Mining

Analysis and Comment (94)

H2wj2rsv-1367469268
This Green and Golden Bell Frog is one of the few species to be successfully protected using offsets. Flickr/eyeweed

Can we offset biodiversity losses?

By Megan Evans and Martine Maron

Clive Palmer’s China First Coal Project is entering the last stages of review for its proposed coal mine in Queensland’s Bimblebox Nature Refuge. As part of the Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement…
Xxggs5m6-1365036257
Only 39% of mining companies believe the climate is changing; 13% have made plans to adapt. CSIRO

Mining companies are underprepared for climate change

By Barton Loechel, CSIRO

Recent research suggests only a minority of mining companies are preparing for the biophysical impacts of climate change. Those that are preparing are going it alone: there is little collaboration on planning…
F739d5h9-1364952718
Amid global demand for rare earth minerals, there has been a strong interest in deep sea mining. Flickr\gnews

Is the next mining boom on the ocean floor?

By Sara Bice, University of Melbourne

Defence behemoth Lockheed Martin’s recent announcement of a venture into deep sea mining (DSM) reflects growing interest in exploiting virgin mining territory. In what is being described by some as a…
Ppdckd4n-1364969889
The commercialisation of space is already underway. Rick Sternbach/Keck Institute for Space Studies

Buy, sell, lift-off: the global economy is going interplanetary

By Gordon Roesler

Harvesting space resources will raise living standards worldwide, without further damaging Earth. So how can those resources be tapped in a way that will produce a return on investment? That question…
689ncdx5-1362461690
When it comes to the polls, FIFO workers are most likely to vote for the party which will support their industry. Wesfarmers

Western Australia election: FIFO vote

By Graeme Ditchburn, Murdoch University

In Western Australia business is booming for the mining and resources sector. The number of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers employed in the state has increased over the last five years to more than 35…
Krj8ty38-1362016761
Aburizal Bakrie and Nathaniel Rothschild have been engaged in a protracted battle for control over Indonesian mining giant Bumi plc. Flickr\I am Rudy

Duelling dynasties: Nat Rothschild is no king coal in the boardroom battle for Bumi

By Colin Brown, Griffith University

Last week saw a shareholders' meeting of the mining company Bumi plc in London. Shareholders meetings are hardly unusual events. But this was no ordinary shareholders meeting. It involved a major Indonesian…
Tqzh23ds-1355721200
Social Licences are seen as being earned by mining companies from the communities they operate in. AAP

Can you legislate a social licence to operate?

By Justine Lacey, CSIRO

The concept of a ‘social licence to operate’ (SLO) is not new. It has been used widely in the mining and minerals industry for some 15 years where it has generally described the informal acceptance or…
Qcnwzbc2-1361336544
Outgoing BHP Billiton CEO Marius Kloppers shakes hands with his successor, Andrew Mackenzie. AAP

Change at the top: what next for BHP Billiton?

By Tim O'Shannassy, RMIT University

The board of BHP Billiton Limited today announced the retirement of chief executive officer and inside director Marius Kloppers. Dr Kloppers is a 20-year veteran of the company, serving 12 years as a…
Qz8mvd7x-1361244092
Martin Ferguson, Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan announced the MRRT in 2010 … but three ministers and three miners do not a policy make. AAP/Alan Porritt

In mining and governing, policy made on the fly is likely to flop

By Bronwyn Hinz, University of Melbourne

Most controversial public policy could be said to be made on the run, or at least amended on a brisk walk. So the revelations in Peter Martin’s recent article on the errors embedded in the Gillard government…
Dhchvkjz-1360712457
Allowing mining companies to help educate children is not without benefits, but it is problematic. Mining image from www.shutterstock.com

Mining young minds: the challenges of private interests and education

By Lyn Yates, University of Melbourne

The recent partnership announced between Nucoal Mining and Narara Valley High School in NSW has drawn some divided reactions. The mining company says the aim of the new venture will be to improve the…
Xkrv66kq-1360035082
As investment in mining projects hits its peak, the Australian economy will undergo a transition to export-led economic growth. AAP

