ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
As the Diggers & Dealers Mining Forum kicks off this weekend, mining analysts are abuzz with a surprising revelation. Australian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics have outperformed the Kalgoorlie Super Pit in gold production this year.
Australia’s Olympians have secured an impressive 12 gold medals, spanning events from swimming to cycling. The gold rush began with Grace Brown’s triumph in the women’s individual time trial and continued with victories by Ariarne Titmus and the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team. Jess Fox added to the tally with a gold in the women’s kayak single, while Mollie O’Callaghan triumphed in the women’s 200m freestyle.
Further success came from Kaylee McKeown winning the women’s 100m backstroke, another gold for Jess Fox in the women’s canoe single, and the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay team’s victory. Cameron McEvoy and Saya Sakakibara then secured wins in the men’s 50m freestyle and women’s BMX race, respectively. The men’s doubles tennis gold was clinched by Matthew Ebden and John Peers, capping off an extraordinary week for Australia’s athletes.
In contrast, the Kalgoorlie Super Pit, despite its significant output and advanced technology, couldn’t match the gold rush achieved by the Australian Olympians. One mining analyst at the forum humorously remarked, “At this rate, we might need to start training our miners to swim and cycle if we want to keep up. The Super Pit only produced a fraction of what these athletes have.”
The timing of this revelation during the Diggers & Dealers Mining Forum has added an ironic twist to the event, known for discussing production metrics, market trends, and technological advancements. Now, the forum has an unexpected talking point.
Mining community members at the forum didn’t hold back.
“Maybe we should get our geologists to start swimming laps instead of studying rock samples,” said one attendee.
Even the event’s keynote speaker joined in the fun, suggesting that the mining industry might benefit from looking elsewhere for new reserves of gold.
“It’s probably the easiest way to get a meeting with Gina Rinehart. No seriously, we all love Gina here in WA. Nobody wants to end up in the bottom of the pit tonight, do they?” he said, eliciting laughter from the crowd.
As the forum progresses, participants can reflect on the dedication and hard work of Australia’s Olympians, who have turned Paris into their own personal gold mine, leaving even the world’s largest open-pit gold mine in awe.
More to come.
