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Job opportunities for young people at a South Australian copper and gold mine set to start production in two years have been guaranteed in an agreement between the operator and the state government.
Key points:
- Fifteen students per year will be offered job pathways at the Yorke Peninsula mine
- The Hillside project is expected to create hundreds of jobs
- Rex Minerals says the program will teach students transferable skills
The Hillside iron oxide copper gold deposit, south of Ardrossan on the Yorke Peninsula's east coast, will be mined by Rex Minerals from the end of 2025.
Rex Minerals chief operating officer Jason Schell said students from local schools would have access to jobs when operations commenced.
"When the mine is operational we'll have 350 roles in place and we're looking at partnering with 15 students per year leading up to our construction commissioning," Mr Schell said.
"We have electricians, we have other pathways for plant operators, heavy machinery operators, and also setting up tertiary degrees and pathways for other disciplines and engineering degrees."
Education Minister Blair Boyer said the agreement would strengthen the community's relationship with the mine, especially for Ardrossan Area School and others in Wallaroo and Moonta.
"It's making sure the schools have the connections directly with the people operating the mine here," he said.
'I love it here'
Ardrossan Area School year 11 student Jake Clifford said that he wanted to further his technical education in geology and mineralogy.
"It's what I always wanted to do — my dad got me into it and it's super exciting," he said.
"I wouldn't say I'd like to stay in the city, as such — I love it here."
Jake said he was keen to encourage others to undertake the pathways program and stay in the region.
"There needs to be more people in this area doing these sorts of things," he said.
"If I can get them to do it then that'd be great."
Mr Schell said updates would be provided at a community meeting in Ardrossan on June 8, including details about business registrations, employment opportunities and road projects.
Five-hundred jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase.
Hundreds will be created when the mine is operating, which it is projected to do for 30 years.
Rex Minerals said that its model for student pathways would be transferable to other projects.
It holds an exploration licence covering 2,200 square kilometres across the Yorke Peninsula.