Tougher times ahead as the mining boom shifts gears

By Ian Harper, University of Melbourne

Various explanations have been offered for Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s decision to announce the date of the 2013 federal election almost eight months in advance. Most commentators, both those who applaud…
Rmk66rvn-1355114898
Governments, industry and communities must work together to address suicide risk factors for FIFO/DIDO workers. AAP/Bagus Indahono

Mining, fly-in, fly-out workers and the risk of suicide

By Samara McPhedran, Griffith University

Barely a week passes without media coverage of some aspect of the real or perceived impacts of fly-in fly-out (FIFO) and drive-in drive-out (DIDO) work, especially in the mining sector. We hear about the…
K9bs57gt-1357537690
Road traffic is a threat to Tasmania’s few health devils – increased truck traffic in the Tarkine won’t help. Rhys Allen

Tarkine mines could be last straw for Tasmanian devils

By Hamish McCallum, Griffith University

Just a week before Christmas, Environment Minister Tony Burke approved Shree Minerals’ mine near Temma in the Tarkine region of north-west Tasmania. Perhaps he hoped the announcement would get lost in…
Hr5sd5c9-1357548292
Old methods of protest are looking distinctly shabby in the face of climate change. Now activists are making it harder for miners to do business. Paul Miller/AAP

ANZ imposter takes up new climate tactic

By Clive Hamilton

Yesterday an anti-coal activist, Jonathan Moylan issued a media release purportedly from the ANZ Bank withdrawing a $1.2 billion loan to Whitehaven Coal, which is developing a project in Maules Creek in…
Z9x2fht4-1353880741
Research is clear on the value of the Tarkine’s rainforest, but does it matter to human society? Rob Blakers

Tarkine a question of values: mines versus ancient rainforest

By Jamie Kirkpatrick, University of Tasmania

In Australia, we ride on the open cut mine’s back. In the island state of Tasmania, there is a medium size-class open cut mine (928 hectares) with 210 hectares of settling ponds, from which iron nodules…
Hhm4rtnc-1352348726
Mining is a major regional activity – yet as we ready ourselves for the Asian century, very little research has been undertaken on other growth opportunities in these areas.

Where is regional Australia in our Asian Century future?

By Jack Archer, Regional Australia Institute

A stocktake of research conducted into regional development in Australia shows that we are failing to do sufficient research on opportunities for sustainable growth and prosperity in regional Australia…
G6h7gqcq-1351576992
Are the perceived risks of uranium mining real or outdated? RaeAllen

Modern-day mining: Queensland’s uranium re-launch

By Barry Noller

The Queensland State Government recently announced it would take up uranium mining again. The topic of uranium mining often raises concern about environmental risk. While past uranium mining in Queensland…
Pff6r4y2-1351120396
Aboriginal (Kija, Malnjin, Mirawoonga and Worla) cultural law holds that Argyle mine’s pink diamonds are scales of the female Baramundi creative Dreaming Being. Swamibu/Flickr

More than diamonds in the rough: resource struggles in the Kimberley

By Peter Botsman, University of Melbourne

On Tuesday Lateline ran a story built around a report: “Developing the West Kimberley’s Resources” that the program breathlessly presented as a “secret plan” to industrialise the region, unlock its resources…
992fvdqs-1347855522
The US has taken action against the use of conflict minerals, but Australia is yet to follow suit. AAP

Australia needs to act on conflict minerals

By Sara Meger, University of Melbourne

Last month, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), responsible for regulating capital markets, ruled in favour of laws prohibiting the use of “conflict minerals”. The new regulations have set…
Rcm7ctdq-1346742024
The Queensland government is keen to remove as many barriers to development as possible. But at what cost to the state’s environment? AAP/Dave Hunt

