The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME) has today launched a new advertising campaign - WA resources make it possible - highlighting the central role of mining and energy extraction to everyday life.
CME Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Tomkinson said while the economic contribution of WA's world-leading resources sector was relatively well understood, there was less appreciation for the huge array of uses for the minerals and gas produced within WA.
A Painted Dog Research survey commissioned by the CME found half of the respondents could not name three minerals in their mobile phone, while 95 per cent were unable to nominate three minerals used in the production of solar panels.
The research also found just under 50 per cent of West Australians could not name three resources that are extracted in WA.
"More than 50 different minerals are mined in WA and each one has an important but sometimes hidden purpose in our lives," Ms Tomkinson said.
"There would be no selfies without the iron, lithium, cobalt, copper, gold and literally dozens of other minerals that go into a mobile phone.
"Natural gas remains the dominant source of heat in both commercial and residential kitchens - helping to cook everything from burgers to pho.
"And without lesser-known vital minerals like lanthanides, scandium and yttrium, medical professionals wouldn't be able to operate the CT scanners that help diagnose disease and save lives."
The campaign features a West Australian woman going about her morning - ordering breakfast, paying with her mobile phone, jumping into her electric vehicle - before arriving at her job as a radiographer.
The minerals that make each step of her journey possible - including her life-saving profession - are highlighted along the way.
Other campaign collateral features a chef cooking with gas and a university student highlighting the materials used in the construction of the new inner-city campus.
Ms Tomkinson said the campaign was developed to boost awareness about the enduring importance of mining to modern society.
"West Australians should be proud of the connection between our resources sector and the quality of life enjoyed not just here in WA but all over the globe," she said.
"Especially because those resources are only becoming more important as we transition to a low-emission future.
"Wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles - every single technology on the path to net zero needs minerals produced right here in WA."
View the campaign videos here.
