The new national Strategic Minerals List released by the Australian Government shines a light on Tasmania and reinforces the importance of our mining and mineral processing sectors.
The Strategic Materials List focuses on minerals that are important for the global transition to net zero emissions and identifies which minerals Australia has significant deposits of and where there is international demand.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said that of the six minerals on the list, Tasmania had abundant supplies of four.
“Mining and minerals processing is a key pillar of the Tasmanian economy which supports more than 5000 jobs in regional communities and is our biggest export product by value,” Premier Rockliff said.
“With the Strategic Minerals List including copper, nickel, tin, and zinc, we are well placed to supply both domestic needs and those of our international trading partners.
“The introduction of the list underlines the pivotal role these commodities will play in reaching sustainability goals as economies continue to transition to clean energy technology.
“As one of the most mineralised places on the planet, we championed greater recognition of the importance of nickel, tin and zinc for Tasmania’s economy and also our reputation as a global clean-energy leader.
“Current numbers show we are capable of producing at least 600,000 tonnes of copper, 264,000 tonnes of nickel, almost 1.5 million tonnes of zinc and 130,000 tonnes of tin.
“Our commitment to sustainable and responsible mining practices ensures a reliable and environmentally conscious supply chain and our dedication to a lower emissions future.
“We welcome the signal this sends of the Australian Government’s support for the continued development of these minerals and look forward to continuing to work with them on this front.”