Queensland’s big step back from environmental assessment

By Ian Lowe, Griffith University

The defining characteristic of the Newman government’s environmental policy seems to be a Great Leap Backwards: an old-fashioned determination not to let environmental concerns get in the way of expanding…
Xwbv8qdp-1345478522
James Price Point’s monsoon vine thickets are culturally and ecologically important, and undervalued in assessments of environmental impact. Artist and botanist Jeanne Brown

James Price Point: environmental significance ignored in failed impact assessment

By Malcolm Lindsay, University of Melbourne

The proposed Browse Liquefied Natural Gas Hub at James Price Point (known locally as Walmadany), 50km north of Broome, has created one of the most fiercely fought environmental and indigenous battles currently…
2snqf98b-1345606273
BHP Billiton CEO Marius Kloppers is expected to announce the company’s first profit fall in three years. AAP

Investments are nearing their peak, but the mining boom isn’t over yet

By Peter Sheehan, Victoria University

It has been an anxious day for Australian investors. Shares have dipped as the market awaits BHP Billiton’s full-year profit report. It is expected that the market heavyweight will post its first profit…
Vpww2ph6-1345437009
A long wait: Lonmin miners – involved in a bloody clash with police with killed 34 people – are arguing for a greater share of wealth that has steadily flowed into foreign economies, most recently China. AAP

China and the shadow of colonialism still looming over Africa

By Thomas Clarke, University of Technology, Sydney and Charles Okumu, University of Technology, Sydney

Graphic pictures of South African police firing at striking black workers protesting for a living wage at the Lonmin platinum mine last week is a tragic reminder of Africa’s neo-colonial past, that never…
6trjcv4h-1344815271
Australia’s mining companies have intensified their exploration of resources in Indonesia, much to the detriment of local communities. Jeff Lewis

The Australian assault on Indonesia’s riches

By Jeff Lewis, RMIT University and Belinda Lewis, Monash University

Not satisfied with the abundance of our own natural resources, Australian mining companies have spread their interests across the region. Many of these ventures— Ok Tedi, Bougainville, Freeport-Grasberg…
Qfv2r93d-1344841252
There are economy-wide gains to be made from lowering the corporate tax rate, but businesses will need to make concessions of their own. Image from www.shutterstock.com

Subsidies are standing in the way of corporate tax reform

By John Freebairn, University of Melbourne

Yesterday, the government’s business tax working group released its discussion paper on possibilities for tax reform. The paper makes a case for a broader base and lower tax rate (the corporate tax is…
53ptkzh9-1343956334
FIFO sex workers shouldn’t be blamed for rising rates of HIV and STIs. High heel image from www.shutterstock.com

Mining, sex work and STIs: why force a connection?

By John Scott and Victor Minichiello

Can the mining boom be blamed for the rising rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in some states? The Australian Medical Association thinks so, with its Queensland president Dr Richard Kidd…
2knng5jn-1343972815
Australia’s unique manufacturing DNA – comprised of tens of thousands of small-to-medium enterprises – means that we must forge our own path to innovation. DNA Art Online

Finding a unique path for Australia’s manufacturing future

By Swee Mak, CSIRO

As the manufacturing landscape shifts in response to new economic and social pressures, Australia is looking for an answer to the question: What does the future look like for Australian manufacturing…
Thcpfmfj-1343969059
Technology and globalisation are dramatically transforming the workers and workplaces of the future.

The Future of Work

By Veronica Sheen, Monash University

The modern workplace is constantly evolving. The water cooler and the 9-to-5 grind are quickly becoming relics of the past; what is in store for the future? The Conversation has been running a series…
9m8772hy-1343800382
Beware the hyperbole: Campbell Newman has vowed to axe the Wild Rivers legislation, but what’s the reality beneath the rhetoric? AAP/Alan Porritt

Overturn, axe and bury: the LNP and Queensland’s Wild Rivers Act

By Timothy Neale, University of Melbourne

Those who follow the Wild Rivers debates in Queensland probably know better than to trust the headlines. When, in January 2010, Tony Abbott announced a federal intervention into the state’s environmental…
Whd9vkq3-1343003638
The goals of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative are laudable; but an excessive focus on transparency and accountability doesn’t always benefit developing host countries.

