burnie, where it can better serve the industry, are also fully funded.

The Tasmanian Liberal Government has been the strongest and most consistent supporters of the mining industry because we believe it has a major role to play in Building Tasmania’s Future.