Space, METS and mining: unlocking the power of technology transfer in Australia

Australia’s mining and abstraction sectors whitethorn look worlds apart, but successful world they are amazingly similar. Both run successful harsh, distant environments, trust connected cutting-edge technologies and are superior intensive.

What galore bash not realise is that abstraction and mining person a symbiotic relationship, with exertion transportation betwixt the 2 sectors already generating measurable benefits for the Australian economy, sustainability and planetary competitiveness.

This year’s International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2025), held successful September astatine ICC Sydney, highlighted this connection. Bringing unneurotic thousands of planetary delegates, exhibitors, policymakers and manufacture leaders, the Congress focused connected the taxable 'Sustainable Space: Resilient Earth'. For the archetypal clip successful IAC history, space-enabled industries were straight integrated into the programme.

Reflecting excessively connected IMARC 2025, large mining manufacture events are present demonstrating that abstraction technologies are nary longer confined to orbit but are progressively driving innovation crossed terrestrial industries including mining and mining equipment, exertion and services (METS).

Australia’s mining assemblage remains a cornerstone of the nationalist economy. In 2023–24, it contributed 13.4% of gross home product, the highest proportionality of immoderate industry. Mining generated $417bn (A$642.43bn) successful gross and drives two-thirds of Australia’s exports.

Complementing this, the METS assemblage contributed $114bn successful gross and employs astir 200,000 radical directly, forming a highly skilled workforce susceptible of integrating precocious technologies. Together, mining and METS enactment much than 500,000 nonstop jobs and immoderate of the highest mean wages successful the country.

Austmine, the manufacture relation for the Australian METS sector, plays a cardinal relation successful this ecosystem by fostering collaboration betwixt exertion providers and miners. Marianne Cummings, manager of strategical improvement astatine Austmine, tells Mining Technology: "There are abstraction technologies coming into mining, and determination are METS technologies going into abstraction – a reasonably circular speech of information."

Australia is recognised worldwide for its expertise successful operating successful distant and challenging environments, pioneering innovations successful automation, robotics and integer systems. The operation of precision engineering, astute manufacturing and small-batch customisation provided by Australian METS well-positions providers to accommodate abstraction technologies for mining – and vice versa.

Across the mining beingness cycle, abstraction technologies are driving real-world improvements successful efficiency, information and biology management, with proven applications already transforming however mines run successful Australia.