Lifestyle technology made with metals
Metals mined in NSW are powering more of our lives than most realise. From checking your phone, cooking dinner, doing the laundry, and streaming your favourite shows, these metals are working behind the scenes in almost every device and system we’re using.
Copper is especially important. Its electrical conductivity makes it vital for home wiring and appliances like dishwashers, washing machines and fridges. It’s also used in plumbing and renewable energy systems. According to Geoscience Australia, the average family home contains more than 90 kilograms of copper.
And there’s up to 20 grams of copper in every smartphone, plus more in laptops, tablets, smartwatches, headphones, speakers, and TVs. Gold’s conductivity also makes it a crucial metal in phones. Being malleable, it’s also very good for making intricate components. And it’s also corrosion-resistant, so the components will last.
As demand for digital services and smart devices grows, so does the need for our metals, including copper. It’s used in processors, data centres and advanced electronics—driving everything from AI and voice assistants to social media, search engines and streaming platforms.
The International Energy Agency forecasts global copper demand could rise from 27 million tonnes in 2024 to as much as 50 million tonnes by 2050. Australia holds the world’s second largest copper resources, and NSW produces about 200,000 tonnes of copper concentrate every year – around a quarter of the nation’s total.
Medical devices and healthcare needs metals mined in NSW
Metals mined in NSW, including gold, copper and silver, play a vital role in modern healthcare and the development of medical technologies. These metals are essential for their physical properties – such as conductivity, durability and resistance to corrosion – and also for their unique biological benefits, particularly their antimicrobial capabilities.
From hospitals and operating theatres to wearable health devices and diagnostic tests, these locally mined resources are helping to improve health outcomes in Australia and around the world.
Copper is widely used in hospital infrastructure and equipment because of its powerful antimicrobial properties, which help reduce the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses. It’s also crucial in diagnostic technologies such as MRI and X-ray machines due to its high electrical conductivity.
Silver, similarly, is valued for its ability to fight infection and is commonly used in wound dressings, surgical tools, catheters and hospital textiles.
Gold is used in cutting-edge medical applications including cancer detection and treatment, drug delivery, and rapid diagnostic tests thanks to its biocompatibility and stability. These metals, sourced from NSW mining operations, are not only critical to healthcare innovation—they are saving lives.
Metals needed for reducing emissions
Copper, zinc, gold, nickel, silver and cobalt – many of them mined right here in New South Wales – are essential for the technologies that will be needed to reduce global emissions over time. Solar panels, wind turbines, battery storage systems and electric vehicles (EVs) all depend on these critical minerals to function efficiently and reliably.
Copper plays a leading role. It is used throughout solar power systems, along with silver, from the panels on rooftops to the inverters and wiring that connect them to the grid. With over 30 percent of homes in NSW now fitted with solar panels, the demand for copper in new energy is already part of everyday life.
Wind energy also relies heavily on copper. Each onshore wind turbine contains up to 4.7 tonnes of copper, with more than half used for cabling and wiring, and nearly a quarter in turbine and generator components.
And the changing habits of drivers means more copper will be needed in the future along with other metals mined in NSW. Electric vehicles use at least four times more copper than conventional petrol-powered cars, thanks to the wiring, battery systems, motors, and charging infrastructure required.
NSW metals mining and processing industries
New South Wales is home to some of Australia’s most significant and productive metals mining operations, including copper, gold, silver, zinc and nickel. Major mines like Evolution Mining’s Northparkes Operations and Cowal Gold Operations. CSA Mine near Cobar, and Newmont Cadia, Australia’s biggest underground gold mine near Orange, are leading producers of copper and gold, helping to meet growing global demand for the metals essential to clean energy technologies, advanced manufacturing and everyday electronics.
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These operations generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, mostly in regional communities, and deliver other substantial economic benefits to NSW through royalties, local procurement and infrastructure investment.
We also have one of just two gold refineries in Australia here in Sydney, which means we can process the gold that is mined here, as well as gold mined in New Zealand, other Pacific countries and South East Asia. And it processes a significant amount of recycled gold, which minimises impacts on the environment while maximising the benefits of the gold.
Looking ahead, the future of metals mining in NSW is full of opportunity. There is a strong pipeline of new and expanded projects in development, including potential new copper, gold and critical minerals mines across the Central West and Far West regions. These projects will be crucial to ensuring a stable domestic supply of the metals needed for everything from electric vehicles and solar panels to smartphones and modern medical technologies.
With the right policy settings and support, NSW is well-positioned to grow its role as a reliable and responsible supplier of the metals the world needs to meet its decarbonisation and technology goals.
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