How Does Mining Affect Me?

If it’s not animal or vegetable, it’s mineral.  Minerals are central to our modern way of life. They are essential to producing raw materials for construction and manufacturing. Electricity generated from coal enables us to build our houses and heat, cool and light them; prepare and preserve food; have fresh drinking water; run our offices and businesses; and fabricate and use our toys. Plasma TVs, mobiles, stereos, ipods, PCs all need electricity to run and are composed of steel, alloys, copper, lead, zinc, platinum, and iron ore. The list is endless.

Minerals, wherever they lay buried, are owned by State Government on behalf of the people of NSW. The Government decides where, when and how a mine can operate. The Government also decides the level of royalties and taxes paid to it by mining companies in return for extracting the resource. This long-term, reliable revenue is used by the Government to provide the people of NSW with jobs, vital infrastructure including hospitals, schools and roads and other social services.