Glencore McArthur River Mine’s Adam Hatfield says organisations can be catalyst for change in the bush

A multi-national Territory miner, recently recognised for upskilling remote and regional Territorians, says business and the bush will help grow the NT economy. Find out how.

Organisations in remote regions of the Territory have an opportunity to be a catalyst for the social and economic development of local communities.

To support the Territory Government’s 2030 economic goals, opportunity lies in the social and economic development of regional and remote areas of the Territory.

Organisations working in remote areas have a unique responsibility as part of their social licence to operate, to support and grow local communities through programs such as education, health and employment.

It’s critical we ensure the benefits of remote and regional operations are not only shared with local communities but also ensuring these communities are part of the story to help drive the sustainability of the operations.

McArthur River Mine is one of the world’s largest zinc and lead deposits.

Located 700km south-east of Darwin and 65km from the township of Borroloola, Glencore’s McArthur River Mine (MRM) sits on top of one of the world’s largest zinc deposits.

MRM mines and processes zinc, lead and silver concentrates on site before they are exported from the Bing Bong loading facility in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Zinc produced at MRM is used in construction materials, as well as everyday goods like cars, trains, ovens, washing machines and fridges.

Zinc is also an important metal in creating renewable technologies like solar panels and wind turbines.

MRM is the largest employer of Aboriginal people in the region and one of the largest in the Territory, with close to 25 per cent of MRM’s employees being Indigenous.

We’re a proud of the work we do and of the significant contribution we make - helping build the long-term social and economic prosperity of the Territory and supporting regional Indigenous communities across the Gulf region.

About 15 years ago, Glencore and the Territory Government launched the McArthur River Mine Community Benefits Trust.

MRM contributes $1.3m every year to the Trust and has invested more than $20m into over 130 programs in areas that include health, education and cultural heritage.

One of the programs is the Borroloola School Breakfast program, which the MRM Community Benefits Trust has supported since 2011.

The program provides breakfast for the children of the Borroloola School each day and encourages improved student attendance, improves learning outcomes and drives community involvement with parents and mentors.

MRM employed over 1000 people throughout 2021 with a commitment to employing Territorians, paying $41m in wages.

Borroloola School has one of the highest rates of attendance in remote schools in the Territory and the Borroloola School Breakfast program gets kids into schools and provides increased participation in the education system, which then increases opportunity for kids into the future.

Separately, our Community Team partner with Borroloola School to run a program ensuring each student who graduates from the school has everything they need to apply for a job – and sometimes that’s as simple as having an ID and tax file number.

Doing this enables these students’ eligibility for a range of entry programs at MRM, such as traineeships, cadetships and apprenticeships.

With over 20 per cent of its workforce currently undertaking formal training to advance their careers, MRM was recently announced ‘Large Employer of the Year’ at the NT Training Awards, formally recognising its development of Territorians.

Long term social and economic development is underpinned by building capacity for Territorians and creating pathways to these opportunities. This starts at home and in the communities where we operate.

That’s everyone’s responsibility and that’s where the real long-term change can support the Territory’s economic growth and prosperity.

Originally published as Glencore McArthur River Mine’s Adam Hatfield says organisations can be catalyst for change in the bush