Thank you for the invitation to speak today. I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we meet, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and pay respects to Elders past and present. I also recognise the many First Nations people whose lands underpin Australia’s resources industry.
Mining takes place on Country. That brings responsibilities. Across the sector, companies and communities are working together on land use agreements, cultural heritage protection, jobs pathways, procurement partnerships and joint ventures. There is more to do, and expectations are rightly high. Strong relationships with Traditional Owners are central to earning and maintaining the social licence that underpins long‑term operations and shared economic benefit.
Mining has shaped modern Australia. It has supported generations of workers and communities. It has helped build export markets. It has underpinned national revenue, infrastructure and public services. Mining is the most productive sector in our economy. For every hour worked, mining generates more economic value than any other sector, reflecting advanced technology, skilled labour and the capacity to organise complex operations at scale.
When we talk about the future of the Australian economy, mining is vital to the conversation. Not only because it comprises a large share of national output, but because of the scale of the opportunities ahead. The world is shifting its energy systems. Supply chains are being redesigned. Demand for critical minerals is rising. And global expectations around environmental responsibility and reliability in supply are increasing, not declining.
In that context, Australia has genuine strategic advantages: stable institutions, geological abundance, deep technical expertise and a reputation as a dependable trading partner. The question for us is how to use these advantages to expand economic opportunity, strengthen competitiveness and support long‑term prosperity.
Today I want to explore 3 themes.
First, mining as a driver of productivity and economic dynamism.
Second, innovation as the engine of mining’s next phase.
Third, the government’s role in supporting investment, capability and future growth.
The argument is straightforward. The next decade will offer substantial opportunities for Australia’s mining sector. Our task, together, is to ensure that the sector is positioned to seize them.
Mining and economic dynamism
Productivity and dynamism are at the core of sustained economic growth. Productivity is not about working longer. It is about working smarter, using better technology, better skills and better systems. Mining is a clear example of this. Its high productivity is directly linked to capital intensity, engineering innovation and the coordination of complex logistics and supply chains.
Mining productivity has moved in cycles. Between 2011–12 and 2016–17, productivity increased by around 55 per cent. That period saw major advances in automation and data integration. In the Pilbara, for example, remote operations centres in Perth allowed control rooms to manage mine, rail and port systems hundreds of kilometres away. Operators monitored fleets of autonomous haul trucks, automated drills and real‑time ore tracking systems from a single location. Similar centres now operate in Brisbane and Adelaide, coordinating multi‑site planning, maintenance scheduling and safety monitoring.
These systems changed how mines operate. Real‑time data analytics improved fleet utilisation. Machine learning systems helped optimise ore processing. Integrated planning software aligned production schedules across sites, reducing bottlenecks and improving throughput. Operational decisions that once depended on manual logs and radio calls moved to digital dashboards and predictive alerts.
More recently, from 2019–20 to 2024–25, productivity is estimated to have declined by around 23 per cent. Higher input costs, tight labour markets, greater geological complexity and global supply chain pressures have played a role. These fluctuations are familiar. They reflect how the sector responds to investment cycles and technological transition. When new capital deepens and technology matures, productivity follows. When inputs are constrained or capability is stretched, productivity can slow.
The next wave of productivity will come from the technologies now moving from trial to deployment. Electric and hybrid haul trucks are being tested at mine sites to reduce fuel consumption and improve energy use. Rio Tinto is trialling battery‑electric haulage in the Pilbara, while BHP is working with heavy vehicle manufacturers on battery and trolley‑assist systems. Underground operations in Western Australia are adopting battery‑electric loaders and trucks to eliminate diesel emissions in confined environments, improving worker conditions and reducing ventilation load. Remote and autonomous drilling platforms now allow operators in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide to run multiple drill rigs simultaneously, improving safety and consistency while reducing downtime.
The implication is clear. Productivity in mining depends on continued investment in innovation, capability and operational improvement. These are the factors that determine competitiveness and resilience over time.
Mining also plays a broader role in the economy. Research shows that young, fast‑growing firms are central to job creation and innovation. Thousands of Australian firms design specialist equipment, explosives systems, geospatial modelling software, fleet management platforms and engineering services used globally. Orica’s digital blasting solutions, IMDEX’s downhole sensing technology and RPMGlobal’s mine planning software are examples of Australian innovation used on sites from South America to Central Asia. This contributes to exports, to workforce skills and to the diffusion of advanced capability across the economy.
