Editorial: The elements of mineral and energy policy

Abstract

The minerals and fossil fuel sector is an important part of the Australian economy. The health and condition of this sector is of vital concern to exploration geophysicists engaged in scientific, professional and administrative work. A rational resource policy should be the desideratum of exploration geophysicists and indeed of all applied earth scientists. In 1972/73 the value of Australian mineral (including fossil fuel) production was $1,998,615,000; this was 4.9% of the gross domestic product. The industry comprised 1,330 establishments employing 63,107 workers – 1.4% of the workforce. Salaries and wages paid amounted to $403,186,000; royalties levied totalled $93,329,000. The industry was 49.6% foreign owned and 57.2% foreign controlled. The mineral and fossil fuel commodities are export earners of substantial rank – accounting for about 25% of total exports ($6,220,148,000) during 1972/73. In exploration (excluding hydrocarbons) by private enterprise and government, $1 09,140,000 was expended and 234,300 man weeks of exploration activity were recorded. Of this human effort, 90,400 m.w. (74,500 m.w. private enterprise and 15,000 m.w. government) were devoted to geological/geophysical exploration. In petroleum exploration (for 1972 only) an amount of $108,938,000 was expended of which 20% went to exploration geophysical programs. A consideration of these figures and other statistics available from the Australian Bureau of Statistics evokes the significance and consequence of the exploration and exploitation indusfries and their growing importance in the economy generally and in the balance of trade in particular. It has become evident recently that the minerals and energy industries deem themselves beleagured; exploration has diminished – real and symbolic support is wanting. It is appropriate at this time to outline the elements of public policy that obtain for the exploration and exploitation industries. Some elements have direct relevance; other elements are less direct but nevertheless important. Public policy is generalized decision making and its consequences; patterns of behaviour and actions are the essence of policy not individual decisions. Twelve elements of a composite minerals and energy policy are outlined below and some comments made. The elements could be further categorised into policy measures, policy instruments, policy problems, policy parameters and policy impacts. However, such categorization will not be pursued here. It is the recognition, interaction and integration of the elements that are important.