The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) is pushing for the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in environmental approvals, unveiling a proposed $13 million pilot program aimed at streamlining regulatory decision-making and unlocking up to $1 billion in long-term economic benefits.
The MCA has called on the Federal Government to fund a three-year initiative that would embed AI tools into assessment processes under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
Launched during Minerals Week 2026 in Canberra, the proposal is positioned as a response to mounting delays in approvals, which the MCA says are constraining investment, job creation and broader economic growth.
MCA chief executive officer Tania Constable said bottlenecks in the EPBC system are worsening, with multiple mining projects, more than 5000km of transmission lines and around 26,000 homes currently tied up in the approvals backlog.
Average decision times for resources projects have increased by 60 per cent, from 2.3 years in 2019 to 3.8 years in 2025, adding uncertainty for developers and eroding investor confidence.
“In mining alone, a 12-month delay across the new project pipeline is estimated to cost the Australian economy $51 billion in cumulative GDP,” Constable said.
“We know that EPBC delays and uncertainty can result in millions of dollars in lost project value, duplication of costs, and missed investment opportunities which negatively affects communities and the Australian economy as well as project proponents.”
The proposed pilot would trial AI-supported decision-making to improve the transparency, consistency and efficiency of environmental assessments, while maintaining human oversight.
According to the MCA, the technology could address key inefficiencies in the current system, including manual document reviews, inconsistent application of conditions and repeated requests for additional information.
The program would incorporate a suite of AI-enabled tools, such as an interactive submissions coach for proponents, pre-submission quality checks, geospatial data integration and risk comparison capabilities.
These tools are designed to reduce application errors, eliminate duplication and support faster, better-informed regulatory decisions, allowing government agencies to focus on more complex and high-risk approvals.
The first solution under the pilot is expected to be developed within 12 to 20 weeks, with the full suite of four solutions delivered over six to 12 months. Ongoing investment would support continuous system improvement.
Amazon Web Services has committed to partnering with the MCA on the pilot, subject to Federal Government approval.
Constable said the initiative presents a “generational opportunity” to modernise Australia’s environmental regulation framework while supporting the growth of critical minerals and renewable energy projects.
“Embedding AI in approvals can position Australia as a global leader in sustainable development and responsible innovation,” she said.
“This approach would help government deliver modern, efficient environmental regulation while meeting environmental objectives.
“The window for action is short, and decisive investment will determine whether these reforms deliver the structural, efficiency and transparency gains Australia urgently requires,” Constable said.
Read more: MCA chief Tania Constable on mining’s evolving female leadership
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