Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

As I was saying briefly in my answer to the first question, these types of minerals are basically in everything. In every smartphone there are around 25 different minerals and metals. It is more metallurgically complex than a coal-fired power station, for example, which has 10 or 11 different minerals and metals in it. Solar panels have about 16 different minerals and metals in them, and wind turbines have enormous quantities of rare earths. So, you cannot build these things without the development of these minerals. While we take for granted the ease of access to and convenience of these modern technologies, they all get their start with people who like to wear bright colours who are outdoors digging up stuff out of the ground so that we can enjoy the modern life that we have.