The Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar(AGES) kicks off in Alice Springs today with the highest amount of registrationssince 2013, underpinning increased confidence in the Territorys resourcessector.
The Territorys premier mineral and petroleumexploration event, the two-day AGES gathering has already receivedregistrations from around 250 people, making it the best attended AGESconference in six years.
More than 50 exploration companies from aroundAustralia and globally are sending delegates to AGES, including some that arelooking at investing for the first time in the Northern Territory.
Minister for Primary Industry and Resources,Paul Kirby said the Territorys exploration sector is growing, driven by strongexploration for commodities such as zinc, copper, gold and lithium, and AGESwas an opportunity for the industry to share information on exploration resultsand new discoveries.
The seminar comes off the back of some encouragingnew data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showing that:
TheTerritorys mineral exploration expenditure in the 2018 calendar year was$123.2 million up 35 per cent on 2017.
TheNTs December 2018 quarterly mineral exploration expenditure of nearly $40million was the strongest quarter of exploration in the Territory since themining boom days of 2012.
The ABS stats build on the Territorys alreadystrong results from financial year 2017/18 where the value of mineralproduction in the NT reached a record $4.49 billion a 24 per cent increase onthe previous year and the first time the value of the Territorys mining sectorhas passed the $4 billion mark.
Quotesfrom Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Paul Kirby:
Our Government will continue to support theTerritorys resources sector driving investment into the Territory, creatinglocal business opportunities, and delivering local jobs.
Underthe Territory Labor Government, there is confidence in the resources sector with record values of mineral production in the Territory, increasing mineralsexploration activity and certainty for the future of onshore gas exploration.