Global demand makes this increasingly important. The world continues to require iron ore, bauxite and metallurgical coal to support industrialisation and infrastructure. But it is also seeking new supply chains for the materials needed in the global energy transition.
The International Energy Agency projects that by 2040 the mineral demand driven by clean‑energy technologies could roughly double under current global policy settings. Under a stronger global push toward net zero, the increases are sharper: nickel demand climbs several‑fold, cobalt more than doubles, rare earth elements see sustained growth, and lithium demand expands by more than five‑fold.
Nations are seeking reliable supply aligned with strong environmental and governance standards. Australia is well‑positioned to meet that need. This is what global partners mean when they say they want Australia ‘in the deal,’ not on the sidelines.
Innovation across the mining ecosystem
Resources Minister Madeleine King has emphasised that Australian mining succeeds when it functions as an ecosystem. The sector’s strength comes not only from geological endowment, but from the network of researchers, engineers, contractors, equipment manufacturers, software developers, service companies, educators and regional communities that develop and share practical knowledge every day. In mining, innovation is rarely a single breakthrough. It is usually the sum of incremental improvements across exploration, extraction, processing, maintenance and logistics.
Australia is home to companies that develop drill optimisation software, automated blasting systems, advanced mineral sensing tools, mine ventilation modelling, conveyor monitoring systems, tailings management technologies and environmental remediation solutions. These firms are often globally competitive. Their products and expertise are embedded in operations from Canada to Chile, and from Mongolia to West Africa. This diffusion of Australian know‑how is one of the quiet strengths of our resources sector.
Exploration techniques continue to advance. Hyperspectral imaging and geophysical sensing allow geologists to identify promising mineral signatures before extensive drilling. Downhole analytical tools now deliver real‑time composition data, giving teams the ability to adjust drilling programs as information comes in. These methods reduce cost, environmental footprint and time to decision.
Processing innovation matters just as much. Ore‑sorting systems use X‑ray, laser and electromagnetic scanners to separate higher‑grade material earlier in the process. This lowers energy use, reduces tailings volumes and improves overall recovery rates. In critical minerals, research partnerships are developing more efficient extraction and refining techniques to improve value capture onshore.
The skills required to support this ecosystem are changing. Mechanics, electricians and production crews remain essential. Alongside them, mines now employ data analysts, robotics technicians, network engineers, geospatial specialists and metallurgists who can interpret complex sensor data and optimise systems. The workforce is becoming more multi‑disciplinary and more digitally fluent.
This can benefit local communities. When apprenticeships, TAFE programs and university partnerships are delivered in mining regions, expertise stays embedded in local economies. Skilled workers are more likely to remain in the community, and regional centres maintain the technical depth that supports productive, long‑term operations.
Research infrastructure underpins all of this. CSIRO and Geoscience Australia drive advances in exploration science. ANSTO contributes to minerals processing knowledge. Cooperative Research Centres link industry and universities to move techniques from experiment to scale. These institutions help ensure that Australia remains not just a supplier of resources, but a developer of technology and know‑how.
Supporting investment and growth
The Australian Government recognises the role of mining in Australia’s economic future. The sector supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, underpins regional economies and contributes significantly to national revenue. Our objective is to ensure the sector remains competitive, resilient and positioned to capture new sources of global demand.
We are supporting exploration. Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future program continues to expand the national geological dataset, providing high‑resolution imaging and geophysical mapping across large areas of the continent. These surveys reduce exploration risk and help identify new mineral provinces, particularly for critical minerals where global supply is concentrated.
We are developing more processing and refining capability onshore. The Critical Minerals Facility is financing strategically important projects, including vanadium electrolyte production and rare earth oxide refining. The National Reconstruction Fund will further support commercial‑scale processing, battery component production and domestic supply chain development, enabling Australia to capture more value from the resources we produce.
We are strengthening supply chain partnerships. Countries seeking to decarbonise want long‑term access to reliable, responsibly produced minerals. Australia has agreements and working relationships with Japan, Korea, the United States, India and the European Union, focused on secure supply for critical minerals and new energy technologies. These partnerships help diversify markets and support the kind of investment horizons that mining requires.
To reinforce this strategic positioning, our government is establishing a Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve. Recent shifts in lithium and nickel markets have shown how global conditions can move quickly. The reserve aims to provide stability by using voluntary national offtake agreements and selective stockpiling, giving producers greater confidence to invest through market cycles. A dedicated taskforce is progressing this work, with the reserve to be operational by the end of 2026. This complements tools such as the Production Tax Incentive and broader support for processing and advanced manufacturing.
