South Australia opens Mining Act for review

The South Australian Government has opened consultation for a review of the state’s Mining Act.

The Department for Energy and Mining has opened consultation for a review of South Australia’s Mining Act.

The department is seeking feedback on ways it can improve the act to ensure the state continues to meet industry, community and environmental expectations as global demand for critical minerals increases.

The Mining Act 1971 and its regulations were last updated in 2020. Ongoing community and industry feedback has identified further amendments that could keep the state’s regulatory environment for exploration and mining even more consistent, competitive, accountable and productive.

The feedback focuses on a range of potential options to update with areas including:

  • Mineral exploration tenure
  • How existing Native Title rights and interests are reflected
  • Private mine regulation
  • Technical and operational amendments

Mining contributes significantly to South Australia’s economy, in the last financial year alone the sector employed more than 14,000 people and provided annual royalties of more than $420m.

The sector is anticipated to grow significantly over the coming decades as the global demand for critical and strategic minerals continues to skyrocket as the world moves towards decarbonisation.

South Australia boasts an abundance of Australia’s resource reserves, producing more than a third of the country’s mined copper, and aims to leverage its competitive advantage to position it as a partner of choice to meet Australia’s critical mineral goals.

With abundant and accessible iron ore deposits South Australia has the potential to lead the domestic green iron and steel industry.

An updated and fit-for-purpose regulatory system will better support the growing mining industry that respects the community and environment while also delivering economic opportunities.

Some options for amendments include:

  • Extension of exploration tenure in certain situations
  • Reduction in the maximum size of exploration license areas to increase ground turnover and reduce land banking
  • New mechanisms for releasing exploration areas that encourage investment in the state and improve chance of mineral discovery
  • Better align the Mining Act with other resources-focused legislation to ensure a ‘one window to government’ approach to mining sector regulation is consistent across all sectors

 

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