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The Future of Mining in Australia – Workshop in Berlin

The German Federation of international Mining and Mineral Resources (FAB), the German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GACIC), the Australian Embassy and the Australian commercial agency Austrade organised a nation-specific workshop on 25 and 26 March 2015 in Berlin that focused on Australia’s mining and resource industries and their future.

Commodity prices have been almost in free-fall since the peak of the resource boom was reached in 2012/13. Australia’s resource industry is one of the cornerstones of Australia’s economy and contributes approximately 9 % to the national gross domestic product (GDP). Germany relies heavily on importing metalliferous mineral resources from Australia and other countries, which are mainly used in Germany’s manufacturing sector. At the same time, Germany is a leading technology and service provider for the mining industry worldwide.

Around 75 industry and government representatives attended the two-day event that was held at the Australian Embassy in Berlin. Altogether, 20 experts from Australia and Germany presented and discussed topics ranging from technology transfer and innovation to sustainability and finance in the mining and resource sector. The event included statements by Stefan Augustin from Austrade and Dr. Joachim Pfeiffer, Member of the German Parliament and economic spokesperson for CDU/CSU. The industry-focused and nation-specific workshop complemented the German-Australian Chamber’s activities in Australia.

The workshop demonstrated the strong, ongoing interest of German manufacturers and suppliers in mining and resources, which is supported by FAB through a variety of activities and initiatives. Both Austrade and GACIC are the two major points of contact for German companies wishing to establish a presence or expand their activities in the lucrative Australian mining and resources sector. GACIC has recently set up a Competence Centre for Mining and Mineral Resources at the Chamber’s Sydney office with hands-on expertise and a dedicated focus on this sector. (FAB/GACIC)