The productivity link is clear. When companies have confidence in future demand and stable policy settings, they invest in better equipment, skills and technology. Those are the drivers of higher output per hour worked and stronger competitiveness across the mining ecosystem.
We are supporting the infrastructure that underpins mining regions. Hydrogen hubs are being developed to support industrial decarbonisation and new export opportunities. Port expansions and rail upgrades improve freight efficiency. Industrial precincts are helping co‑locate processing, manufacturing and services firms, strengthening regional capability and reducing operating costs.
We are also focused on regulatory clarity and efficiency. Investors want consistent, transparent and timely approvals. Communities want assurance that development is undertaken responsibly and with respect for land, water and cultural heritage. The Australian Government is improving coordination in environmental assessment and project planning to support clear, durable outcomes and constructive relationships.
The direction is consistent: expand exploration, strengthen value‑adding, build skills and infrastructure, and provide certainty in decision‑making. These are the foundations for long‑term investment, regional growth and Australia’s continued role as a reliable supplier to the world.
Net zero and the role of critical minerals
Australia has committed to net zero emissions by 2050. That commitment reflects economic reality as much as environmental responsibility. Country‑level net zero targets now cover the bulk of global output and global emissions. Electricity grids are shifting toward renewables. In the first half of this year, global electricity generation from renewables exceeded coal, according to analysis from Ember. Transport systems are electrifying. Energy storage is scaling. Industrial heat and materials processing are being redesigned. Every one of these transitions depends on minerals.
The mining industry has stated that it will continue to support Australia’s climate policy goals and the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Companies recognise that long‑term competitiveness and emissions reduction can reinforce each other.
As the Minister for Resources, Madeleine King, has observed, the path to net zero runs through Australia’s resources sector. The world requires copper for transmission networks. Nickel and lithium for batteries. Rare earth elements for permanent magnet motors and wind turbines. High‑purity alumina and silicon for solar and semiconductor manufacturing. These are the materials that make electrification physically possible. Without them, there is no renewable grid, no electric vehicle rollout and no large‑scale energy storage. The shift underway aligns mining with new patterns of demand and new strategic value.
The sector is already adapting. Renewable energy is being integrated directly into remote mine operations. BHP’s Nickel West operations in Western Australia now draw a significant portion of their electricity from wind and solar farms at the Mt Keith and Leinster sites. Rio Tinto has entered agreements to power Queensland aluminium assets with large‑scale renewable generation as transmission infrastructure expands.
Electrification is also progressing. Battery‑electric loaders are being deployed in underground mines in Western Australia to improve air quality and reduce ventilation requirements, which is one of the major cost centres underground. Fortescue and Liebherr are developing battery‑electric and hydrogen‑powered haul trucks, with testing expected at Pilbara sites. These projects are early but real, and the pace is increasing as technology matures.
Process innovation is underway as well. Companies are trialling lower‑emissions alumina calcination, improving flotation chemistry in nickel and copper operations, and exploring new methods for rare earth separation that reduce reliance on high‑temperature chemical processes. These advances can lower emissions while improving recovery rates and reducing waste volumes.
The competitive opportunity for Australia is significant. Countries seeking to decarbonise want reliable supply from partners with strong environmental governance. Australia has a reputation for stable regulation, skilled workers and transparent production systems. If we continue to invest in capability, training, processing and innovation, we can position ourselves as a preferred supplier in emerging supply chains for batteries, renewable power systems and low‑emissions manufacturing.
This is a strategic moment. The world’s energy transition will either be built with Australian materials and expertise, or it will be built with materials from jurisdictions that have lower environmental standards, weaker governance and less predictable supply. The choices we make now will shape our role in the global economy for decades.
Conclusion
Mining has always evolved. New ore bodies, new technologies, new export markets, new skills. The next chapter of Australian mining will be shaped by capability, innovation and strategic positioning.
Australia has the advantage of experience, geological strength and institutional trust. To convert those advantages into long‑term prosperity, we must continue to invest in research, training, infrastructure and technology. We must ensure policy settings are predictable and support long‑term investment. We must maintain the confidence of communities and the confidence of global markets.
Mining will continue to be one of the anchors of Australia’s economic strength. It will remain central to global industry. And it will play a foundational role in the world’s progress toward net zero. The work ahead is serious and long term. But it is also an opportunity. The conditions for success are within reach.
The Australian Government looks forward to continuing that work with you.