Is more transparency for big miners the answer for developing countries?

By Ainsley Elbra

A developed country, rich in natural resources, with relatively open and accountable governance lends its support to a global transparency initiative – what does this mean for the world’s poor? It depends…
K23gq365-1341906032
Quarries and quandaries: Australia’s natural splendour is a major source of income, yet it sits uncomfortably with mining’s spread. AAP/Fantasea Adventure Cruising

Mining and the environment: the future of Australia’s brand

By Vanessa Adams, Charles Darwin University

Australia has built a strong global brand based on its iconic natural beauty. For example, the new Australia Tourism campaign, “There’s nothing like Australia”, features icons like the Kimberley, Uluru…
Zzg7p76n-1340140384
Coal’s toll? A Newcastle church cupola damaged in the 1989 earthquake serves as a memorial for the 13 people killed. Flickr/OZinOH

Earthquakes and mining – how humans create seismic activity

By Christian Klose, Northwest Research Associates

This week’s 5.3 magnitude earthquake that struck near Moe in Victoria’s brown-coal mining region of the La Trobe Valley brings to mind the 5.6 magnitude quake of 1989 in another coal-mining heartland…
2dhfx6vd-1339312985
Australia’s economy is in rude health – yet people’s fears of imminent economic disaster are not groundless. AAP

Grim faces as GDP booms: what is happening here?

By Ian Harper, University of Melbourne

A simple line graph of the share of mining investment in Australia’s GDP reveals the scale of what our economy is going through. It shows that mining investment is now twice as large relative to GDP…
Vqfrtdkh-1338951818
Does the Queensland Premier understand his own State’s mine approval process? AAP

Federal ‘green-tape’ myth for Alpha mine

By Chris McGrath

The dispute between the Queensland and Commonwealth Governments over the approval of Gina Rinehart’s Alpha Coal Mine continues to escalate with the Prime Minister now backing her Environment Minister…
66bzhmhr-1338357921
Newman’s campaign promises were key to endorsements from some Indigenous organisations, but there has since been little action. AAP

Whatever happened to Queensland’s Wild Rivers controversy?

By Timothy Neale, University of Melbourne

As I wrote in March, whether the Wild Rivers Act was repealed or prolonged in the wake of the Queensland election, underlying issues concerning the future and politics of Cape York Peninsula would persist…
Vs9jhw8f-1338437664
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has called on miners to accept that the resources they mine belong to the people. AAP Image/Alan Porritt

Mining could invest in a future that belongs to all of us – education

By Jonathan Sobels, University of South Australia

Prime Minister Julia Gillard delivered one of her strongest messages to the mining sector last night, telling mining bosses at a Minerals Industry dinner in Canberra that they don’t own Australia’s minerals…
S3jg248s-1338269098
Australia’s newly declared continental shelf may be as big as its land mass, but its not a stealth attack on Antarctica. AAP

Explainer: Australia’s extended continental shelf and Antarctica

By Tony Press, University of Tasmania

Despite recent commentary in the media, Australia’s proclamation of its extended continental shelf does not represent new “claims” in Antarctica and does not contravene the Antarctic Treaty. With Australia…
Jv5scxnk-1337146346
Conservation doesn’t fare well once the miners move in. Kate Ausburn

Mining is digging the heart out of conservation covenants

By Vanessa Adams, Charles Darwin University and Katie Moon, University of Canberra

Across Australia, landholders are signing conservation agreements or covenants to protect biodiversity on their property. These agreements, offered by state governments, create private protected areas…
Xdpg2wjv-1337049758
Where there’s mineral wealth, people always follow. MGM

