Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has welcomed the Australian Government’s new strategic minerals list released this week.
The list focuses on minerals deemed important for the global transition to net-zero emissions, identifying which minerals Australia has significant deposits of and where there is international demand.
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,” he 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.”
Australia’s new strategic materials list includes aluminium, copper, nickel, phosphorus, tin and zinc.
The Federal Government cited these six minerals as having well-established industries, greater global market depth, clearer price transparency and stable supply chains.
“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,” Rockliff said.
“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.”
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