Hegarty threw the invitation to the crowd assembled at the Burswood Convention Centre in Perth as he opened the second annual Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) National Congress when he delivered the Sir Arvi Parbo Oration.

After paying homage to Parbo and his contribution to the industry, Hegarty turned his attentions to the old chestnut that is China, describing the rise of the superpower as “an unparalleled opportunity for (the Australian mining) industry … to participate much more”

“China needs resources from us, but also from within,” he said.

“It needs our technology, our technical assistance, our know-how and our capital across the board, from exploration through to project development.

“China remains un[explored] and under-explored and the best expertise in the world is right here.”

Hegarty was more bullish than ox-like as he pontificated on the future of the three commodities that have made Oxiana one of the highest returning stocks on the ASX over the past five years – gold, copper and zinc.

He said the demand fundamentals of all three metals painted a rosy future for producers, with costs rising and falling grades making it more difficult for new entrants to increase supply.

Hegarty said getting the right people was the key to Oxiana’s success. The right people are those who conform to the company’s four key values of respect, action, performance and openness, he said.

“There are two types of people in the world – those who do the work and those who take the credit for it,” Heggarty said.

“You’re better off being in the first category, because there are less of them.”