An ambitious plan to position the state of Utah at the fulcrum of the world’s resource needs has seen the largest-ever delegation from the United States at this year’s International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Sydney.

Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox, who has famously called for Americans to “disagree better”, is leading a team of policy makers, researchers, explorers, operators, innovators and investors from a state not only rich in natural resources, but also in innovation and tech.

Governor Cox will address IMARC at 9.40 am in the Plenary Theatre TODAY (Wednesday 22 October) and feature on a Critical Minerals “Meet the Governor” Utah Investment Event at 1.30 pm.

Ahead of the visit to Australia and New Zealand, Governor Cox said the ever-shrinking global economy and the common challenges requiring global solutions means “we are virtual neighbours”.

He said Australia has not traditionally been an active trading partner with Utah, but as global partnerships align around the need to develop sustainable and secure critical minerals in particular, Australia and the US are well-placed to solve their respective national security interests together.

“Utah’s economic and national security ambitions are closely tied to strong trade partnerships with allies such as Australia,” Governor Cox said.

“Opportunity knows no distance and our mission to Australia is about creating these partnerships, which will help strengthen our defence and technology sectors, expand access to critical minerals open new markets for Utah businesses, and forge truly global alliances,” he said.

World Trade Center Utah President & CEO Jonathan Freedman, who is one of the industry leaders accompanying Governor Cox, said ahead of delegation’s arrival in Australia that Utah’s defence companies are natural partners in the global challenges shared between the United States and Australia. 

Beyond developing these strategic partnerships, Utah’s IMARC delegation is also providing opportunities to showcase the technological innovations coming from the state’s universities, while many of Utah’s critical minerals and mining leaders are also using the event to connect with their global counterparts.

“Our companies bring a lot to the table there, and IMARC will provide opportunities to collaborate and for Utah companies to grow — not just in the size and scale of our innovation, but also to solve strategic and national security problems and geopolitical issues on both sides of the Pacific.”

Governor Cox is Utah’s 18th governor with a long track record of public service, serving as a city council member, mayor, county commissioner and state legislator before being appointed as Utah’s lieutenant governor in 2013. He was sworn in as governor on January 4, 2021.

He served as the 2023-2024 chairman of the National Governors Association where he rose to prominence as a result of his call for respect in politics in government, which was a key part of his NGA Chair’s Initiative, “Disagree Better: Healthy Conflict for Better Policy.” Disagree Better was borne out of frustration and fatigue with the prevailing political climate, and aims to reshape political behaviour “by championing healthy conflict as a vital pathway to better policy, increased trust in leaders, and reduced polarization.”