The federal government says it can meet the competing demands of cross-benchers and push its new mining tax through parliament.
Labor won over key independent MPs to its minerals resource rent tax on Monday, but upset the Australian Greens with concessions that shaved $300 million from the estimated $11.1 billion tax take.
The government needs the support of the Greens in the Senate for the tax to clear parliament.
The minor party is not impressed by the concessions Labor has made to at least one of the independents, Andrew Wilkie, and is demanding the government come up with a revenue-neutral solution.
Finance Minister Penny Wong says the government will make provision for the drop in revenue in the mid-year budget review due in the next few weeks.
"We will make sure we work through that," she told ABC radio.
Greens leader Bob Brown says it is not socially acceptable for miners to have won back $20 million a year that would have gone to the Australian people, but for Mr Wilkie forcing the government to lift the profit threshold at which the tax cuts in from $50 million to $75 million and eventually $125 million.
"They need to find that $20 million," Senator Brown told reporters.
He suggested the government look at existing concessions the mining sector receives including fuel rebates and research and development funding.
"We are making a stand on this and we intend to work it out with the government," he said.
Discussions with the government will be held later on Tuesday and Senator Brown expects to meet personally with Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
"We have made it clear to the government we want that $20 million going to schools, going to hospitals, going to public transport, not to these wealthy mining corporations largely owned overseas," he said.
