Plans for a taskforce to solve infrastructure challenges facing South Australia’s mining industry have been welcomed by the state’s peak industry body.
The State Government yesterday announced the establishment of the Resources Infrastructure Taskforce, coinciding with the release of a Regional Mining and Infrastructure Plan prepared by Deloitte Access Economics.
The plan forecasts that mining could add $22.5 billion in gross state product and create an extra 5750 full-time jobs by 2023 if the industry develops as expected.
However, it says mining expansion will require improved infrastructure in terms of freight and logistics, water and electricity provision.
“In principle we welcome the establishment of the taskforce,” SA Chamber of Mines and Energy CEO Jason Kuchel told InDaily.
“And in particular we welcome the focus that will be brought to this issue by essentially the utilisation of what was the Olympic Dam taskforce to work through infrastructure which is critical if the state wants to see projects accelerated.”
Kuchel said power was a priority, as was the infrastructure needed to transport resources from mine sites.
“Primarily, of course, having ports to cost-effectively get iron ore to market – that’s one of the key things for the industry. It’s actually one of the key things for this state.”
The Regional Mining and Infrastructure Plan says target timelines for high-capacity port developments to serve the Eyre and Western region and the Yorke and Mid-North/Braemar region would be by 2018 and 2019 respectively, with “an imperative to act in the short-term to ensure suitable port capacity exists to meet the future needs of mining”.
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Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan said the taskforce would work with mining proponents to deliver requirements identified in the plan, which provided a detailed understanding of the state’s future infrastructure challenges and when they need to be resolved.
“What this plan does is identify the need for new ports, logistics, power, and water infrastructure,” he said.
“Existing infrastructure will be unable to cope with the scale of forecast production in the future, and given the long lead times it takes to plan and deliver ports, road, rail, electricity and water infrastructure, we need to redouble our efforts to work with industry to address these issues.”
The Regional Mining and Infrastructure Plan can be viewed online.
