Western Australia’s biggest names in mining and energy are throwing open the doors to their technology playbook this week, hoping to spark curiosity — and maybe a few career dreams — in thousands of young visitors.
From autonomous mining trucks to hybrid cranes and virtual reality mine sites, the Resources Technology Showcase 2025 is set to turn the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre into something between a science fair and a glimpse into the state’s economic engine room.
A Stage for the Industry’s Brightest Innovations
The three-day showcase kicks off Sunday, bringing together the state’s largest miners, energy producers, and the service companies that keep them running. It’s a biennial event, but each time, the tech seems a little sharper, the ideas a little bolder.
WA Premier Roger Cook says the reason is simple: this is the sector that’s kept WA’s economy not just afloat, but leading the country. “Making sure we can continue to showcase the great innovation, the science that goes into that industry is so important,” he told reporters, adding that inspiring young minds was central to the event’s mission.
BHP’s WA iron ore asset president Tim Day puts it in plainer terms: “It’s not just about rocks and trucks… it’s how you use the technology to really optimise our operations.”
Some of that tech will be on display in interactive form, letting students step into roles from drone operator to mine-site engineer. For many, it’ll be the first time they’ve touched — or even seen — the machinery behind WA’s mineral exports.
The Schoolkids Who Get a Front-Row Seat
School groups will be a major presence across the event’s halls, encouraged to try everything from coding simulations to VR mine tours.
For Rockingham Senior High School students Tallica Trusselot, Charlotte Taylor and Eve Chapman, the warm-up was a sneak peek at a hybrid crane — a machine blending heavy-lift capabilities with reduced emissions technology. “It’s actually kind of cool to think about how something that huge could be made cleaner,” Charlotte said.
And there’s more than cranes. Students will:
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Explore core samples and mineral specimens unique to WA’s geology.
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Test safety gear used by mine-site crews.
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Compete in STEM challenges designed by engineers and industry mentors.
The mix of hands-on activities and real-world tech is meant to do more than entertain. Rio Tinto’s Pilbara Mines managing director Matthew Holcz says it’s about connecting the dots between science learned in classrooms and the jobs shaping WA’s economic future.
The Big Names and Their Big Messages
Some of the sector’s top executives have made RTS a regular fixture. Past years have seen appearances from Rio Tinto iron ore chief Simon Trott, BHP Americas president Brandon Craig, and Hancock Prospecting’s Gerhard Veldsman.
This year, WesTrac CEO Jarvas Croome summed up what many in the industry see as the event’s deeper purpose: showing young people that mining and energy jobs can be creative, tech-focused, and surprisingly diverse. “The fantastic jobs that maybe our children might want to aspire to do in the future — they’re here,” Croome said.
BHP and Rio Tinto are both leaning into the “safer, smarter, more sustainable” pitch, showing off automation, emissions reduction, and workplace safety tools. For companies often criticised for their environmental footprints, this is also a chance to demonstrate change in real time.
What’s Actually on Display
Not every exhibit is built to impress with sheer size — though a few towering dump trucks will do exactly that. Many are aimed at letting kids and visitors see the science inside the machines.
| Feature Exhibit | What It Shows | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Crane Prototype | Heavy lifting with reduced emissions | Cleaner equipment for large-scale operations |
| VR Mine Site Tour | Simulated underground and open-pit experiences | Safety training without on-site risks |
| Autonomous Haul Trucks | Driverless ore transport in mining regions | Increased efficiency and worker safety |
| Drone Survey Demos | Real-time mapping and inspection tools | Faster, safer site assessments |
| STEM Challenge Arena | Competitive problem-solving activities for students | Encourages teamwork and applied learning |
Student Euan Anderson, 10, got a look at some of the gear ahead of opening day. “It’s really amazing,” he said simply, eyes wide at the scale of the equipment.
Why This Matters for WA’s Economy
For Premier Cook, the showcase isn’t just an industry expo — it’s a recruitment drive for the state’s economic backbone. WA’s mining sector is responsible for billions in export revenue and tens of thousands of jobs, directly and indirectly.
Yet the industry knows it faces a challenge: attracting skilled, tech-savvy young people in an era where mining is often seen as outdated or environmentally damaging. RTS offers a chance to reframe that narrative.
By putting the latest robotics, AI-driven monitoring systems, and renewable-energy-powered machinery in front of students, the hope is that some will picture themselves in those roles. “We employ some of the brightest minds in innovation,” Rio Tinto’s Holcz says, “and we need the next wave ready to join them.”
One senior industry source at the event admitted that part of the motivation is survival. “If we can’t get enough engineers, software developers, and operators in the next decade, our projects stall. It’s that straightforward,” they said.
Not Just Mining’s Old Story
The RTS also makes a point to show that resources tech isn’t a one-trick pony. Yes, iron ore and gold dominate headlines, but the event will spotlight lithium extraction for EV batteries, hydrogen production tech, and water recycling systems for remote sites.
These, organisers say, are the areas where the skills gap is widest — and the opportunities for innovation greatest. For younger visitors, that variety could be what sticks. As one exhibitor put it: “A kid might walk in here thinking mining is all hard hats and shovels. If they leave thinking about building software for a drone fleet, we’ve done our job.”
The Resources Technology Showcase runs through Tuesday, with crowds expected to swell across the final two days as school excursions arrive in force. Whether it’s the sheer scale of the machines or the science behind them, organisers are betting something will catch the imagination.
