The latest resources sector report underlines the potential for Queensland’s new-economy minerals and jobs of the future, state resources minister Scott Stewart says.
He says international demand for clean energy technology like batteries and renewables is forecast to drive a six-fold increase in the market for new economy minerals, commenting on the newly released Queensland Resources Council’s State of the Sector report.
“Our world-class resources sector is central to Queensland’s plan for economic recovery from the COVID-19 global pandemic,” Stewart says.
“The Palaszczuk Government has been well ahead of this international trend with our focus on identifying and developing deposits of minerals like cobalt, copper, rare earths and vanadium in the North West Minerals Province.”
Coal and petroleum resources remain a mainstay of Queensland’s resources output and jobs, but new economy minerals could soon overtake that.
“The report shows that resources chiefs are confident Queensland is also well-positioned as a supplier of these new economy minerals,” Stewart says.
“Government initiatives like our five-year $24 million New Economy Minerals Initiative are ensuring the world will be buying Queensland resources, fuelling Queensland jobs, well into the future.”
The New Economy Minerals Initiative aims to encourage new exploration, re-investigate old mines and probe the geological information government holds already to foster new discoveries, projects and jobs.
Meanwhile, Queensland says its unemployment rate is the lowest in 12 years, thanks in part to its COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan and other aspects of its budget.
About 16,700 jobs were added in June – the highest increase in the nation and more than half of all jobs created in Australia.
