Mining Industries That Currently There Are Around 500 Mining Leases Held in Tasmania
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Tasmania Delivers... One of the most mineralised places on the planet Tasmania has a long history of prosperous mining industries that Currently there are around 500 mining leases held in Tasmania. have yielded rich mineral wealth. Currently the combined mining The majority of these are for construction materials (road base and mineral-processing sectors represent more than 50 per cent and surfacing materials, gravel, sand and clay). There are a number of the state’s mercantile export earnings. of firms that conduct major mining operations in Tasmania. These include Grange Resources, Minerals and Metals Group, As one of the most mineralised places on the planet, Tasmania Diversified Minerals, Copper Mines of Tasmania, Bluestone Mines, has remarkable geological diversity and an abundance of rich and Tasmania Mines, NQ Minerals, Cornwall Coal, Sibelco Lime, high-grade mineral deposits that are easily accessible and close to Cement Australia, and Circular Head Dolomite. transport and infrastructure. Major commodities extracted in Tasmania include copper, gold, lead, iron, silver, tin, zinc, coal, and Current Tasmanian Government priorities for this sector include: ultra-high purity silica flour. » attracting and facilitating new investment in both mining and Many untapped opportunities remain for exploration, extraction mineral processing and downstream processing of Tasmania’s mineral resources, » providing adequate infrastructure for mining operations and supportive legislation is in place for both exploration and development. » maintaining a world-class regulatory system for exploration and mining The Tasmanian Government recognises the need to grow Tasmania’s core industries and leverage off the state’s competitive » assisting industry in the acquisition of data and critical skills. strengths. Through the Office of the Coordinator-General and MRT, the The government is interested in securing value-adding investment government is proactively seeking investment from companies for our mining industry. Through Mineral Resources Tasmania who recognise the importance of sustainable, wealth-generating (MRT), the government provides current geo-scientific data in opportunities in exploration, mining, and mineral processing. state-of-the-art digital formats to assist explorers in identifying The government will tailor assistance to suit the specific potential mineral targets. requirements of potential investors. www.cg.tas.gov.au Tasmanian mining industry today Mining operations Mineral processing 1. Copper Mines of Tasmania* 13. Grange Resources Copper, gold, silver Iron ore pellets 12 2. Diversified Minerals 14. Tasmanian Gold Advanced Minerals 11 3. Minerals and Metals Group Silica flour Zinc, lead, gold, silver, copper 17. Cement Australia 4. Bluestone Mines Cement Tin, copper 18. BCD Resources* 7. Tasmanian Advanced Minerals Gold 10 13 Silica flour 19. Pacific Aluminium 14 7 19 Primary aluminium alloys, 7 8. Grange Resources 18 Iron ore paste, powder 9 15 17 19. TEMCO 9. Shree Minerals* 8 20 Ferromanganese 16 Iron ore 7 22 20 Silicomanganese, sinter 6 20 10. Circular Head Dolomite 3 Dolomite 23. Nyrstar Smelter 5 4 21 Zinc metals, alloys, cadmium, 2 12. Naracoopa Mineral Sands sulphuric acid 1 Heavy mineral sands 15. Tasmania Mines Mines under development Magnetite, tungsten 16. Sibelco Lime Tasmania 5. Avebury Nickel Mine 20 Limestone Nickel 20. Cornwall Coal 6. Venture Minerals 23 Coal Tin, tungsten, iron ore 21. Australian bauxite 11. King Island Scheelite Aluminium Tungsten 22. NQ Minerals Hellyer polymetallic tailings * Currently on care and maintenance Key reasons for investing in Opportunities for exploration the Tasmanian mining and Rocks from every period of the Earth’s history since the Middle mineral-processing industry Proterozoic are present in Tasmania and there have been at least four major episodes of economic mineralisation. » For its size, Tasmania is one of the most highly and diversely mineralised areas in the world. Significant mineral deposits include: » Currently there are strong prices for metals with which » Proterozoic iron ore, silica, dolomite and magnesite Tasmania is well endowed and for which there is tightening » Cambrian VHMS base metal-gold and ultramafic-related supply, notably tin and zinc. platinum group minerals (PGM) and chromite » MRT has a comprehensive geoscientific program, providing » Devonian granite-related tin, tungsten, fluorite, magnetite and exploration companies with the information needed to let silver-lead-zinc deposits investors assess the mineral potential of the state. » Devonian slate-belt gold deposits » New projects are regularly being developed, with total » Cainozoic alluvial gold, tin and