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oPInIon

Mining needs a stronger public sell

Founding Paydirt editor Ross Louthean gives his take on the major
themes of this year’s Diggers & Dealers Mining Forum

ay one of Diggers & Dealers Forum they think and up crop negative views At a function in Fremantle two years ago
Dhad a big green theme not seen before about mining, pollution, as well as hearing I was asked how I could justify mining as
and there is no doubt future conferences in alarmist climate claims thanks to the likes of an industry. My response was “what about
Kalgoorlie will maintain the topic of a quest Greta Thunberg. coal?” Coal, I was told, would be finished
for low emissions. If any group has selective memory it is within a few years replaced by greater wind
Keynote speaker Professor Ian Goldin’s the anti-fossil fuel and mining alarmists, and solar power.
virtual presentation stressed miners need who blot out media reports like the Michael So, was coking coal to also disappear?
to adopt climate change issues but also Moore documentary Planet of the Humans Yes, was the response. But coking coal
pointed out such measures had to com- that shows great concern about pollution is needed in all major steelmaking opera-
prehend the massive financial difficulties but points out coal as a major component tions. The retort was green hydrogen will
created globally by COVID, so as not to in manufacture of wind farm turbines and replace coking coal, and while Fortescue
impede economic recovery. There was, he EV batteries. Metals Group Ltd and many institutions are
said, a colossal need for miners to produce We have been told polar bears are en- pursuing this as a good cause, it may take
fertilisers and chemicals to combat pending dangered but one Canadian research book decades to near the tipping point for con-
starvation in poorer countries. and science publications say there are ventional steelmaking.
The green trend was amplified by IGO thousands more now than a decade ago. New Zealand now has an emasculated
Ltd winning the Dealer Award for its two ma- This growth has nothing to do with climate mining industry but decades ago when the
jor transactions, its acquisition of a 24.9% but a curb on hunting in North America and political mood was better there was a cam-
interest in Tianqi Lithium’s Greenbushes elsewhere. paign by geoscientists to cool the alarm
mine in Western Australia and the linked bells. There was a caricature of an aca-
49% stake in the Kwinana lithium hydroxide demic protesting against mining brandish-
refinery, and its divestment of a 30% inter- ing a placard derived from mining products
est in the Tropicana gold operation. and his attire down to his spectacles had
IGO now has a front-row position in the mining links.
growing battery metals industry, linking lithi- In recent years NZ’s growing anti-fossil
um to its Nova nickel-copper mine. fuel brigade have disrupted annual petro-
Another high-profile operator to espouse leum and mineral conferences, showing
green credentials was Bill Beament, as signs made from petroleum products and
managing director and major shareholder then returning home in petrol-driven cars.
in Venturex Resources Ltd – destined to be The green revolution is here, but critical
renamed Develop – with plans to create a for Australia is ensuring zealots on campus-
new life for the Sulphur Springs copper-zinc es and in various parliaments don’t achieve
project in WA’s Pilbara. carbon or other taxes to hamstring mining
Few doubt Beament’s credentials as at a time it is leading the country out of the
a mine-maker, given his achievements Venturex managing director Bill Beament financial wreckage caused by the pandem-
with Northern Star Resources Ltd, now unveils the new strategic direction of the ic. Debt as an onerous mountain has been
a mega gold producer through its merger company, to be renamed Develop too conveniently forgotten by many.
with Saracen Mineral Holdings, but in the Universities, some media outlets and pol-
social media game, mining – having lower iticians are rushing into renewable energy
public support in the big urban cities in east- A few decades ago, there was a ground- and climate change regulations and are
ern Australia – now needs to be sold to the swell of public alarm about uranium and also vilifying gas as dirty energy.
public through greater industry input. coal that saw the Minerals Council of Aus- Can you imagine WA stopping domestic
The public needs to know more about tralia do a series of advertisements about and export use of natural gas? Victoria is
many things they utilise linked to mined ma- mining’s value to the economy as well as the starting to run out of domestic gas while in
terial, not just for manufacturing and indus- importance of metals and by-products. It in- South Australia, where a previous govern-
trial purposes, but in medicine, specialist formed the public about attributes of miner- ment blew up its coal-fired power facilities,
equipment, sophisticated communications, als they had not comprehended. the blackout scenario is real. Sure, SA coal
aerospace and fertilisers to feed the world. While some commentators claim coal is had low calorific value. That state is now
WA and perhaps Queensland as key on the way out, that is so far from right be- dependent on wind farms that are rendered
mining states have broad support, but cause it is, like geothermal energy, a base useless in calm times or when there are
social media today broadly puts up imbal- load for energy that wind and solar power high winds that see turbines shut down for
anced and anti-mining messages, leaving too often cannot achieve. It is still a major safety reasons. Where is the back-up?
young people in particular concerned about energy provider in Queensland, New South
“dirty mining” with ugly consequences. Wales and, to a diminishing extent, in Vic-
Ask many young school children what toria.

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