Make a submission: Published response
Published name
Upload 1
Critical Minerals Strategy Discussion Paper 2023 Submission
On behalf of the National Mining Engineering Academics E-Network
By Ray Tolhurst
Background
The National Mining Engineering Academics E-Network was initially formed in March 2019, with 10 members across four Australian universities. Since then, it has grown to 56 members from all ten universities delivering mining engineering education, plus members from the Minerals Council of Australia, five of the seven state and territory Minerals Councils, the professional body, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, (AusIMM), and two of the three largest mining companies, BHP and Glencore.
The E-Network is informal and it enables members to keep in touch, share information and ask questions. A monthly E-Newsletter is produced and circulated from March to November each year, based on members submitting articles of interest. Webinars and other related activities are held on topics of key interest to members. Some of the issues addressed by the Network have included:-
Mineral Industry Employability Skills Workshops
Promoting relevant mining conferences
Addressing perceived barriers faced by international mining students to gaining vacation and graduate employment
Seamless careers progression through VET and University studies
Relevant Micro-credentials, (including VET, University and Professional Body)
High school mining career activities
Approaches to providing remote on-line mining engineering educational delivery
Analysis of state government funding support to gain mining competencies
Schemes used in other engineering disciplines that may be applied to mining
Areas of interest
Unfortunately, university mining academics are mainly on leave until early March, so that a detailed response on behalf of the group isn’t possible until after that time. However, there are several Discussion questions where the group could make valuable contributions. Particularly: -
1. How can Australia capitalise on its existing advantages to create economic opportunity for all Australians – particularly regional communities and First Nations Peoples?
2. What could be done to facilitate project development and ensure benefits flow to regional communities?
3. What might be done to ensure maximum reasonable opportunity for local employment and local business participation in projects?
5. What are the specific opportunities Australia should seek to realise while developing downstream processing and manufacturing capabilities?
13. How can Government and business work together to ensure private sector insights on the context and complexity of current supply chains and markets can inform policy design?
14. What are the opportunities for critical minerals projects to maximise their ability to support clean energy supply chains and technologies?
15. How could the Australian Government help industry address capability barriers to supporting clean energy supply chains for critical minerals projects?
16. How can the Australian Government support the sector’s integration with key clean energy supply chains, both domestic and international?
17. What more can Australia do to ensure we are the international best practise jurisdiction for ESG?
18. What role can Government play in supporting the critical minerals sector ensure workplaces are safe and inclusive, and can attract and retain underrepresented cohorts, such as women?
19. How can Government and industry create meaningful engagement with First Nations Peoples and ensure critical minerals projects benefit their communities?
20. What are the opportunities to further strengthen the ESG credentials of the sector? For example, helping industry showcase their high ESG projects or support enabling capabilities such as the adoption of mineral traceability measures.
21. What are the opportunities for Australia in increasing recycling and circular economy practices in the critical minerals sector?
Recommendsation
If staff from the department of Science Industry and Resources, or the Minister’s office are interested in discussing these question areas with members of the National Mining Engineering Academics Network, we would be most pleased to assist.
Ray Tolhurst
Convenor
National Mining Engineering Academics Network