For context, the Australian Treasury has previously stated that the Australian mining industry is the world’s largest exporter of minerals and metals. In 2024, Australia’s mining sector, including equipment, technology and services, contributed 14.3% to the nation’s GDP, employed 300,000 people directly and created 1.1 million jobs overall. This makes it a stalwart of the Australian economy.
Mining will play a crucial role in Australia’s and the world’s energy transition. With its rich mineral resources, the country’s mining sector has significant potential to positively influence this transition and capitalise on the economic opportunity.
Indeed, this is outlined in national science agency CSIRO’s latest Critical Energy Materials roadmap, which projects that by 2050, the annual demand for metals and minerals will surpass 700 million tonnes. This includes nearly 9 million tonnes of lithium used in energy…
