Minister Bill Johnston says his department is having its own trouble recruiting staff to process exploration approvals, in response to industry calls for faster lead times to access ground.
Mining Minister Bill Johnston says his department is having its own trouble recruiting staff to process exploration approvals, in response to industry calls for faster lead times to access ground.
Mr Johnston featured in a panel at Pitcher Partners' annual resources lunch this afternoon alongside BHP Nickel West Asset president Jessica Farrell, Global Lithium Resources chair Warrick Hazeldine, and IGO managing director Peter Bradford.
Mr Bradford flagged early in the discussion that land access was an area he felt was not getting enough attention in terms of challenges facing the resources industry.
“I think one of the bigger challenges that we have, that doesn’t get enough attention, is the challenge of accessing ground and getting early access to exploration to continue to find those critical minerals that we need to feed the pipeline of energy required for renewables,” he said.
“None of us want to take shortcuts, it’s all about how we can do the same work and get to the final outcome faster.
“That’s why we need more exploration to find all those mines of the future and we need faster lead times to get access to ground and get projects through government.”
The Department of Mines, Industry and Regulation has faced what the state's resources sector has called “substantial backlogs” in recent months.
These are mostly relevant to early-stage projects, particularly ‘program of work’ (PoW) applications, a document explorers are required to lodge and gain subsequent approval for to start drilling on a mining tenement.
Mr Johnston conceded the department was not meeting timelines and that recruitment challenges were a problem, even flagging the possibility of borrowing staff from resources companies.
“We’re happy to explore this idea of lending us people,” he said.
“So we could borrow people off BHP they could do approvals … that’s a pathway.
“We’re having our own trouble recruiting into the space of approvals and that is slowing us down.
“We’re not currently meeting our timelines and we understand that.
“But we’re doing as much as we can to try and pivot our workforce into the front end of the approvals system.”
He also suggested that applicants ensure their paperwork is in order before submitting.
“The majors come to us with and talk to us about what they’re going to do in 10 years time,” Mr Johnston said.
“I know that a junior explorer can’t do that, but if you do just have a bit of think before you submit that would be helpful.”
The comments come as exploration spending hits $1 billion for the June quarter, according to new research from BDO, despite concerns that spending in the sector may be taking a turn.
“But in the end remember this is still the best place to be,” Mr Johnston told the audience.
“Pilbara Minerals [took] four years from discovery to production. Where else in the world can you do that?”
