Our state’s minerals found in the everyday

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 also the building blocks of an espresso machine.

“Natural gas remains the dominant source of heat in both commercial and residential kitchens, helping to cook everything from burgers to pho,” Ms Tomkinson said.

“Also, without lesser-known vital minerals like lanthanides, scandium and yttrium, medical professionals wouldn’t be able to operate the computed tomography scanners which help to diagnose disease and prepare patients for surgery.”

The advertising campaign was developed by Western Australian agency Likeable Creative, with production by fellow WA company Beautiful Pictures.

It features a Western Australian woman going about her morning – ordering breakfast, paying with her mobile phone, jumping into her electric vehicle – before arriving at her job as a radiographer.

The minerals which make each step of her journey possible – including her life-saving profession – are highlighted along the way.

Ms Tomkinson said the campaign was developed to boost awareness about the central role mining played in modern society.

“Beyond providing jobs and economic security, the resources we extract in WA are used to make almost every item we rely on,” she said. “Those resources are only becoming more important as we transition to a low-emission future.

Shape“Wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles – every single technology on the path to net zero needs minerals produced right here in WA.”

CMEWA leads policy development on issues impacting the resources sector, representing the views of its members and advocating on their behalf through government, stakeholder and media channels, promoting the value of the sector to the community. For more information, visit the website.