From sharing photos on your mobile phone to saving lives with cutting-edge medical equipment, and even your favourite restaurant dish, Western Australia’s resources make it possible. That is the message underpinning a new advertising campaign which seeks to highlight the integral role of mining and energy extraction in everyday life. Funded by the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME), the campaign was informed by fieldwork undertaken by JWS Research, which found many Australians – especially those younger than 35 years old – did not fully grasp what goes into the products they used each day.
CME Chief Executive Rebecca Tomkinson said while the economic contribution of WA’s world-leading resources sector was well understood, there was less appreciation for the huge array of uses for the minerals and gas produced within the state. “More than 50 different minerals are mined in WA and each one has an important but sometimes hidden purpose in our lives,” Ms Tomkinson said. “Modern-day smartphones – and practically any electronic device requiring a battery – would not be possible without cobalt, manganese and lithium.
“We all know gold is used in jewellery, but it is also critical for memory chips and circuit boards in things like laptops, televisions and gaming consoles.” Iron ore – WA’s biggest export – is the key ingredient in steel, which is the most widely used metal in the construction industry. Steel, along with copper, are al.
