Proposed Perth-based Australian Future Mines Centre would strengthen exploration, productivity

Today’s announcement by the Opposition that its proposed Australian Future Mines Centre would be based in Perth recognises the opportunity to strengthen and encourage minerals exploration in our biggest mining state and across Australia.

If Labor is elected, the Centre would enable a stronger focus on developing data and other innovative approaches to boosting productivity and ensuring Australia’s minerals industry continues to lead the world on creating wealth for all Australians – especially regional communities – from our resources.

Data science underpins the work of mining engineers, analysts and geologists.

But data analysis, as well as developments in artificial intelligence, are also refining the search for undiscovered deposits and providing new prospects in some of our oldest mining regions.

To remain competitive against increasingly sophisticated rivals, the Australian minerals industry must improve productivity. That is why the skills, diversity and flexibility of the future workforce are so important.

In that context, MCA also welcomes Labor’s commitment to provide 50 mining engineering scholarships for Australian students attending WA universities, each worth $20,000, with half of them for women.

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