EMBARGOED:  Not for publication before 8.30 p.m. , Â·  Wednesday, 28th A p r i l .  .

Address to 5th Symposium of Bureau of Mineral . Ã¢ÂÂ   . . Â· Â·  ...

Resources by Rt. Hon. J.D.. Anthony, Deputy Prime. Minister

Minister for National Resources and Minister for Overseas Trade

Union Building, Australian National University

28th April, 1 9 7 6 .

As you are probably aware, BMR was established in 1946  at a time when Australia was a country generally deficient  in known mineral resources.  Since then BMR has made an  invaluable contribution to the knowledge of the geological

framework of Australia and its offshore areas - knowledge  which is essential for the identification, effective .

development, and management of our mineral resources.

Now, due largely to exploration carried out by industry  over the past two decades, we know that Australia is richly  endowed with many mineral resources. In fact it would be  true to say that our standard of living in the years ahead

will reflect to a large extent our ability to develop and  export this mineral wealth. .

As a Government we have the responsibility to ensure  proper management of our mineral resources so that we have  adequate reserves of strategic minerals and that we obtain  the maximum possible benefit from our resources for the .   Australian people of today and of the generations ahead.

We believe the major role of Government is to provide  a suitable legislative and economic framework within which  the mineral industry can develop in the national interest. To achieve our objective we recognise that it is essential

that we provide clear guidelines for industry to re-establish  the confidence necessary in areas of high risk investment.

There is a number of ways in which exploration and  discovery of mineral resources can be carried o u t .  But the  experience of years gone by, when a Liberal-Country Party  Government was in power, shows clearly the effectiveness of

co-operation and communication between Government and industry, i

This co-operation was marked by the contributions of  Governmental instrumentalities, such as the Bureau of Mineral  Resources and the State Geological Surveys, in providing the  basic framework of geology and geophysicsÂ·. A r e a s , basins and  provinces where the special expertise of company exploration  could be applied with most chance of success were successfully  delineated.

In the four months since the change of Government took  place, there have been some far-reaching changes in the minerals  and energy area. I think the n a t u r e .of those changes has been  such that many people, especially those in the industry, do .

not yet appreciate their full extent.

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.  When I became Minister, there were three major new  Queensland coking coal projects awaiting Commonwealth  Government approval. These were Hail Creek, Norwich Park  and N e b o . The Government has now given approval for the -

Hail Creek and Norwich Park projects to proceed, the former  on the basis of a 60% Australian beneficial interest, the  latter on the basis of 55% Australian participation. Examination of Nebo proposals is at an advanced stage and a

decision will be made in the near future.  .

The North West Shelf Project was delayed for about two .

years by the attitude of the former Government, during which  time costs increased substantially. I have had several  meetings with the operating company at which I have assured  them that the Government will permit export of natural gas

from the Shelf. The operating company recently submitted  preliminary development proposals to the Government on  behalf of the consortium involved.

We are in close consultation with Western Australia about,  the proposals which are being examined as a matter of top  priority as the Government is keen to see development underway.

As regards uranium, you are all aware of the lack of

meaningful discussion with industry on the development of our  vast uranium resources.  In the four months since the present  Government came to office, I have attempted t o .remedy that  situation. In the nature of things, these discussions cannot,  and should n o t , progress to finality before the Government has  received the report of the Inquiry being chaired by Mr. Justice Fox.

The fact remains, howe v e r , that I have shown willingness,  within the constraints that exist, to open up discussion .on  the matter. .  '

As a government, we lay emphasis on the need for coÂ­ operative relations with the States as a foundation for the  development of the n a t i o n ’s resources. In this context, we  have revived the Australian Minerals Council after a lapse  of three y e a r s , and extended its scope to cover energy matters. We a r e , for example, working closely with the respective .

State Governments in considering proposals for the exploitation  of the hydro-carbon resources of the North-West Shelf, arid  the development of the Central Queensland coal resources.  ,

I look to the establishment of a National Energy Advisory  Council in the near future to advise on the energy requirements  which the country will face in the decades to come. By this

means the Government would gain access to expert advice from  outside established channels.

Perhaps the most significant change which has occurred  since I became Minister is that industry and Government are  talking to each other again. In the last four months I have

met with a wide range of people from the mining industry. The  Department is also extensively engaged in this sort of dialogue  and I see the Bureau playing a significant role in this endeavour

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The main emphasis of my administration of the National /  Resources portfolio is to remove obstacles that stand in the LÂ·/'  way of getting things going again. For three long years  we saw frustration, bad feeling, and not one single development,

get underway. The pity is that the effects of those three  years will be with us for a long time to c o m e .

I wish to see the minerals sector expand and make an

increasing contribution to the economy and hence to the  well-being of all Australians. My message to the industry  is that this Government will do all that it appropriately can  to see that this expansion takes p l a c e .

My Government, however, will not get directly involved  in mineral exploration or production unless absolutely  necessary; we will be relying substantially on industry to  continue a program of exploration and development of Australia's  mineral resources.  Consistent with that general attitude, let  me cite the fact that since coming to office the Government  has put action in hand to:Â­

.  Dispose of the Government shareholding in Mary Kathleen Uranium Ltd. to Australian companies; .

.  Hand back the exploration interest of the Australian  Atomic Energy Commission in the Nagolia Basin Joint  Venture to Australian private enterprise; and

. Have exploration for uranium in the Northern Territory  returned from the Commonwealth to the private sector.

Exploration for mineral deposits, as such, is not the  business of BMR. Nevertheless, the work of BMR has contributed  directly to the discovery of many important deposits such as  bauxite at Gove Peninsula, manganese on. Groote E y l andt,  phosphate at Duchess, nickel in Western Australia, oil in the  Surat Basin and coal in the Galilee Basin.

It is generally accepted that the discovery of new mineral  deposits is becoming more difficult and expensive. Most of  the deposits which occur at or near the surface have probably  already been discovered. We must now look towards the  concealed deposits within the crust and on the ocean floor. It is in these areas that we must expect to place a greater

reliance on the geophysical tools which allow us to apply our  surface knowledge, and interpret deep beneath the surface. There are many complex techniques which require special skills .   and equipment, that have been developed to help unravel the

sub-surface geology, and you are hearing something of BMR's  activities in this field during the symposium.

Australia is in a good position with large reserves of  iron ore, c o a l , bauxite, nickel, uranium and natural gas. But the long-term position is not as good for copper, tin,  mineral sands, lead, zinc and oil. We must not forget that

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our current reserve position is the result of past exploration  Exploration must be a.continuing activity, and long lead times  between discovery and production are a fact of life.

The Bureau of Mineral Resources has a task of national  significance unravelling the geological reality of our  continent, in pointing the way. for future mineral exploration,  and in advising me and the Government I represent of the  resource base available to our nation.

I wish if well in that endeavour.

