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It was fantastic to see so many AMEC members at the Geological Survey Discovery Day and SAEMC Conference in Adelaide on 28 and 29 November. The SAEMC conference attracted around 380 delegates from around Australia to listen to the highlights and celebrate achievements of companies working across a range of exploration and mining projects in South Australia. AMEC was pleased to be invited to join the organising committee in 2024 which includes the AIG, AusIMM, ASEG and GSA.
The AMEC team was in full force with SA Manager Peta Abbot chairing the session on Feasibility studies and outgoing WA/SA Membership Manager Doug Bowie introducing new Membership Manager, Jenny Johnson, to members. Policy Adviser Linda Peng was also in attendance as a NExUS geoscience summer school student. For those of you unable to attend the conference, presentations will be uploaded to the SAEMC website where you can also find an archive of presentations from all 21 years.
AMEC met with the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) in late November to discuss the timeline around amendments to the 18-year compulsory exploration licence expiry. In February 2024, the Minister committed to drafting amendments and confirmed his commitment at a Board Room lunch with members in July. DEM has advised that consultation materials are being drafted and expected to be released early in 2025. AMEC has sent a letter to the Hon Minister Tom Koutsantonis to ensure that resources are committed to progressing these amendments and urging their progress in the first half of 2025 to minimise impacts to affected companies.
In South Australia, 113 (more than 10%) of the ~900 mineral exploration licences will be subject to compulsory exploration licence expiry in the next 2-4 years. This includes several projects progressing through exploration toward production and which the Government promotes as key developing projects. While AMEC supports a use it or lose it approach, there are several circumstances where it is in the economic interests of the State to grant an additional term and there is currently no legal provision to do this. AMEC is committed to supporting the development and passage of these amendments to minimise impacts to members and continues to work with the Government to accelerate their development and passage through Parliament.
DEM has released a new version of the South Australian Rehabilitation Liability Estimation Calculator. The calculator provides a tool for operators to assess the potential maximum rehabilitation liability for individual mining and exploration operations and is used to determine the value of a bond. The calculation is based on the cost of rehabilitating various individual mining components as well as project management, monitoring and contingencies.
AMEC will be hosting an information session on using the new calculator early in 2025.
The calculator and supporting manual is available on the DEM website. For further information contact DEM.MiningRegRehab@sa.gov.au.
Paul Martyn commenced as the new CE of the Department for Energy and Mining. Paul has had an extensive career in the Queensland Public Service in economic policy and reform. This includes previous roles as Director-General of the Department of Energy and Climate and CEO of Trade and Investment – full bio here. AMEC will meet with him in early 2025 to discuss industry priorities.
AMEC CEO Warren Pearce and SA Manager Peta Abbot took the opportunity to thank Paul Heithersay for his commitment to industry at AMEC’s EOY Networking drinks in Adelaide. Paul was a champion of the PACE and ADI industry co-funding initiatives and as an experienced industry geologist he was a staunch supporter of the Geological Survey of South Australia. He also oversaw the development of South Australia’s world-class Drill Core Library at Tonsley Innovation District. Paul is staying on in DEM in an advisory role.
On 14 November, AMEC hosted an online information session for members on on the requirements for Mine Managers in South Australia. From 1 January 2021, SafeWork SA regulates mine manager competency under the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) (WHS Regulations). This is as a result of the introduction of the Work Health and Safety (Mine Manager Variation) Regulations 2020 (SA) (the WHS Variation Regulations).
The requirements specific to Mineral Exploration were not fully clarified. Safety in the mining industry is a high priority and AMEC is following-up with SafeWork SA to provide clearer guidance on their website and a Fact Sheet specific to expectations for mineral explorers.
Copper Strategy
The Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) is seeking feedback on the development of a refreshed South Australian Copper Strategy. The Copper Strategy Consultation Paper has been released to support this consultation and proposes four emerging themes.
DEM is seeking feedback on these themes and around setting copper ambitions, areas of opportunity, critical enablers and measuring success. AMEC is providing a submission to DEM and is consulting with members on what they would like included in the strategy. Consultation closed 12 December 2024.
Review of Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy 2010
The Environment Protection Agency South Australia (EPA) is reviewing the Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy 2010 to:
AMEC recently provided a submission to the Australian Productivity Commission Inquiry on Circular Economy Opportunities that highlighted several circular economy opportunities underway in the mining industry across the nations. AMEC will provide a similar submission to the EPA, due 20 December 2024.
Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2015 Review
AMEC has voiced several concerns to the EPA regarding proposed changes to protect the quality of South Australian water environments through a revised Water Quality Policy. AMECs key concerns and recommendations outlined in our submission include:
AMEC has requested further industry consultation with the Department for Energy and Mining and industry. This is to determine how policy impacts will apply across the range of licences including, exploration licences, retention leases, mineral claims and mining leases and related Plan for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (PEPRs) and Change in Operations applications.
Greater Adelaide Regional Plan (GARP)
AMEC provided a submission to the State Planning Commission on the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan. AMEC has member companies active in the area that could be impacted by planning decisions. Key considerations are outlined in our submission and include:
To learn more please contact Peta Abbot on 0475 834 554