Australia-Japan — a close relationship

A one-day symposium on global energy problems as they affect Australia and Japan was held in Sydney, 29 October 1979. The sponsors were the Australian Coal Association, the Australian Mining Industry Council, the Uranium Information Centre, the Japanese Embassy, the International Visual Information Centre (Tokyo), and the Japan Trade Centre. More than 300 participants included representatives of the mining industry, universities, financial institutions, and state and federal government offices and organizations from both Australia and Japan. The specific purpose of the symposium was to explore the potential of Japan as a major importer of Australian steaming coal, uranium, liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid petroleum gas (LPG), and to assess the degree to which Australia could provide the projected Japanese demand for these energy fuels. Australia- Japan Energy Symposium, Sydney, Australia, 29 October 1979.     

Editor's foreword

The papers in this issue of Resources Policy are devoted to the minerals industry of Canada, prepared by specialists in that country. The papers have all been edited by Professor G.J.S. Govett (of the Department of Geology, University of New Brunswick at Fredericton, New Brunswick), and M.H. Govett (minerals economist).     

The new economic order and world mineral production and trade

World mineral production is dominated by the developed countries — the developing countries dominate production of only tin, cobalt, bauxite, and petroleum. This production pattern is largely the result of historical, political, and economic factors, and is not likely to change radically in the next decade. Apart from petroleum, there seems to be little opportunity for the formation of mineral-producer cartels, although there is considerable scope for constructive producer-consumer agreements. Given the pattern of world mineral production and trade, the developed countries would on the whole benefit more than the developing countries from price increases. The most acute present need is for new means of financing exploration and development of mineral deposits in the developing countries, and for means of redressing the worst imbalances between rich and poor nations outside of the commodity arena.