THE state of the booming Western Australian resources sector is being reflected in the response to a new mining show which be s ta ged in Perth in August 2008.

The Perth Mining Exhibition & Conference, which will held at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre from August 12 to 14, is attracting great interest on the back of predictions that the resources "boom" still has along way to run.

Recent figures released by Australian Government resources "think ta nk" ABARE, show that new capi ta l expenditure in the mining industry is estimated to reach $32.3 billion in 2007/2008, up a s ta ggering 25 per cent on the previous year. In real terms new capi ta l expenditure in 2007/08 is the highest on record and more than two and a half times the average annual expenditure for the past 25 years.

A spokesperson for Perth Mining Exhibition & Conference organiser, Swan Exhibitions, said the rush to develop Australia 's resource riches has clearly been reflected in the amount of interest being shown in the August event.

"S ta nds for the exhibition have been selling rapidly ever since we announced the event and we have had to expand the allocated exhibition space we had originally set aside.

"Many companies from around Australia have ta ken up the opportunity to showcase the latest advances in mining technology, equipment and services to decision makers within the local mining and resources sectors over the three days of the exhibition

"We feel confident that there will be a strong turnout of visitors from within the mining and resources sectors, both nationally and internationally, in August and this even may become Western Australia 's premier industry only mining event."

The conference component of the show is also booking fast with many local and international speakers confirming their participation, including Lisa Browne from the Australian Business Council delivering a paper on the benefits and pitfalls of Australian companies investing in Africa, John Nicolaou, the Chief Economist with the WA Chamber of Commerce & Industry, who will speak on the Chamber's view of the current resource sector in WA and what issue the chamber forsee that could possibly impede growth within the sector.

Curtin University of Technologies Vice Chancellor, Professor Jeanette Hacket, will also present a discussion paper on skill shor ta ges and the Universities efforts to train people within the resources sector.

According to the Minerals Council Australia needs a further 70,000 mining workers in the next decade to keep up with the demand fuelled by the rapid economic expansion of China and India, and the Perth Mining Conference will provide a forum aimed at addressing the issue of skilled worker shor ta ges.

The Perth Mining Exhibition & Conference will ta rget key decision makers including CEOs Mine Managers Specifiers, Procurement Managers, Maintenance Managers, Senior Engineering S ta ff, HR Managers, OHS Managers & Environmen ta l Officers from within the Mining, Earthmoving Transport, Processing, Power Generation and environmen ta l sectors as well as all relevant Government Departments and is a must for companies doing or seeking business within Australia's booming mining and resources sectors.

While the Perth Mining Exhibition & Conference is a new event on the calendar, the event's organiser, Swan Exhibitions is no stranger to s ta ging major resource industry events.

Swan Exhibitions is probably best known for staging the highly successful Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition since its inception in 1981.