Mining in Australia is big business, and this past year has seen a range of projects kicking off, supported by new technologies and an ever expanding workforce. In this yearbook issue of MINE Australia, we look back on some of the biggest stories of 2018, including how junior miners are making moves in the country, targeting the future demand for ‘clean energy’ minerals.

We speak to AMMA on the future of mining jobs in Australia, and ask whether Australians still want to be miners, as firms struggle to fill positions despite offering attractive salaries. In commodities, we consider how the country is making the most of the increased demand for batteries, and find out how Western Australia could capitalise on the anticipated $2tn global lithium value chain by developing a local downstream sector.

Also in this yearbook issue, we round up the top 10 projects leading the way in sustainable mining in the country, ask how companies can minimise the damage done by the industry to wildlife and their habitats, and find out how drones are changing the art of mineral surveying in Australia.

Join the conversation on Twitter: @MINE_Magazine.

Katie Woodward, editor