PGMs, and residual nickel, iron mine production in Tasmania expected to increase during oxide, bauxite, silica and clay. 2016-20 as a series of nickel, silica, tin, tungsten, iron ore and coal operations are brought online. Stable, flexible and » Tasmania offers investors coordination between the innovative workforce government, MRT, Environment Protection Authority, Tasmania offers a workforce that is stable, with an excellent local government and the Australian Government. industrial relations record and a culture of flexibility and » There is a supportive, regularly updated, and innovation. The total cost of employing workers in Tasmania is world-class regulatory regime in Tasmania, through the less than in any other Australian state or territory. Mineral Resources Development Act 1995. Tasmanian training providers work with local industry to ensure their training needs are met. These providers actively design national and international training programs for accreditation, to ensure transferable and essential skills are created within the state. Tasmanian mining – access potential 1. Queenstown Land unavailable for mineral 2 5 exploration or mining 2. King Island Strategic prospectivity 3. Burnie zones 4. Launceston Current mining 5. Flinders Island leases 6. Hobart Current metallic and non-metallic exploration 3 licences 4 1 6 Accessibility Industry support As an island with an area of 68 330 square kilometres, in most The Tasmanian Government’s mineral resources division, MRT instances mining and mineral-processing operations will be located provides a single point of contact for approvals or exploration less than 100 kilometres from plant to port, providing fast access activities in Tasmania. to distribution channels. There are frequent freight-shipping MRT can also assist exploration companies with geoscientific services from Tasmania’s major ports and efficient services for information on Tasmania including access to over 700 kilometres bulk cargo and seasonal commodities. The Tasmanian Freight of archived drill core. Equalisation Scheme provides financial assistance to shippers of eligible freight destined for Australian markets. Research and development Airports in Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie provide quick and easy access to mainland Australia. The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits (CODES) is based at the University of Tasmania and is Energy options widely regarded as a global leader in ore deposit research and teaching. Industry in Tasmania benefits from a safe, reliable energy supply. The CODES research team is highly valued for its wealth of The majority of Tasmania’s energy is supplied by renewable knowledge and experience. Many businesses in the industry hydro-electricity. An undersea power cable linking Tasmania with have gained great benefit from tapping into its resources and see mainland Australia has provided further security and competition significant value in CODES’ ability to tailor research projects to in the Tasmanian energy market. meet individual requirements. The connection of a natural gas pipeline from mainland Australia has introduced natural gas-generated electricity to Tasmania and Telecommunications reticulated natural gas for industrial and domestic use. Tasmania has a comprehensive telecommunications network with advanced infrastructure, and digital capability at every network site. Quick facts Explore the opportunities and » At present there are 14 mining operations in Tasmania, your future potential in Tasmania two of which are currently on care and maintenance. The Office of the Coordinator-General is the Tasmanian In addition the state is home to three major mineral- Government’s investment promotion and facilitation arm, which processing facilities and many smaller operations, including provides free confidential services and professional advice to projects aimed at producing sheelite and tin. investors, including: » As at 20 December 2019, there were 523 mining leases, » dedicated project teams and case management 130 exploration licences, and 15 retention licences active in Tasmania. » a focus on lead projects that have the potential to transform a supply chain and that leverage Tasmania’s advantages and » Metallic minerals mined in Tasmania include copper, gold, resource endowment silver, iron, tungsten, tin, aluminium, lead and zinc with future opportunities in nickel. » planning pre-audits to support approval processes » Non-metallic industrial minerals mined in Tasmania include » connections with local industry and government departments ultra-high purity silica flour, limestone, dolomite and coal. » information on business opportunities, investment regulations » Non-metallic construction materials mined in Tasmania and government assistance include building stone, aggregate, gravel and