Sydney Mining Club - Lindsay Gilligan and Alan Coutts of the NSW Department of Primary Industries

May 3^{rd

2007}12.30pm
Tattersalls Club

111th Sydney Mining Club Luncheon

Lindsay Gilligan, Director of the NSW Geological Survey, and Alan Coutts, Deputy Director-General of the NSW Department of Primary Industries

NEW SOUTH WALES - A MAJOR FORCE IN AUSTRALIA'S MINING INDUSTRY

New South Wales is Australia's original mining state. Today it continues to be a major force in the Australian mining industry being the third largest mineral producer in the nation. It is a leading producer of coal, gold, and base metals and has an emerging world-class mineral sands industry. Mineral production in 2005/06 was valued at $11.7 billion and mineral and mineral products comprise about one third of NSW's total merchandise exports -exceeding $10 billion in 2005/06. Direct employment in the State's mining industry reached a ten year high of over 18,000 for 2005/06, with great potential for further growth.

The State is set for continued development and investment in the mineral resource sector with over 40 projects in the advanced exploration and development pipeline. Potentially these projects, if all proceed, would involve a total investment of over $6 billion and create a further 5,000 direct mining jobs.

Mineral exploration is booming in NSW with 2005/06 private exploration expenditure of $114 million, up 55% on the previous year. Mineral exploration is heading for another record this year and is expected to exceed $130 million. Government in NSW has strongly supported mineral and petroleum exploration investment since 1994 through exploration initiatives (Discovery 2000, Exploration NSW and now New Frontiers). These programs have created a world-class geoscience information infrastructure which has substantially lowered exploration risk. On-line geoscience information systems such as DIGS and MinView ensure that NSW's exploration opportunities are available to the global exploration industry. Under these initiatives it has also very successfully marketed exploration investment in NSW both nationally and internationally.

The Government's New Frontiers initiative has a focus on exploration opportunities in the under-explored regions of the State, particularly in the far north west and south west. Recent geophysical programs in these areas have stimulated significant ground take-up in both the Thomson Orogen and the Stawell Zone.

Alan Coutts, Deputy Director-General of the NSW Department of Primary Industries, will provide an overview of the current state of the NSW mining industry and government initiatives that aim to ensure a healthy and sustainable industry for the future.
Lindsay Gilligan, Director of the NSW Geological Survey will present on recent exploration successes and outcomes from the Government exploration initiatives, particularly New Frontiers.