Guy Barnett,Minister for Resources A strong partnership between the Australian and Tasmanian Governments is delivering funds to improve mining operations, exploration, mineral discovery and land use planning. Tasmanian mining and minerals processing supports more than 5,600 jobs and contributes more than $2 billion a year into the state’s economy through exports alone. The Tasmanian Geoscience Initiative of $2 million over four years is supported by up to $3 million through the federal Exploring for the Future program led by Geoscience Australia. It will allow new geological and geophysical data to be collected and interpreted and existing data to be re-examined to help de-risk investment decisions and improve sustainable land-use planning throughout the state.