Mining and METS collaboration important for Australia’s future

According to the Chair of the Minerals Council of Australia, Dr Vanessa Guthrie, Australia’s minerals industry and its mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector need better collaboration for the nation’s future prosperity.

In an interview ahead of her talk at the Austmine 2017 conference, Dr Guthrie said mining and METS companies were drivers of innovation and investment, provided highly-skilled employment opportunities and generated the bulk of Australia’s export earnings.

“Mining and METS companies already work together on a daily basis to support and reinforce each other’s operational activities,” Dr Guthrie said.

“By collaborating and partnering at an industry level we can ensure that mining and METS continue to innovate and grow – and that, in turn, will help secure Australia’s economic prosperity into the future.”

Recent research has shown the mining and METS sectors together generated more than $236 billion in activity – or 15 per cent of Australia’s economy –  and supported more than 1.1 million jobs around the country in 2015-16.

Dr Guthrie said Australian living standards depend on the mining industry’s continued international competitiveness and delivering significant export earnings.

“Australians depend on us being more productive and delivering our products more efficiently to market,” Dr Guthrie said.

“Collaboration between METS companies and our resource companies is vital to maintaining our global economic position.

“METS companies are able to be more agile and test new ideas so resource companies can rapidly adopt them in a commercial framework.”

Dr Guthrie has a number of years’ experience across a host of different resource types including uranium, oil and gas, gold, and base metals including executive positions and directorships.

She currently advocates for greater recognition of the minerals industry in the Australian economy as the Chair of the Minerals Council of Australia.

Dr Guthrie’s speech at Austmine 2017, titled Driving Innovation for Business Gain – An Industry Perspective, will discuss the importance of developing new technologies for Australia to remain competitive in a global industry, as well as increasing Australia’s reach as a net exporter of mining technologies through Australian operators overseas.

She will be speaking in the Securing our Competitive Future through Continual Innovation session alongside Dr Craig Stegman, Rio Tinto’s Vice President, Operational and Technical Support, Copper and Diamonds, presenting Innovation in the Copper Industry – Necessity and Opportunity; and Barry Fitzgerald, CEO of Roy Hill Mine presenting Roy Hill: Aligning Innovation with the Business.

The Austmine 2017: Mining’s Innovation Imperative conference will be held from 22-24 May 2017 at the Perth Conference and Exhibition Centre.

For further information visit austmineconference.com.au.

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