9 July 2026
South Australia is positioned to be home to one of the world’s greatest copper provinces and the South Australian government is helping ensure the state is best-positioned to seize on our mining opportunity with a new $12 million co-investment initiative launching today.
South Australia’s sector-leading Plan for Accelerating Exploration (PACE) has been reborn as PACE Minerals, with $12 million budgeted over four years to match private investment in exploration – fast-tracking the discoveries today that will become the mines of tomorrow.
The original PACE program is widely recognised as a cornerstone of South Australia’s modern exploration success.
It was instrumental in discovering the Carrapateena copper-gold deposit in the Gawler Craton in 2005 – now the state’s second-largest copper mine producing 226,100 tonnes of copper concentrate and supporting around 1,800 jobs in the last year.
The renewed program will build on this legacy, working alongside the Geological Survey of South Australia to unlock new mineral discoveries and support the state’s next chapter of exploration. PACE Minerals will co-fund activities including drilling, geophysics, research partnerships, data science and groundwater testing.
Grants will be allocated annually through a competitive proposals process.
PACE Minerals will support exploration in underexplored and prospective regions, helping industry overcome challenges such as remoteness and the depth of mineral deposits. The program strengthens South Australia’s status as one of the world’s leading destinations for mineral exploration, globally recognised by this year’s survey by the Fraser Institute.
Complementary initiatives meanwhile, including large-scale geoscience programs such as the Eyre Peninsula aeromagnetic survey, will continue to expand understanding of South Australia’s resource potential and support future discoveries.
Applications for the 2026–27 PACE Minerals funding round are open now, with further information available from www.energymining.sa.gov.au/pace.
