Office Minister Paul Kirby

The Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) kicks off in Alice Springs today with the highest amount of registrations since 2013, underpinning increased confidence in the Territory’s resources sector.  

The Territory’s premier mineral and petroleum exploration event, the two-day AGES gathering has already received registrations from around 250 people, making it the best attended AGES conference in six years.

More than 50 exploration companies from around Australia and globally are sending delegates to AGES, including some that are looking at investing for the first time in the Northern Territory.

Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Paul Kirby said the Territory’s exploration sector is growing, driven by strong exploration for commodities such as zinc, copper, gold and lithium, and AGES was an opportunity for the industry to share information on exploration results and new discoveries.

The seminar comes off the back of some encouraging new data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showing that:

• The Territory’s mineral exploration expenditure in the 2018 calendar year was $123.2 million – up 35 per cent on 2017.

• The NT’s December 2018 quarterly mineral exploration expenditure of nearly $40 million was the strongest quarter of exploration in the Territory since the mining boom days of 2012.

The ABS stats build on the Territory’s already strong results from financial year 2017/18 where the value of mineral production in the NT reached a record $4.49 billion – a 24 per cent increase on the previous year and the first time the value of the Territory’s mining sector has passed the $4 billion mark.

Quotes from Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Paul Kirby:

“Our Government will continue to support the Territory’s resources sector – driving investment into the Territory, creating local business opportunities, and delivering local jobs.

 “Under the Territory Labor Government, there is confidence in the resources sector – with record values of mineral production in the Territory, increasing minerals exploration activity and certainty for the future of onshore gas exploration.”

Media Contact: Carl Pfeiffer 0417 910 720