The importance of the minerals industry to any economy
is clearly demonstrable. Its raw materials and products are the foundation of
modem society and they have shaped the history of mankind from prehistoric times
to the space age of today. However, those in the minerals industry have clearly
failed to impress this fact on the consciousness of the public, bureaucrats and
politicians. They have also failed to engage their dedicated opponents in a
constructive debate. This is mainly because the minerals industry has been
unwilling (until recently) to deal with the "soft" issues of civil society, nor
understand and operate on a more emotional level. Technical professionals (as
well as managers) in the future must be as comfortable in handling community
concerns over social, environmental or landowner issues, as they are with
logging complex drill core, designing blast patterns and separating one mineral
from another. They must become caring, effective communicators and mediators.
These are the new skills of a professional in the Third Millennium. These issues
are outlined and discussed with some Australian data used to illustrate the
point. If there is to be a future for all, then the policy makers within all
levels of government (national, regional or local) must not drive essential
mineral development offshore. They must address ways to support wealth creation
mechanisms, particularly innovation. The minerals industry is a powerful wealth
creator for ordinary citizens and an innovator. Politicians and their advisers
must not .be allowed to forget this fact. If the ANZAC minerals industries do
not win the emotional debate and successfully deal with the "soft" issues as
well as they deal with the technical issues, there can be only a dim future
ahead.