Lunar boom: we’ll soon be mining the moon

By Leonhard Bernold

As history has repeatedly shown, where there are valuable minerals to be unearthed, adventurous humans will arrive in droves – even if it means battling extreme conditions and risking life and limb. So…
Bwrgzk5s-1336211606
Children can be exposed to lead through through inhaling contaminated soil. Tom Woodward

How exposure to lead impacts human health

By Peter Franklin, University of Western Australia

What is lead poisoning? It’s exposure to lead in a way that lands the metal into your body. There are two types of lead poisoning – acute and chronic. Acute poisoning will occur with higher exposures…
Hm3hhz57-1335830943
When we start building structures outside Earth, the raw materials will likely come from asteroids. Planetary Resources

Asteroid mining will happen … but Australia will miss the boom

By Duncan Steel

There will be a future mining boom, as heralded in recent media stories. But this mining will take place in a location even more hostile than the Australian Outback – space. More specifically, the ore…
Cs9rrkbh-1335496184
Australia has the resources – but the environmental cost could be huge. AAP/Purple Communications

To boom or not to boom? Mineral resources in the Asian Century

By Gavin Mudd, Monash University

AUSTRALIA IN THE ASIAN CENTURY – A series examining Australia’s role in the rapidly transforming Asian region. Delivered in partnership with the Australian government. Here, Dr Gavin Mudd considers the…
Dv7r645f-1335252823
Australia’s mining boom is both a boon and a bane to our economic development.

Managing the mighty structural forces unleashed by the mining boom

By Ian Harper, University of Melbourne

Australia’s stark comparative advantage in mining is both a boon and a bane to our economic development. Investment in the mining industry as a share of Australia’s GDP has already reached unprecedented…
Tqvkt2r5-1334298263
The Federal Government has fast-tracked applications by skilled US workers to fill trades gaps in Australia, citing the close relationship between the countries. But motives of employers pushing the scheme should examined critically. AAP

US workers get the nod … but what does this mean for the local workforce?

By Michael Barry, Griffith University

The Federal Government recently announced that it would use the 457 visa skilled migration program to fast-track the number of skilled workers applying from the United States. In defending this move…
X254bz9k-1332717595
Changes to foreign ownership laws in Indonesia will present further challenges for mining companies. AAP

Challenges for investors amid Indonesia’s foreign ownership regulations

By Colin Brown, Griffith University

The recent announcement that foreign mining companies in Indonesia would have to sell at least 49% of their shares to local interests raises questions about whether this indicates a change of direction…
Dsk4yr6y-1331780283
Taxing mining: too high, and it discourages foreign capital inflow. But political lobbying can also mean it is set too low. AAP

Max Corden on taxing mining, tackling Dutch Disease and depreciating the dollar

By Max Corden, University of Melbourne

The mining boom is making Australia potentially wealthier, but also creating problems because of the high exchange rate. What should government policies be? There are two issues, and it is very important…
7nw48fd8-1331609041
The giants of mining are moving towards the unmanned extraction of the earth’s resources. AAP/EPA/Christian Sprogoe

Robots, red dust, and the future of mining towns

By Karen McNab and Daniel Franks

Automation and remote operation are set to transform Australian mining. It makes sense: automation can address labour shortages as the industry expands, reduce costs and improve productivity, health and…
2h444szj-1328756433-1328758740
With Alcoa reviewing its Geelong smelter, just what is the future for the aluminium industry? AAP

The solutions to Alcoa’s problems may lie in its backyard

By Geoffrey Brooks, Swinburne University of Technology

The sight of molten metal pouring from a furnace has long been an iconic symbol of industrial might and wealth. In Australia, the metallurgical industries have provided long term jobs and wealth to many…
Miningdust
Paul Cleary’s book, Too Much Luck, highlights the many negative consequences of the mining boom. AAP

We are letting our resources luck turn to dust

By Kerry Carrington, Queensland University of Technology

Paul Cleary’s book Too Much Luck: The Mining Boom and Australia’s Future, is a timely appraisal of the dramatic economic and social impacts, as well as the political ramifications of the current resource…
Offsets_ozinoh
How do we know whether replacing lost habitat with new habitat has worked? OZ in OH

