DXC completes South Australia mining regulation platform

DXC Technology has completed a new digital regulatory platform for South Australia's Department for Energy and Mining, replacing older processes used across the state's mining sector.

The platform, known as the Minerals and Energy Regulation System, or MERS, runs on Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Platform and Azure. It covers licensing, assessments, compliance, royalties, financial management and reporting for the department's regulation of mineral resources.

The project moves the department away from legacy systems and manual administration in an area that handles exploration and mining approvals, lease assessments and royalty-related processes. According to details released by the parties, the platform is designed to give industry participants, stakeholders and government agencies a more connected way to deal with the department through digital workflows and online services.

South Australia has been seeking to develop opportunities in copper, critical minerals and magnetite iron ore, increasing the focus on how regulatory systems handle industry engagement and internal decision-making. In that context, MERS is being positioned as a core system for the department's future digital services.

Paul De Ionno, Executive Director, Regulation and Compliance, Department for Energy and Mining, said the project changes how mining and exploration regulation is managed in the state.

"This project represents a significant milestone in the modernisation of mining and exploration regulation in South Australia. MERS provides the industry with a more transparent, efficient and user-friendly experience, helping existing and prospective explorers make informed decisions about investing in our state. As the state continues to unlock opportunities in copper, critical minerals and magnetite iron ore, MERS provides the digital foundation to support growth, innovation and future AI-enabled regulatory services," De Ionno said.

System overhaul

MERS brings together functions previously handled through separate systems and manual processes, including licensing, compliance, royalties and lease assessments, which are central to administering the mining sector.

For the department, moving these functions onto Microsoft's cloud and business applications stack reflects a broader pattern in government technology procurement, as agencies replace older bespoke systems with platforms that support workflow automation, online self-service and consolidated reporting. The announcement did not disclose the project's value.

DXC described the platform as an integrated digital regulatory system. The company has a sizeable public sector business, serving more than 280 government and public sector clients across 25 countries. Its work in this area includes cloud migrations, compliance auditing and digital identity management under sovereign security and regulatory requirements.

Public sector push

The project also highlights the continuing role of large IT services providers in modernising state government back-office and regulatory systems in Australia. Departments responsible for natural resources, planning and environmental oversight have faced pressure to reduce paper-based processing and improve access to information for companies and other agencies.

That pressure is particularly acute in mining regulation, where departments must balance commercial activity with compliance oversight, revenue administration, and the assessment of leases and approvals. A single platform can reduce duplication between teams and improve visibility across records, although the practical impact will depend on how fully users adopt the new processes.

DXC linked the delivery to its broader relationship with public sector clients in the region. It also pointed to possible future use of artificial intelligence in regulatory services, though no specific tools or deployment timeline were detailed.

Robert Le Busque, President, Asia Pacific & Japan, DXC Technology, said the work forms part of the company's public sector focus.

"DXC is proud to be partnering with the South Australian Government to deliver a modern digital platform that will help it achieve more effective, efficient and transparent regulation for the mineral resources sector. As a Microsoft Frontier Partner, we look forward to leveraging our expertise across Microsoft and leading future AI transformation for the public sector and industry regulators," Le Busque said.