The Minerals Council of Australia thanks Dr James Johnson for his service and leadership as Chief Executive Officer of Geoscience Australia and congratulate him on his remarkable career as a geologist in mining and mineral exploration.
Dr Johnson has been CEO of Geoscience Australia since April 2017, having first joined the organisation in 2006.
In his tenure as CEO, Geoscience Australia has gone from strength-to-strength with Dr Johnson playing a key role, especially in the rollout of the $225 million Exploring for the Future program.
Under Dr Johnson's leadership, mineral exploration expenditure in Australia reached a record high of $4.2 billion in 2023.
Exploration is an essential part of the minerals industry. It takes 16 years for a mine to move from exploration to production and Geoscience Australia's Exploring for the Future program has assisted in revealing Australia's minerals, energy and groundwater resource potential.
Better exploration data, particularly in remote and underexplored areas, informs investment decisions and helps create the business conditions needed to attract investment, boost productivity and future proof the economy.
The MCA extends its best wishes to Dr James Johnson and his family as they embark on the next chapter.
The MCA looks forward to our continued engagement with Geoscience Australia and working with the incoming CEO to unlock new opportunities for minerals development.
