6 November 2026

South Australia’s leading energy and mining innovators, organisations and emerging talents have been recognised at the 2026 Premier’s Awards in Energy and Mining.

Celebrating their 15th edition this year, the annual awards attracted a record 75 nominations across 10 categories, up from 60 nominations in 2025.

The awards recognise innovation and leading practice across South Australia’s energy and resources sectors, from improving safety and productivity to environmental performance, community collaboration and creating opportunities with Traditional Owners.

This year’s finalists showcased the breadth of innovation underway across the sectors, including the use of artificial intelligence to improve productivity and safety, engineering solutions to reduce workplace hazards, environmental rehabilitation and emissions reduction, circular economy initiatives and new approaches to working with communities.

The awards also recognise the people helping shape the future of the sectors through the Young Achiever and Young Indigenous Achiever categories.

Every entrant contributes to lifting the bar across the industry, with this year’s record field reflecting sectors that continue to evolve and find better, safer and more sustainable ways of operating.

The Premier’s Awards in Energy and Mining are delivered by the Department of Energy and Mining, with award partners SafeWork SA and the Department for Environment and Water.

2026 Premier’s Awards in Energy and Mining - winners and finalists

Community and Collaboration – Energy

  • Santos Indigenous Advisory Panel | Santos - WINNER
  • Point Pearce Community Solar and Battery Project | AGL Energy
  • ShineHub and Mitcham Council Community Energy Program | ShineHub

Community and Collaboration – Resources

  • A Pathway to Prosperity: Traditional Owners leading mining on their own lands | BHP - WINNER
  • Roxby Downs Community Hub Men's Health Week Initiative | Roxby Downs Community Hub
  • A tri-partite Community Meal Support Program in Kimba | Alliance Resources

Environment – Energy

  • Delorean SA1 Salisbury - Australia's first mains-grade biomethane and biogenic CO2 project | Delorean Corporation - WINNER
  • From off-cut to resource: closing the loop on PE pipe and fittings recycling | Australian Gas Infrastructure Group

Environment – Resources

  • Progressive rehabilitation at Jacinth-Ambrosia | Iluka Resources - WINNER
  • Kanmantoo Grassy Woodland Restoration Project and Habitat Corridor Initiative | Kantra Copper
  • Renascor Resources Hydrofluoric Acid-Free Graphite Purification Project | Renascor Resources

Health, Safety, Inclusion and Wellbeing – Energy

  • Eliminating line-of-fire hazards through design | Santos - WINNER
  • First Nations Economic Participation Strategy | Kimberley Wanganeen Consultancy

Health, Safety, Inclusion and Wellbeing – Resources

  • Changing the chemistry of safety: eliminating xanthate without compromising performance | BHP - WINNER
  • Drop Board Regulator | BHP
  • Live Work Elimination | BHP

Productivity Improvement – Energy

  • Autonomous production optimisation in the Cooper Basin | Santos - WINNER
  • Orbost Gas Processing Plant: transformational productivity through targeted improvements | Amplitude Energy
  • Unlocking rooftop solar for embedded-network communities | Venergy Solar

Productivity Improvement – Resources

  • Kanmantoo Grade Control: combining AI with traditional geological practices | Kantra Copper - WINNER
  • Retiring the weighbridge: trusted real-time payload data delivering an 8% productivity gain | MaxMine
  • Prominent Hill Traffic Control | BHP

Young Achiever

  • Emily Palmer | BHP - WINNER
  • Aboud Babaa | Santos - WINNER
  • Reece Townsend | Santos

Young Indigenous Achiever

  • Jumeka Saunders | Nipapanha Community Aboriginal Corporation - WINNER
  • Joel Hill | BHP
  • Dana Wright | Iluka Resources

Find out more about the winners and finalists programs/projects