Biodiversity offsets: solving the habitat-saving equation

By Ascelin Gordon, RMIT University

Biodiversity offsets are touted as a new tool for protecting our natural environment. While they have the potential to deliver real gains, understanding the possible consequences of these polices over…
Miningred
Paul Cleary’s book, Too Much Luck, paints a negative picture of Australia’s mining industry. AAP

Has the mining boom given us ‘too much luck’? Hardly

By Stephen Kirchner, University of Technology, Sydney

If Paul Cleary is to be believed in his recently published book, Too Much Luck: The Mining Boom and Australia’s Future, the resources boom is the worst thing that ever happened to Australia. He maintains…
Glencore
Activists protest against Glencore by placing bottles of polluted water at its Swiss offices. AAP

The most powerful companies you’ve never heard of: Glencore

By Richard Heaney, University of Western Australia

Welcome to “The most powerful companies you’ve never heard of” – an ongoing series from The Conversation that sheds light on big companies with low profiles. Today, The University of Western Australia…
Mining
Working to improve the performance of the resources sector is a challenging, yet important research focus. AFP/Christian Sprogoe/Rio Tinto

Research funding does not have to equal industry bias

By Daniel Franks

There is common assumption that those of us who undertake applied research with the commercial world must be biased. This month the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI), which…
4426998415_14a75e821b_b
Exporting uranium carries a risk not just in Australia, but all over the world. Mad House Photography

Expanding Olympic Dam: with great power comes great responsibility

By Gavin Mudd, Monash University

The South Australian and Federal governments have approved another expansion at Olympic Dam. This expansion raises some very important questions about Australia’s role in the future of global energy and…
Responsible_minerals_aap
Making Australian miners more ethical could also make them more competitive. AAP

Sustainable mining: a vision for Australia to lead the world

By Damien Giurco, University of Technology, Sydney

Recent high prices for minerals have inspired a lot of companies and countries to start mining. But with a lead-time of up to five years for developing a mining operation, it is difficult to take advantage…
Nikonmania
The Wieliczka salt mine in Poland is now a wedding venue. Nikonmania

From mine to wine: creative uses for old holes in the ground

By Jessica Drake

Is it possible to have an ice-skating rink in an old mine? Or perhaps a wine and cheese cellar in a mine shaft? Or even a swimming pool in a processing plant? It isn’t just possible – it can be environmentally…
Dharawal_taffynorm
Dharawal National Park is safe from mining, but do we value biodiversity enough to spread protection? taffynorm/Flickr

No refuge: When a ‘protected area’ is not really protected

By Megan Evans

The New South Wales government last week said it would ban mining in the newly announced Dharawal National Park, an area where Illawara Coal was planning to extract up to $40 billion worth of black coal…
Trading-1315972523
Insider trading detection in Australia has evolved, but ASIC still needs a win. AAP

Hanlong insider trading case will test ASIC’s resolve

By Juliette Overland

Five senior executives of the Chinese-owned investor Hanlong Mining have had assets frozen after the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) launched an investigation into alleged insider…
Productivity2-1315369056
Expansion is behind a transitory decline in the mining sector productivity growth: but what’s the picture for other sectors? AAP

Australia’s productivity: what is the true picture behind our lagging growth?

By Saul Eslake, Grattan Institute

Official explanations of the deterioration in Australia’s productivity growth have tended to emphasise the especially sharp declines in three sectors – agriculture, mining, and utilities (such as electricity…
Pol_advertising_carbon_pic
Cate Blanchett is among the celebrities pressed into service to persuade us on political issues. AAP/WWF

Selling the political message: What makes a good advert?

