THE PILLAR OF INNOVATION

AHEAD OF MINEXPO 2024, AUSTRALIAN MINING TAKES A DEEP DIVE INTO AUSTRALIA’S METS INDUSTRY.

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The Australian mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector is T one of the world's largest and most influential.

Since the term was coined by Austmine in 2009, the METS sector has been steadily gaining a powerful voice and identity, with 40 of the world's top 100 METS companies now headquartered in Australia.

But how did the sector go from a nameless entity to the key pillar for the mining innovation and digitalisation we see today? And, perhaps more importantly, what comes next?

The history

Austmine, the leading industry association for the Australian METS sector, was formed in November 1989.

Just one year later, the company held its first annual general meeting and was welcoming its 56th foundation member.

Austmine quickly recognised that there was little recognition of the size and scope of the METS sector in Australia - so the company set its sights on changing this.

The company played a critical role in branding the METS sector in Australia by identifying that the sector exists, and defining its economic size, high value adds, export performance and industrial complexity.

Throughout the early 2000s, Austmine was simultaneously making a name for itself and for the future Australian METS sector.

The company held its first Austmine conference, now a cornerstone of the mining industry's event calendar, in 2005.