McArthur River Mine’s $500m contribution to NT economy revealed
One of the Territory’s biggest miners has calculated its contribution to the economy.
Northern Territory
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MINING giant Glencore has valued the McArthur River Mine’s 2021 contribution to the Northern Territory economy at just under half-a-billion dollars.
Located 700km south east of Darwin and 65km from Borroloola, MRM was launched in 1995 by former Prime Minister Paul Keating.
Zinc, lead and silver concentrates are mined on site before being exported internationally to customers from Bing Bong port in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
The mine is one of the Territory’s most consistent economic contributors providing work for 1060 people and supporting a range of suppliers Territory wide.
Compiled by Ernst & Young, Glencore’s annual economic contribution report shows MRM contributed $477m to the Territory economy in 2021, created 3000 flow-on jobs and nationally generated $980m in total economic activity.
Importantly for local businesses, $366m was spent by the mine last year on goods and services.
In the Roper Gulf Regional Council, the company spends $10.9m on annual goods and services with 20 suppliers, creating 40 flow-on jobs and generating $360m in total economic activity.
It shows the mine produced 279,635 tonnes of zinc concentrates, 55,218 tonnes of lead concentrates and 1,803,274 ounces of silver concentrates.
About 25 per cent of MRM’s employees are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, with most coming from local communities including Borroloola and Robinson River.
Through the McArthur River Mine Community Benefits Trust, MRM contributes $1.3m every year which has invested more than $20m into more than 130 programs in areas that include health, education and cultural heritage.
MRM acting general manager Adam Hatfield said the company is proud of its economic and community contribution to the Territory.
“We’re a proud Territory organisation and McArthur River Mine remains committed to providing increased opportunity for Territorians while helping build the long-term social and economic prosperity of local Indigenous communities across the Gulf region,” Mr Hatfield said.
“We’re proud of the significant contribution we make to the Territory, and we look forward to increasing from 25 per cent our Indigenous employment target and working closely with Traditional Owners for an Indigenous Land Use Agreement.”
Glencore zinc’s chief operating officer Matt O’Neill said MRM’s mining operations has underpinned the company’s contribution to the Territory.
“We are committed to the welfare of the communities and families in the Roper Gulf and we continue to provide funding for community initiatives that will make a difference to people’s livelihoods,” he said.
“Last year we supported more than 1000 direct jobs on site and engaged another 1000 suppliers to the mine and we continue to offer many employment opportunities and traineeships.”
Glencore wants to be a net zero emitter by 2050 and last year increased medium term emission reduction targets to 50 per cent by 2035 and a short-term reduction target of 15 per cent by 2026.
By volume, Gove Bauxite is the Territory’s largest mine with Gemco the largest by value. MRM and Granites are in third place.
Originally published as McArthur River Mine’s $500m contribution to NT economy revealed
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