Downturn puts mining summit on hold

The global economic downturn has forced a delay in a major conference showcasing Australia's mining industry.

Austmine, the Australian Mining Equipment and Services Export Association, said on Wednesday a dramatic fall in worldwide mining expenditure had prompted it to delay its third international conference and exhibition scheduled for Adelaide next month.

The group said the March 30-31 event, expected to attract several hundred delegates, would now be staged later this year or early in 2010.

Austmine chairman Alan Broome said the Adelaide conference remained fully booked.

"Our members are committed to the event and the board of Austmine remains committed to holding the conference and expo in Adelaide," he said.

"However, at this time the rapid changes in the global mining industry have made things too fluid.

"The schedule of key international speakers is unsettled and travel by big foreign mining organisations has been cancelled."

Mr Broome said Austmine did not want to diminish the prestige and importance of the conference when it could be rescheduled to be better aligned with global mining conditions and a general economic recovery.

"The recovery will coincide with the emergence of the technology age of mining," he said.

"Australia is recognised as being at the forefront of this new technologically driven phase of development and growth, and Austmine remains confident of retaining the interest and support of leading international mining groups.

"This is a strategic repositioning of an event we've worked very hard to build and comes after a decision taken by a board of very experienced people from a number of the top companies in Australia."

Previous Austmine conferences were staged in Queensland and Western Australia.