Collaboration with community a must for Gold industry

 A new film about driving greater Indigenous leadership and involvement in Australia’s gold mining industry will premiere this week in Perth.

Hosted by the World Gold Council, Gold Industry Group and Minerals Council of Australia, Gold: The Journey Continues, sets out to demonstrate how the gold industry in WA, First Nations communities, and businesses are collaborating to deepen Indigenous participation in the sector.

The film is the third in a global series, produced by the World Gold Council, telling real stories of those who live and work in responsible gold mining operations.

“The ‘Journey Continues’ series aims to bring to life the social and community value being generated through responsible gold mining, a sector more known for its economic contribution, Terry Heymann, World Gold Council Chief Strategy Officer, said.

“Given Australia is the world’s third-largest gold producer and home to what is widely regarded as the oldest Indigenous culture, we’ve long wanted to explore the wisdom, experiences and learnings embedded in Australia’s gold mining sector.

“A sustainable gold mining industry is contingent on championing ways for Indigenous people to preserve their deep connections to land and nature while benefit as active participants. Exploring partnerships that are achieving this through courage, trust, patience and resilience to overcome what can be exciting but complex challenges has been an immensely insightful and rewarding experience. We are proud to share these learnings on a global scale.”

Central to the film is mining services company, Carey Group, which employs First Nations people at all levels and geographies, anchored by its 30-year partnership with global gold mining group, AngloGold Ashanti.

Carey Group Founder and Managing Director, Daniel Tucker AM, an Indigenous leader, has played a key role forging new pathways for Indigenous people, fusing traditional knowledge with a business mindset and skills.  Rowena Leslie, co-founder of mining services firm Kai Rho Contracting, also featured in the film, was mentored by Tucker. Similarly, Gohar Rind, owner of technology firm Yira Yarkiny Group, benefited from a Carey Group scholarship.

At the heart of these partnerships is the vision and foresight of AngloGold Ashanti, which has enabled them to begin, grow and develop beyond mining. Contractual arrangements have been augmented with business coaching and mentoring.

“Supporting local economies and communities is core to AngloGold Ashanti’s purpose and embedded in our culture across all our business process, so our approach to contracting goes beyond cost-efficiency and strong contract management.  Our purchasing and supply chain team works closely with our community team to ensure mechanisms that build trust, cultural awareness, and hands-on support are built into contracts. It is a more dynamic process that is geared around values and long-term impact, best implemented at the start of new mining projects,” Andrea Maxey, AngloGold Ashanti Vice President Investor Relations, Communication & ESG, said.

The strong price support for gold, which World Gold Council analysts expect to hold, augers well for new projects and impetus to re-think supply chains.  US$ gold is up 27% year to date and 41% over the last 12 months.

In this environment, some domestic mine sites across Western Australia and beyond are being revived as they become more economically viable and sustainable. This trend of commissioning new gold development is expected to continue as ongoing geo-economic uncertainty underpins gold price strength over the longer term.

“Aboriginal-owned business participation in mining is on a journey, one that for us started 30 years ago with a blank canvas but a strong vision to work and thrive in industries that had long left us out. Our breakthrough came in 1996 when AngloGold Ashanti (then Acacia Resources) saw more opportunity than risk in creating Australia’s first indigenous partnership with Carey Group. Fast forward to today, and our journey is inspiring First Nations people across Australia and in regions as far afield as Canada to consider similar models,” Carey Group Founder and Managing Director,  Daniel Tucker said.

“We are proud and grateful to share our story in this documentary. When looking at Aboriginal business in the larger industry scope, it’s still in its infancy. There is still so much opportunity for First Nations-owned businesses to grow, diversify and achieve major milestones into the future. For Carey, our journey towards creating lasting, meaningful opportunities for Aboriginal people in the mining and resources sector certainly continues.”

Tania Constable, Minerals Council of Australia Chief Executive Officer  Tania Constable said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities were fundamental partners in the Australian mining sector.

“This film highlights what is possible when partnerships are built on trust, shared values and mutual respect,” she said.

 “Achieving improvements in intergenerational health and wealth for Indigenous communities is a key objective of modern mining. As this documentary shows, responsible gold mining can support Indigenous businesses, promote co-design principles, and help strengthen ties across sectors.”

Watch the trailer to the film: https://thegoldenthread.gold.org/season-three/trailer