NSW Minerals Strategy can deliver investment and jobs

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The NSW Minerals Council welcomes and endorses the NSW Minerals Strategy released by the NSW Minister for Resources Don Harwin today. 

 

The NSW Minerals Strategy 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.

 

“If implemented, 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 for many towns and communities right across regional NSW,” NSW Minerals Council CEO, Stephen Galilee said today.

 

“Minerals are already providing substantial economic benefits in NSW with the potential for more. Our metals members spent around $850 million in NSW last financial year, providing 3,500 direct jobs, and supporting more than 2,000 supplier businesses, mostly in Central and Far West NSW.”

 

“While coal is NSW’s most valuable export, we are also a significant producer and exporter of copper and gold, and the future prospects for a range of other minerals are also positive.”

 

“In addition to our world class deposits of gold and copper, we also have high quality silver, lead, zinc, and also cobalt, nickel, scandium, and mineral sands that are of increasing interest and demand globally,” Mr Galilee said.

 

“These minerals are essential inputs into modern energy, telecommunications and transport equipment and the infrastructure that is fundamental to modern lifestyles. 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.”

 

“The Central West and Far West of the state have much to benefit from a growth in the minerals industry. Towns like Broken Hill, Fifield, Nyngan, Blaney and Dubbo have minerals projects planned worth billions of dollars in investment and that would create thousands of jobs, and there is plenty more opportunity across NSW,” he said.

 

“We look forward to working with the NSW Government on implementation of the NSW Minerals Strategy to maximise the jobs, investment and growth it has the potential to deliver.”

 

Contact: Brad Emery