Metals and Minerals

NSW has world-class deposits of metallic minerals such as gold, copper, silver, nickel, lead, zinc, cobalt and lithium, and industrial minerals like mineral sands, clays and limestone.

The world’s population is growing, living standards are rising, and technology is changing rapidly, which is fuelling growth for many of the mineral resources found right here in NSW. Many of these minerals are essential inputs for modern energy, communications and transport equipment and the infrastructure that is fundamental to modern lifestyles.

NSW is Australia’s second-largest gold producing state, with significant production coming from mining operations near Orange, Parkes and West Wyalong in the state’s Central West, including one of Australia’s largest gold mines, Newcrest Mining’s Cadia Valley Operations.

The NSW mining industry supports the implementation of the NSW Government’s Minerals Strategy, announced in 2019, which outlines opportunities for growth in the NSW metals sector from surging global demand, proposes a range of measures to help improve the competitiveness of NSW as a place to invest, and sets ambitious targets for future outcomes.

This Strategy focuses on metals with high technology applications including, copper, silver and gold, rare earth elements, including scandium, platinum group elements, and cobalt, lithium, titanium and zirconium.

The actions outlined in the NSW Minerals Strategy will deliver a significant boost to the NSW economy and deliver much-needed investment and more jobs.