SYDNEY - Resource nationalism is the term being used to describe governments wanting a greater return from mining companies - by way of taxes, royalties or other means - in exchange for their right to mine.
Leading the charge on resource nationalism, according to the global mining industry, is resource-rich Australia.
And the industry blames the Australian Government for encouraging the trend.
According to Ernst and Young's most recent survey of global mining, resource nationalism is regarded as the number one risk for the resources sector in 2012.
"You don't own the minerals," Prime Minister Julia Gillard told miners at the Minerals Council of Australia annual dinner in May.
"I don't own the minerals, governments only sell you the right to mine the resource. A resource we hold in trust for a sovereign people. They own it and they deserve their share."
One mining executive told the Australian Financial Review the mining executives were "dumbstruck" by Ms Gillard's comments.
"She told us this is Australia and it has a Labor government, that it is a party of redistribution, so suck it up," the executive said.