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Mining only accounts for 0.1% of NSW land: minerals council ad blitz

The NSW Minerals Council has launched a new advertising campaign which aims to improve community understanding around the mining industry.

The free-to-air television campaign will be followed by full page advertisements in the Sunday Telegraph and other print media, along with Sydney-wide radio advertising.

The ads deal with ‘land use facts’ around the mining industry.

“From the amount of attention given to mining recently you could be forgiven for thinking that mines are engulfing NSW. However, the reality is that mining only accounts for 0.1% of NSW land,” the ad states.

Water used by mining activities is also highlighted, with the ad stating it only accounts for 1.4% of the total NSW water and supply use.

NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said the advertising blitz aimed to debunk myths about the mining industry in the state.

“We've taken the step to run ‘land use facts’ on free-to-air metropolitan television to improve public understanding about mining and also in response to the misleading claims being made by activists and extremists using fear rather than facts to further their anti-mining agenda," he said.

Galilee said the economic benefits of mining in NSW needed to be protected.

“Modern mining delivers around 25% of NSW exports by value, around 85% of the State’s electricity needs and directly employs 80,000 people across the State in mining and minerals processing.

“And NSW mining companies spent over $9.3 billion with local businesses across the State and on wages in 2012-2013.”

The new ads by the minerals group comes after campaigns were launched by anti mining groups calling for immediate law reforms for the mining industry.

Anti mining group Lock the Gate said that it would release a map showing mining exploration covered 60 per cent of Australia including 11 of the continents 16 iconic landscapes.

The “Call to Country” campaign is calling for an urgent moratorium on coal-seam gas mining and wants to create no-go zones to protect agricultural land, national tourism spots and residential dwellings.

"Our new mapping, released today, reveals that an estimated 437 million hectares of our land is covered by coal and gas licences or applications – that is more than half of Australia and an area 18 times the size of Great Britain,"  the group said.

"We have accepted coalmining in the past, we have recognised its risks but welcomed its contribution.

"But it's gone too far."

“Today we have seen yet another attempt by anti-mining activists and the extreme Greens to attack mining using the usual exaggerated claims and misinformation,” Galilee said at the time.

 To view the ads visit: www.landusefacts.com.au

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