By Andrew Hughes

MEDIA & DEMOCRACY: This afternoon, Andrew Hughes examines which recent political adverts have been a success, as part of The Conversation’s week-long series on how the media influences the way our…
Ozinoh
What can you do with a hole in the ground? It’s about more than planting trees. OZinOH/flickr

Sending mines to rehab: good for health, good for the environment

By Robin Tennant-Wood, University of Canberra

In late 1986, residents of Diamond St, Kingston, an outer southern suburb of Brisbane, began to notice a black sludge-like substance seeping through the soil and into their gardens. Within six months…
Pic_-_mudd_afp_photo_christian_sprogoe_rio_tinto
Iron ore is now Australia’s biggest export. AFP/CHRISTIAN SPROGOE RIO TINTO

The Boom: Iron ore and Australia

By Gavin Mudd, Monash University and Mohan Yellishetty, Monash University

Australia’s economic future lies underneath our feet. The island continent is blessed with a variety of natural resources but none as plentiful or important as iron ore. Iron is a common element in soils…
Pic_-_gillard_sal_young
Are talkback radio hosts or Julia Gillard leading debate in areas like immigration and the mining tax? AAP

Immigration: does government or the media decide Australia’s policy?

By Sally Young, University of Melbourne

The release of figures today showing a dramatic fall in immigration numbers prompts the question of whether certain sections of the media are influencing government policy. Are Australian politicians…
Coag-1308726847
Sharing the spoils: WA Premier Colin Barnett confers with Queensland’s Anna Bligh. AAP

Despite our patchwork economy, all states are sharing in the boom

By Ross Williams, University of Melbourne

The marked increase in international commodities prices and the accompanying rise in the value of the Australian dollar has led to popular concern about a two-speed or multi-speed economy, prompting the…
Rio_tinto_pilbara-1308184991
Mining companies are finally sharing the benefits with the native owners of the land. AFP/Christian Sprogoe/Rio Tinto

The Boom: Native owners or mining companies: who benefits?

By Paul Cleary

Aboriginal Australians living in remote areas have, for the past five decades, experienced at close quarters the ill-effects of large scale mining, while receiving few of the benefits. From Cape York…
Kimberley_sunset-1308198950
Sunset on the Kimberley coastline. Is the future of tourism in WA at risk from mining? AAP

Watching the sun set on tourism in the mining state

By Jack Carlsen, Curtin University

The West Australian government’s decision to reject a proposal to establish a coal mine near the Margaret River in the state’s south came after a drawn-out application and approval process that was anything…
Pic_-_blokes_boom
Men are the economic winners from the current resources boom. flickr/robstephaustralia

The Boom: blokes are benefiting. What about women?

By Margaret Alston, Monash University

In a decision hailed as ground breaking Fair Work Australia has recently determined that gender is a key factor in women’s low pay. Essentially the argument is that workers in the female dominated community…
Chinaconsumer
China can easily rouse its banks, but awakening its consumers will be tougher. AAP

Questioning Rudd’s version of ‘China 2.0’

By James Laurenceson

West Australian Premier Colin Barnett’s bold claim on Friday that his state was looking “over the horizon” past Canberra to forge stronger links with China capped off a few weeks of strong rhetoric from…
Miningrevolt
The successful anti-mining tax campaign may cement Rinehart’s rich-list position. AAP

Spooking Labor was Rinehart’s smartest investment

By John Passant

Now that Gina Rinehart has more than doubled her fortune in one year to top the 2011 BRW Rich 200 list, she will no doubt see her contribution to last year’s $22 million campaign to stop Labor’s resources…
Wilgie_mia_pic
Australia has the world’s oldest continuously worked mine site. AAP

The Australian history we don’t know

By Simon Forrest, Curtin University

There has been a massive revival of interest in Australian history in the last decade. Under Prime Minister John Howard, Australia’s military history, particularly the ANZACs, became little short of a…

Research and News (3)

Research Briefs (9)

Higher mortality in coal mining counties

University of Pittsburgh

Coal mining areas may adversely affect those who live and work in them. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh studied…

Oil sands create pollution

Environment Canada

The pollution created from extracting and processing Canadian tar sands is comparable to a large power plant or a mid-size…

Participants (262)