Do your job, mining minister tells banks

Resources Minister Matt Canavan has demanded the big banks stand up against "bullies and activists" and bankroll mining projects.

"All I ask our financial institutions to do is to do their job," he told Sky News on Tuesday.

"I am concerned our financial institutions are being unnecessarily pressured and bullied for non-commercial reasons to not lend to certain projects."

Senator Canavan acknowledged mining projects had to stack up, but suggested some banks lacked the guts to support financially sound proposals.

"They just don't seem to have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to these bullies," he said.

"We need more businesses to stand up against this bullying and activism."