QUICK FACTS
- Tasmania has key and critical minerals that the world wants
- New funding for Tasmania’s critical minerals sector
- Boosted exploration, helping support mining’s future
- Incentives to re-open historic mine sites
- Continue working to see Mt Lyell Mine re-opened.
Under our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, are-elected majority Liberal Government will:
- Provide $3 million to supercharge our Critical Minerals Strategy
- Extend our popular co-funded exploration drilling grants to 2028
- Incentivise the extraction of new value from legacy and historic mine sites through a royalty rebate scheme
- Stand firm in supporting the potential re-opening of the Mt Lyell Mine
An important part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future is delivering jobs and opportunity for Tasmanians.
Provide $3 million to supercharge our Critical Minerals Strategy
Tasmania has the critical and strategic minerals that the world needs to power the global shift to renewable energy and to support defence manufacturing.
In fact, the Australian Government’s recently updated Critical Minerals List and new Strategic Minerals List includes minerals which are already being mined or processed in Tasmania including tungsten, tin and zinc.
To best position our State to take advantage of these new opportunities, a re-elected majority Liberal Government will provide $3 million to help drive investment in the critical minerals sector supported by Tasmania’s first Critical Minerals Strategy.
The Strategy will help identify resources, drive private investment and grow jobs, particularly in regional Tasmania.
Funding will support the identification and provision of geological data necessary to support exploration, seed funding for processing and other improvements to extract critical minerals from existing operations, and support to develop the infrastructure needed to enable new mining or processing operations.
We will complete a business case of on-island value adding critical mineral processing and refinement options.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will investigate options of processing of significant waste piles of slag to turn into minerals for our future needs with the growing demand of critical minerals. We will support industry to re-examine tailings and older mining waste piles for by-products of production such as cadmium and other expensive rare earths for export or processing.
Incentivise the extraction of new value from legacy and historic mine sites
Improved mineral processing technology and practices are seeing new value extracted from historic workings, delivering a win for production and jobs.
Already Tasmania has seen a successful example of this occurring at the Hellyer mine, where waste from historic operations is being processed, with interest also being shown in historic workings at the Renison and Mt Lyell mines.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will structure a fixed term royalty rebate scheme to incentivise the re-processing of historic tailings and re-commencement of mining operations at legacy sites where an environmental benefit can be demonstrated. The scheme will run for an initial period of two years, with the intent of extending, subject to a review.
Extend our co-funded exploration drilling grants to 2028
Ongoing mineral exploration is key to ensuring a pipeline of future mining projects that will support jobs and provide our world with the minerals it needs.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will provide $1.5 million to extend our co-funded Exploration Drilling Grants Initiative to 2028.
This successful program has been in place since 2018 and has already supported more than 16km of exploration drilling and investigation.
By co-investing with industry through this partnership we are supporting the continued investment and ongoing development of our mining industry.
Stand up for the Mt Lyell Mine
The Mt Lyell mine is an iconic part of Tasmania’s mining history and was a mainstay of the West Coast before entering care and maintenance in 2014.
The Liberals have steadfastly supported the mine’s re-opening with our support including a $9.5 million package to undertake works necessary to support the re-opening of the mine as well as a $25 million assistance package to be made available once mining operations recommenced.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will ensure that these support packages remain available to a new owner.
Net Cost: $4.5 million