New South Wales mineral resources audit

Abstract

Mining is a major source of wealth for the Australian community and underpins the Australian lifestyle. It is important to ensure the success of the mining industry by promoting effective and responsible mineral exploration. Mineral exploration not only benefits the community through the discovery of new mineral wealth, it also enhances our scientific knowledge of mineral resource potential and geoscience more generally. The information derived from exploration can better inform land use decision making to ensure that all natural resource values are considered. The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games will mark the advent of a new millennium together with all its challenges. Such challenges include achieving an appropriate balance between protection and exploitation of our natural resources while ensuring that the community continues to benefit from its mineral wealth. The Mineral Resources Audit Program is the mechanism through which the Department of Mineral Resources contributes to this goal. The results from the Mineral Resources Audit will be available to the mineral exploration industry and land use planners. They will also contribute to studies under the aegis of the Natural Resources Audit Council. This Council has been recently established by the Government, acknowledging that land use decision making needs to be informed by a credible and reliable data base on natural resources.