19. Mining and Infrastructure

This chapter argues that the provision of reliable, accessible and affordable infrastructure is one of the main challenges facing mining projects in the Asia-Pacific Region. Infrastructure is one of the most important features of a mining project, as it is the means for transporting minerals and metals to market, and for maintaining access to a mine by staff. However, the high cost of infrastructure and its associated economic, social and political risks means it can strongly influence the feasibility of a mining project. Infrastructure provision is an even bigger problem for junior mining companies, who may not have the budget or experience to implement the infrastructure they need to progress a mining project. The chapter begins by explaining infrastructure and the growth of infrastructure investment in the Asia-Pacific Region in recent years. The chapter looks at the risks associated with infrastructure investment, along with the ways in which governments seek to attract this type of investment. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the present and future challenges of infrastructure investment in the mining industry of the Asia-Pacific Region.