Victoria’s booming minerals sector is creating jobs in regional Victoria, boosting local economies, and helping make Melbourne an international mining hub.
Minister for Resources, Tim Pallas, visited the Stawell Gold Mine today to celebrate its upcoming return to production, with 65 new jobs added since last year and a workforce set to grow further in coming months.
He also launched the Victorian Government’s new Mineral Resources Strategy: State of Discovery, adding further impetus to investment for mining exploration – with Victoria’s upsurge in mining expenditure currently leading the nation.
State of Discovery sets out what action will be taken to ensure growth in the sector continues, following minerals’ exploration increasing by 79% in the year to March 2018, nearly three times the national rate.
The new strategy sets out targets of total exploration investment of $220 million by June 2023 and at least one significant mineral discovery by 2028.
Geoscience data and research shows western Victoria has potential for copper, gold and other metals that could be the catalyst for a new wave of investment and a boost to jobs in local regional economies.
Earlier in August the tender closed for the Stavely Project, which is aiming to encourage minerals exploration in western Victoria and is supported by the $15 million TARGET Minerals Exploration grants program.
Operations at the reopened Stawell mine will focus on exploration activity underground on the eastern flank of the Magdala basalt dome.
The owners of the Stawell mine, Arete Capital Partners, has no intent to progress the open-cut Big Hill Project, and Stawell Gold Mine is in discussions with Earth Resources Regulation to remove this area from the Mining Licence area and assess its potential for community uses.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Resources Tim Pallas
“This is an exciting day for Stawell and the Northern Grampians, I congratulate Arete Capital Partners on their continued investment in this area.”
“The launch of the new strategy shows that we remain focused on responsibly growing the minerals sector to boost jobs in regional Victoria and continue to build Melbourne as an international mining hub.”
Quote attributable to Arete Capital Partners CEO Campbell Olsen
“We are proud that this mine is again employing people from western Victoria, we look forward to the next chapter in our search for more gold.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020