COVID-19: Statement from NSW Minerals Council

The NSW Minerals Council is working closely with our member companies, state and federal governments, regulators, and other industry associations to assess and minimise the impact of coronavirus on the mining sector, to share information, and to help coordinate responses.

Our priority is to ensure the health and safety of our workforce and mining communities while maintaining the strong economic contribution that our state, our mining communities and our mining families rely upon.

Mining operations are implementing extensive workforce protection measures in accordance with public advice, including enhanced cleaning and sanitation, work from home policies, social distancing in crib rooms and enhanced screening measures for visitors.

The NSW mining sector ended 2019 in a strong position, with record coal export volumes, strong gold prices and record exploration spending.

So far in 2020, we have seen strong demand for coal continue and only minor variations in prices, offset by lower currency rates. However, it is too early to tell what the longer-term economic impact of the current global challenge will be.

Mining is a key industry for NSW. The sector provides around 40,000 direct jobs and supports tens of thousands more jobs in around 7000 mining supplier businesses across the state.

Mining also provides our state’s most valuable exports and sustains the local economies of many regional communities across NSW.

Our industry is committed to ensuring we do everything possible to maintain the health and safety of our highly-valued workforce and local communities while we continue to make an important contribution to the economy and our country during the current crisis.

Callum Fountain