Tag: Guy Barnett

Mining in Tasmania: The road ahead

Mining in Tasmania: The road ahead

Grange Resources’ historic Savage River magnetite mine. Image: Tasmanian Minerals and Energy Council. BY ELIZABETH FABRI LEFT behind during the mining boom while other State’s prospered, Tasmania is on its way back with a string of mine reopenings signalling renewed confidence for the sector. After battling tough, the Tasmanian mining sector is making a return. Unlike its mainland counterparts, Tasmania was hurt by a resources boom side-effect; the strong Australian dollar. With an economy heavily reliant on trade exposed industries, Tasmania felt the sting when the Australian dollar surpassed the US dollar in 2010/2011, and then when commodity prices tumbled. “The high Australian dollar (we all remember when it hit $1.10 U.S) was a drag on all...

Tas mining rebounds

Tas mining rebounds

First gold pour at the reopened Henty gold mine. Image: PYBAR. BY ELIZABETH FABRI TASMANIA’s resources sector has bounced back from the sting of low commodity prices, with State mining royalties more than doubling year-on-year in FY17 and new projects and mine reopenings signalling renewed confidence for the region. State Resources minister Guy Barnett said the industry was “rebounding strongly” with mining and minerals processing accounting for 50 per cent of the value of the State’s exports. “I can also reveal as a further sign of growing confidence in the industry that $39.4 million was collected in mining royalties in 2016-17; an impressive increase on the $15 million received in 2015-16,” Mr Barnett said. The “raft of good news” was...