Dean Tuck is a Texan who arrived in Perth in 2007 with no friends, little money and two weeks’ accommodation. The Texan’s money quickly ran out, leaving him homeless. Fortunately, a barmaid at a pub he had adopted took sympathy on him. She let him sleep on her porch in a sleeping bag. He scraped together money cleaning toilets and the kitchen at the pub.

Tuck’s path from semi-homeless student to mining CEO is an example of why Australia’s resources industries are among the world’s most competitive. From penny stock hopefuls to BHP, Australian mining and gas companies excel at finding smart, hard-working people, from any place and any background, and training, trusting and leading them.