THE subject to which I wish to direct some measure of attention this evening is "The Mineral Wealth of Australia." It is proposed to deal with this important subject mainly in the nature of a forecast. It is true that we see the matter only "as in a glass darkly," nevertheless, by appreciating the history of the mining industry in Australia to date, and by a knowledge also of the most recent developments in the industry in other countries, it should be possible in some measure to penetrate the veil surrounding the not-too-distant future, and to appreciate the main lines along which Australian mining may be expected to progress. At this stage it seems scarcely necessary to emphasise the value of minerals to civilisation. Nevertheless it has been stated by some authorities that agriculture far transcends mining in import- ance, seeing that man must eat to live. The mining engineer, however, apprehends the fact that "man does not live by bread alone," and that one prerequisite to eating bread is the ability, or the granting of permission, to partake of it. In the present state of our civilisation it would appear thus that mining is equally important with agriculture. Without metals and minerals, agriculture could not be conducted on a large scale, because of the necessity which exists for machinery for ploughing, sowing, harvesting, and transport. Without arms and ammunition also a defenceless agricultural people or nation might plough the land and tend the crops to harvest only that an armed enemy might reap the result of its toil. Events in Europe and in Asia since 1914 have illustrated the operation of the law-Woe to those who do not possess metals, or to those who possess them but do not know how to use them.