The new Hancock Prospecting-sponsored award will be given in honour of Rinehart’s late father, Lang Hancock.
In a passionate speech, Rinehart called for people to stand up for Australia and warned that the country was heading down a dangerous path.
“We have never faced before the competitive risk we face now,” she said.
Her appearance followed the release of a video on the Sydney Mining Club website in which Rinehart expressed her concern over how expensive and uncompetitive Australia had become.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard dismissed Rinehart’s claims.
Last night, Rinehart acknowledged her unpopularity with the government and media.
“We need people and we have some who are prepared to be unpopular or very unpopular in some areas of our media,” she said.
“We need people who are willing to be leaders, despite the detractors, to say things that should be heard, not avoided, in the interests of our industry and our country.”
Rinehart said that despite negative news reports she was encouraged by the “lovely emails” and comments of support from others.
“Don’t listen to the media,” she said, wondering aloud who would even want to win the award.
“I hope there will be some brave souls who want to win this award,” she said.
Of the $50,000 prize, $30,000 must be used to “stand up for the industry”
It was not clear if the award would be an annual fixture at the AMEC Convention, but presumably the first individual or company would be recognised at next year’s event.
Meanwhile, retiring Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum Norman Moore was honoured with a special recognition award.
Moore said he was “probably the luckiest person in WA” to be in his current post.
“It’s been a real joy and an absolute pleasure,” he said. “I just do it because I like doing it.”
The Prospector Award, in its 20th year, was won by Brett Keillor and Bruce Kendall for the 6.4 million ounce Tropicana gold deposit.
Kendall was working for 70% owner AngloGold Ashanti, while Keillor was with minor owner Independence Group when they found the deposit in 2005 after four years of work.
The anomaly was first identified by Western Mining Corporation in 2005 and the pair were given just five diamond holes to confirm the presence of mineralisation, three of which intersected gold.
Kendall urged people to remember those who had explored the ground before them.
“We don’t discover these things on our own,” he said.
Tropicana beat out Doray Minerals’ Wilber Lode gold project, Gold Road Resources’ Central Bore project, Independence and South Boulder Mines’ Duketon nickel discovery and Independence’ Bibra/Karlawinda gold find, in which Keillor was also involved.
