Minerals and Energy

South Australia is attracting international attention due to the range and quantity of resources beneath the State’s surface.

The South Australian minerals and energy sector offers opportunities and world-leading expertise in:

• Mining and mining exploration
• Minerals manufacturing
• Traditional energy generation (coal and gas-based electricity)
• Sustainable forms of energy generation (solar, wind turbine, geothermal).

The State is home to one of the world’s biggest copper, gold and uranium mines, Olympic Dam, and one of Australia’s significant new copper-gold mines at Prominent Hill.

The South Australian Government has worked to create a climate of certainty for long-term investors in the mining sector. Its Plan for Accelerating Exploration (PACE) has been a key element in building success for the State, and will continue to drive economic development through the minerals and energy sectors.

South Australia earned a top-10 ranking for its mining policies in the Fraser Institute’s 2009-10 survey of more than 70 mining jurisdictions worldwide. It also ranked fifth globally in ResourceStocks magazine’s 2009 World Risk Mining Survey.

The State is a key minerals supplier, with almost 40% of the world’s known recoverable uranium reserves and significant volumes of copper, gold and silver.
Excellent joint venture and investment opportunities exist in exploration for gold, uranium, iron ore, nickel and heavy mineral sands in downstream processing, refining and the associated resources infrastructure.

Resources services and technology (RST)

The rapid growth of South Australia’s minerals and energy sector has driven the demand for related services and technologies in the State.

The State’s RST sector is emerging as a niche industry with strong investment opportunities in:

• mine planning
• engineering
• procurement and logistics
• project and construction management and maintenance
• information and communications technology (ICT)
• technical support
• environmental management
• rehabilitation.

Case studies

Olympic Dam Expansion

OZ Minerals – Prominent Hill

Santos

Key links
PIRSA Minerals
Industry Capability Network
Austmine
Minerals Council of Australia
Mining Equipment and Services Council of Australia
Association of Mining and Exploration Companies
Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association
Energy Supply Association of Australia
Clean Energy Council
South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy