Greg, there is something major missing from this article. This is the manner in which we are using our mining wealth.

Currently, we are expanding mining at a manic rate, in order to just try and keep up the same standard of living for an ever-bigger Australian populace. We are desperately trying to increase our economic growth so that our income can match our expenses. And we are failing!

For all the massive mining activity, in absolute boom times, that we’ve had for many years, we are not balancing the books or significantly improving the lives of Australians, on average.

Our mining effort is feeding the massively expansionist and totally unsustainable mindset!

Christine Milne is right inasmuch as we need to strive for a sustainable society. This means capping the demand for everything, or at least striving to slow the rate of increase right down. And it means diversifying our economic base, and also continuing to utilise our mineral wealth.

We should be striving hard to stabilise our population. We should not be expanding mining operations, but should wind them back somewhat, at least a few years down the track.

But most importantly, we have surely got to make this amazing wealth work towards achieving a sustainable society, instead of very strongly doing just the opposite!

You just can’t meaningfully discuss the future of mining in this country without these sorts of considerations figuring very prominently.

Like the Jesuits, the Greens know everything about everything - but that's all they know. Their electoral support is far from solid because their ideas are so half baked, especially when they start talking about anything not to do with forests and dams.

Mining accounts for about 9 per cent of GDP. The resources sector is important but no more important than agriculture, live stock or the booming services industry. People seem to forget that we only mine and sell ore at the market rate. We're not giving it away. It's a pretty basic economic principle. The price mechanism works to sustain the resource.

Much anti-mine comment comes from people who use a teleological argument of final causes, eg, we'll run out of the stuff one day so we shouldn't do it, the world is finite so we shouldn't do it, we're over populated or under populated so we shouldn't do it. The other argument is basically socialism disguised as 'sustainability', eg, market capitalism (which they equate with mining) is making people poorer, fornicate more, hungrier, sadder, etc.

There is a back up argument which is used as a subsidiary crutch - and that is energy. The peak oil argument (which surely must be dead by now) is trotted out. If you bring all the different parts together you actually have more of a delusional psychological profile than a cohesive argument.

"The other argument is basically socialism disguised as 'sustainability', eg, market capitalism (which they equate with mining) is making people poorer, fornicate more, hungrier, sadder, etc." (Cheryl).

Market capitalism make us poorer? Yup, delusional.

Greece
Spain
Ireland
Italy
Portugal
UK
USA
South Africa
etc.

There but for the grace of some adroit and unappreciated financial management goes Australia.

As for mining, RFX Connor sought a sustainable Australian-owned mining industry working for the Australian nation. Panic! Can't have that! Can't wait 18 months for the election! Sack the government!

I largely agree with Grim. Albeit, I think that there is a hole in the bucket?
We need to build a sustainable strong economy, so that future generations can enjoy the things we now take for granted.
The lesson for us is the fact, we can and should mine and sell these resources ourselves, to profit ourselves much more massively, rather than offshore entities and or, the over-bloated entirely unproductive rich?
Our resources, however large, are still finite.
A case that can be mounted to use and export some of these resources, where it can be demonstrated, they lower carbon output and or, buy time to adjust and PAY FOR, a carbon neutral/free economy.
Many green advocates will demand we stop mining, but have no clear vision of how we can actually replace the incomes and or revenue these resources produce.
If their own salaries or social security depended on it, they would surely argue, we can and should explore our own Great Barrier reef, if only to see the possible mind-blowing size of the resource, we might well be locking up.
Resources that if exploited and exported by us; could easily, given the probable sheer size of the resources, earn for the national treasury, something north of one trillion PA.
And given the traditional nature of Australian liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon products, reducing carbon production, [in total,] wherever they substitute for, Much dirtier, sulphur laden, Middle East sourced Hydrocarbon products.
Sure, we should crack on building electric cars, even if that means allowing or progressing employee owned co-ops, instead of Foreign car makers, who simply fail to put Australia and our interests ahead of parent companies and countries? Waiting for them to come to the party could waste a couple of decades, our current advantages, and the probable huge export market, we could create NOW!
We lead the world in the creation of moulded and therefore mass producible, carbon fibre/acrylic products.
Carbon fibre and acrylic cars, powered by CNG powered ceramic fuel cells, [electricity,] produce mainly water vapour, and have comparable ranges, with current mass produced vehicles.
Rhrosty.

Labor always had a policy of keeping our wealth in the ground where it would do no one any good.

This secured green preferences for them, at election time.

It was only when we had competent government, that we were ready when the opportunity of a resources boom arose.

Now that we not only have Labor, but the deranged greens sharing in government we find that the mining and other industry is shutting up shop, and taking up real opportunities available elsewhere.

Of course, it is always announced that it is not because of the government, or the carbon tax., that industry and jobs are disappearing overseas, or that planned projects are deferred.

Knowing the petty minded viciousness of our government, I cannot blame the Industry participants for making these misleading announcements, to avoid retaliation.

Grim and Rhrosty, did you even read the article? Half of it was about just how damn far the bucket is from empty!