Name selected for CSIRO's minerals/petroleum research centre at Bentley

15/12/99
The choice of Australian Resources Research Centre as the name for the CSIRO's new minerals and petroleum research centre at Technology Park in Bentley is doubly appropriate, according to Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan
"This new facility will be the focus of research activities covering all of Australia's massive resources sector," Mr Cowan said.
"Also, its location in Western Australia places it at the centre of minerals and petroleum action in Australia."
Mr Cowan said the WA Government would contribute almost $27 million towards construction costs for the state-of-the-art, $35 million centre.
"Eventually the centre will employ at least 220 CSIRO staff including scientific positions transferred from the eastern states. It will also house research activities conducted by WA universities," he said.
"However, the return to WA will be much greater than the salaries earned by these activities.
"For a start, successful research could attract new investment by improving exploration techniques, or by cutting production costs and making previously uneconomic deposits profitable.
"In addition, the centre's activities will generate new, high value knowledge, processes and products and foster the development of new research and development based businesses."
Mr Cowan said the Government would spend a further $8 million to meet equipment and relocation costs, including a minimum $1 million contribution to a facility for high performance computing and visualisation.
CSIRO research had already been taken up successfully by WA companies and that CSIRO would refund one third of the State's investment in the centre, over the next 25 years.
The WA Government's involvement in the centre is co-ordinated by the Department of Commerce and Trade.
Media contact: Peter Jackson 9222 9595