Mining and mineral resources Position Statement

As the global push for sustainability intensifies, and Australia seeks to meet its international commitments to sustainability on emissions reduction and sustainable development, demand for sustainably sourced mineral and metal products has trebled in recent years and will continue to grow.

This presents an opportunity: a thriving mining and mineral resources industry will to be essential to Australia’s prosperity and well-being and can support the global community’s demand for sustainably sourced mineral-rich technologies and products. Mineral products and metals accounted for 75.1 per cent of total Australian export earnings in 2019, including critical minerals such as lithium with Australia producing 56 per cent of global lithium in 2019. The Australian minerals sector is tipped to grow, with a predicted 24,000 new jobs by 2030, as demand for these resources grows over the next decade. The mineral resources industry has a crucial role to play in supporting Australia’s transition to a low-emissions economy and making Australia a renewables export powerhouse.