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$7.67m announced to fund two mining research centres

Australia’s position as a global leader in the mining sector will be enhanced with the Commonwealth Government announcing funding to develop data science skills.

Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the Morrison Government was investing $7.67 million to fund two mining research centres in partnership with universities and commercial supporters.

The centres will help Australia’s mining industry better use data to make evidence-based decisions that lead to more efficient operations.

“We need to ensure that we are turning our research into real-world benefits because Australia’s world-leading research sector will be a key driver of jobs and productivity,” Mr Tehan said.

“When we get collaboration between research and industry right, the benefits are unambiguous.”

One hub will be based at the University of Sydney, with the other at the University of Adelaide.

Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan said the funding would help keep Australia’s resources sector at the top of its research game.

“A key part of last year’s National Resources Statement was to better focus the sector’s innovation and R&D on long-term, sectoral growth. These new centres will dovetail in with those plans,” Minister Canavan said.

“We are blessed with abundant, high quality resources such as coal, iron ore and gas which return billions to our economy each year. Demand for the minerals that drive modern technologies, like lithium, rare earths, nickel and cobalt, is also surging.

“Continued investment in research will keep our resources sector ‘on top’ by increasing our knowledge in areas such as mining engineering, mineral processing, geoscience and the environment, attracting more investment and helping governments make more informed decisions.”

Research activity at the University of Sydney will focus on data analytics related to the long-term impact of resource use on Australia’s economy, society and environment. It will help develop the necessary data science skills for Australia’s resource industries to make the best possible evidence-based decisions when using our natural resources.

The centre to be based at the University of Adelaide will train the next generation of scientists and engineers in advanced sensors and data analytics, to enable Australia’s mining industry to increase certainty on product quality and maximise resource recovery.

University of Adelaide Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Mike Brooks said the high-tech training centre will help to shape the very future of mining operations in Australia

“Combining our expertise in advanced sensors, data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, the new centre will deliver vital tools, training and workforce needs to help ensure Australia and key industry players lead the world,” he said.

Professor Brooks said the new centre’s work directly aligns with the University’s industry engagement priorities in energy, mining, and resources, which are critical to the economic and technological success of South Australia and the nation.

The new Training Centre will:

  • Help enable the mining industry to make real-time decisions and apply the correct and most cost-effective parameters or processes at any point in the mining value chain, avoiding costly unnecessary processes
  • Bring step-change increases in productivity via network connectivity and high-speed computation
  • Focus on maximising value by optimising productivity and product quality, the outcome of which has the greatest potential to deliver the largest economic gains.

University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and Principal Dr Michael Spence welcomed the research investment and collaboration.

“As an asset-rich nation, Australia continues to play a leading role in delivering the world’s essential resources, however to maintain that position it’s important we invest in transformative technologies and collaborative research,”Dr Spence said.

“New approaches to data analysis will allow for an improved understanding of how the resource sector can mitigate risk and impact, while in turn preparing Australia’s resource economy for a long term approach to resources and mining.”

AREEA welcomes action on key issues, presses for productivity through IR improvements

AREEA is pleased the Morrison Government continues to waste little time actioning priorities from its National Resources Statement to support and unlock potential new technologies.

It follows the announcement earlier this month to reduce unnecessary red-rape for resource projects (see related story).

Identifying and cutting unnecessary red-tape in major project approval processes was a key theme raised by AREEA member company senior executives to Minister for Resources Matthew Canavan during the 2018 Resources 2030 Taskforce.

AREEA encourages the government to now also pursue improvements to the nation’s industrial relations laws, including cutting red tape and inefficiencies in enterprise agreement making.

AREEA notes the World Economic Forum’s 2018 Global Competitiveness Report ranks Australia a dismal 77th in the world for “burden of government regulation” – well behind other OECD nations including the United States (4), New Zealand (19), the United Kingdom (27) and Canada (53).

“A number of minor changes to the processes for making agreements and having them approved in the Fair Work Commission would significantly improve the system for both employers and employees,” Mr Knott said.

“Further, allowing enterprise agreements to run the length of major project construction would have a huge positive impact on investor certainty and industrial stability in our country.

“These are just two areas in which Australia’s employment laws require immediate action.

“AREEA commends the Morrison Government for seeking to lift the performance and reduce the burden of government processes, which should be uncontroversial and deserving of bipartisan support in the Federal Parliament.”

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