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17 Dec 2008, by Informa Insights
[youtube=http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=kDYRrtsX-iQ&fmt=18]
Interview with Alan Broome, Chairman of Austmine
The Australian mining technology sector could be the saviour of global miners struggling in a depressed marketplace, says an industry expert.
“The global resources sector has been hammered,” says Alan Broome, Chairman of Austmine, the Australian mining equipment and services export association.
He says productivity improvements, keeping costs at a minimum, safety and automation will be the way to maintain momentum for the mining industry globally.
“These are the areas Australia excels in,” he says in an interview.
Australia is now recognized as a global centre for mining technology, he says, with innovations ranging from exploration technologies like airborne surveys and gravity gradeometry to software systems and very specialized equipment to improve productivity and safety, right through to shipping the ore.
“At the moment it brings about $3.6 billion worth of revenue to Australia per annum.
“We’re working on growing that to $6 billion around 2010-2011. We believe that by 2030 we’ll be looking at in excess of $20 billion of exports provided that the global mining industry maintains its focus on the lowest cost of production and getting that product to the market, and assuming the market stands up.”
In view of this, the biennial Austmine conference, to be held in Adelaide on 30-31 March 2009, has never been more relevant, Mr Broome says.
He expects it to be even bigger than the 2007 event, with the presence of some of the great mining companies of the world ‘twinned’ with a showcase of Australian technologies.
“If we can get the global mining industry to understand how Australian technology can help deliver into the global marketplace and improve things like keeping production costs at a minimum, and make sure they can maintain the momentum in a difficult market circumstance we will have succeeded and Australia will benefit.”
To arrange a media pass to Austmine 2009, request more information or arrange speaker interviews please contact: Nigel Dique
Informa-IIR 02 9080 4108; 0423 024 819; nigel.dique@informa.com.au
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