Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/131994
miningreview Fast Fact At the end of 2011, Hancock Prospecting secured the largest joint venture – without government or investment bank assistance – between Australia and GVK of India, which is hungry for Australia's high-quality coal. 64 What Ms Rinehart herself makes of the past 18 months of her life is open to speculation. OUTthere did email Hancock Prospecting, as directed, in a bid to speak with the mining magnate, and received a prompt and polite email back from Hancock Prospecting's information manager, Mark Bickerton, who stated: "I'm afraid Ms Rinehart is unavailable for interview." Bickerton did, however, direct OUTthere to the Australians for Northern Development and Economic Vision (ANDEV) website. Ms Rinehart is the chair of ANDEV, which supports the transformation of the NT into a low-tax, lowregulation special economic zone focusing on mining, among other industries such as tourism, food and exports. In his response to OUTthere, Bickerton also attached a two-page biography on Ms Rinehart, which includes a raft of honours and awards "recognising her significant endeavours, risk-taking and investment in Australia". The most recent of these include: • 2013 Free Enterprise Leader Award – in recognition of Mrs Rinehart's vision for Australia and her commitment to Australia's future • 2012 Trailblazer of Australia – for promoting Australia internationally • 2012 McMillan Woods Global Awards 'Visionary CEO of the Year' • 2012 Diggers and Dealers 'Deal of the year' Award for the Roy Hill Project. OUTthere also sought comment from industry sources, including the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA), and was informed by public affairs director Ben Mitchell that "Ms Rinehart is not a member of the MCA and therefore we are unable to comment." The CFMEU, which represents mine workers – Hancock Prospecting has mining tenements in WA and Queensland – was also unavailable for comment. So, conjecture aside, what we do know about Ms Rinehart is purely fact. She was born in February 1954 in WA and her childhood was divided between living in the Pilbara with her parents, Lang and Hope Margaret Hancock, on large sheep and cattle properties in the remote, rugged iron ore region, and at an Anglican girls' boarding school in Perth. Perhaps the biggest clue to Ms Rinehart's mindset resides in her middle name, Hope, as there's little doubt that to be successful in the Australian mining industry, optimism is a handy trait indeed.