Western Australia is the most attractive jurisdiction in the world for mining investment followed by Saskatchewan (second) and Nevada (third), according to the Annual Survey of Mining Companiesreleased today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian policy think-tank.
The Fraser Institute’s mining survey is the most comprehensive report on government policies that either attract or discourage mining investors, and Western Australia ranks highest of anywhere in the world,” said Elmira Aliakbari, director of the Fraser Institute’s Centre for Natural Resource Studies and co-author of the report.
This year’s report ranks 84 jurisdictions around the world based on their geologic attractiveness (minerals and metals) and government policies that encourage or deter exploration and investment.
Rounding out the top 10 jurisdictions are Alaska (4th), Arizona (5th), Quebec (6th), Idaho (7th), Morocco (8th), Yukon (9th), and South Australia (10th).
This year’s least-attractive jurisdictions include Zimbabwe and four jurisdictions in Latin America (including Argentina and the Caribbean).
“A sound regulatory regime coupled with competitive taxes make a jurisdiction attractive to investors,” said Jairo Yunis, Fraser Institute policy analyst and report co- author.