In the financial year 2024, approximately around 234,690 people were employed in the mining industry in Australia. Mining is one of the largest industries in the country, with coal, iron ore, and gold mining the leading sectors.

In the financial year 2024, the value added by the mining industry in Australia amounted to approximately 312 billion Australian dollars. The country’s mining industry includes the exploration and mining of gold, silver, iron ore, and coal reserves, among many other resources. Mining production boom Australia has one of the largest coal reserves in the world, with coal mined in every state. Coal production has continued to increase over the past years. Similarly, the production volume of iron ore has remained high. The largest iron ore mines in the country are located in Western Australia. Furthermore, spending on gold exploration continues to be significant, although slightly declining in recent quarters. Demand for Australian metals and minerals The export value of Australian coal peaked in 2023, with Australia being one of the leading coal exporting countries globally. The export value of gold was expected to remain relatively stable over the next few years, with a slight decline forecasted. Demand for Australian gold has been dominated by Hong Kong and China, with prices remaining high.

Australia has a large supply of mineral, hydrocarbon and non-mineral reserves, which are often high quality and close to the Earth’s surface, enabling Australia’s Mining division to be globally price competitive. Fluctuations in commodity prices have fuelled revenue volatility over the past few years. Energy supply shocks, driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, have sent global energy prices soaring, boosting the value of coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports over the past few years. However, softening energy prices in the two years through 2024-25 will constrain energy export revenue and weaken expansion. Iron ore prices have also fluctuated significantly in recent years. These prices climbed to a peak in 2020-21 because of supply chain disruptions in Brazil. However, a recent property market crisis in China has weakened steel demand, causing iron ore prices to sink and reach a two-year low in September 2024. The price bounced back in October 2024 amid optimism surrounding the Chinese economy and stimulus measures, but is forecast to drop in 2024-25 as recent trade tensions and the United States’ sweeping tariffs exacerbated this trend and pushed prices down. Division revenue is expected to have risen at an annualised 0.6% over the five years through 2024-25, to $437.3 billion. This includes an anticipated fall of 10.5% in 2024-25 as the values of coal, LNG and iron ore exports ease on the back of softening prices. Some miners have pivoted towards future-facing commodities like copper and lithium to align with energy transition trends, but oversupply and softening prices pose ongoing profitability challenges. Soaring operational costs are compounding these issues as labour shortages, rising input costs and sophisticated competition have eroded profit margins. While commodity prices like oil, gas and coal have retracted from recent highs, they remain above 2019-20 levels, offering some relief and counteracting profitability dips. Many mining companies have moved from completing expansion programs to rebalancing their portfolios and implementing cost-reduction initiatives, offsetting profitability slumps. Output across several key commodities like iron ore is set to climb as new mines and expansion projects come online. Despite this, a global supply glut will ease commodity prices, reducing division revenue. Revenue is forecast to decline at an annualised 3.1% over the five years through 2029-30, to $374.3 billion. Growing demand for critical minerals and commodities used in renewable infrastructure represents a growth opportunity for some areas of the Mining division. Consolidation trends will also accelerate over the coming years as larger miners undertake mergers and acquisitions.

Mining production in Australia decreased 5 percent in March of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Australia Mining Production - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Given that metals, minerals and energy resources extracted through mining are fundamental to human society, it follows that accurate data describing mine production are equally important. Although there are often national statistical sources, this typically includes data for metals (e.g., gold), minerals (e.g., iron ore) or energy resources (e.g., coal). No such study has ever compiled a national mine production data set which includes basic mining data such as ore processed, grades, extracted products (e.g., metals, concentrates, saleable ore) and waste rock. These data are crucial for geological assessments of mineable resources, environmental impacts, material flows (including losses during mining, smelting-refining, use and disposal or recycling) as well as facilitating more quantitative assessments of critical mineral potential (including possible extraction from tailings and/or waste rock left by mining). This data set achieves these needs for Australia, providing a world-first and comprehensive review of a national mining industry and an exemplar of what can be achieved for other countries with mining industry sectors.

The Report Covers Australia Mining Logistics Market Companies and it is segmented by service (Transportation, Warehousing and Inventory Management, and Value-added Service) and type of mineral/metal (Iron Ore, Base Metals, Coal, Gold, and others). The report offers the market size and forecast in value (USD billion) for all the above segments.

Australia Employment: Trend: Mining data was reported at 326.344 Person th in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 314.914 Person th for Nov 2024. Australia Employment: Trend: Mining data is updated quarterly, averaging 108.821 Person th from Nov 1984 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 162 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 326.344 Person th in Feb 2025 and a record low of 78.873 Person th in Feb 2001. Australia Employment: Trend: Mining data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G021: Employment: by Industry.

Australia Employment: Females: Mining: Coal Mining data was reported at 6.686 Person th in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.817 Person th for Nov 2024. Australia Employment: Females: Mining: Coal Mining data is updated quarterly, averaging 1.496 Person th from Nov 1984 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 162 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.520 Person th in May 2024 and a record low of 0.000 Person th in May 1998. Australia Employment: Females: Mining: Coal Mining data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G023: Employment: by Sex and by Industry.

Employment statistics on the Iron Ore Mining industry in Australia

Employment: Western Australia: Mining data was reported at 159.185 Person th in Feb 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 161.262 Person th for Nov 2024. Employment: Western Australia: Mining data is updated quarterly, averaging 45.174 Person th from Nov 1984 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 162 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 175.439 Person th in May 2023 and a record low of 22.261 Person th in May 1988. Employment: Western Australia: Mining data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G022: Employment: by State and by Industry.

GDP from Mining in Australia decreased to 86364 AUD Million in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 86658 AUD Million in the third quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - Australia Gdp From Mining- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Employment statistics on the Mining industry in Australia

Abstract

This dataset and its metadata statement were supplied to the Bioregional Assessment Programme by a third party and are presented here as originally supplied

The following spreadsheets are a flattened version of the data available in the Mines Atlas mapping application.

Operating Mines

The coverage contains data such as locations, mine names, commodity and weblinks. The information was sourced from Geoscience Australia's OZMIN database.

http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/mapping/downloads.html

Purpose

This dataset has been used as a proxy dataset to spatially locate volumes of extraction in the Hunter and Gloucester subregions where records from NSW office of Water science with volume were unable to be connected to a bore in NSW NGIS Extract

Dataset History

"This dataset and its metadata statement were supplied to the Bioregional Assessment Programme by a third party and are presented here as originally supplied

In 2003 - 2004 Geoscience Australia developed the Australian Atlas of Mineral Resources, Mines, and Processing Centres - the Australian Mines Atlas - with its supporting partners Minerals Council of Australia and Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.

Subsequently, the Mines Atlas is continually being updated with new mineral resource, location data and company web links.

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Aims

The Atlas aims to:

provide an authoritative understanding of Australia's known mineral and energy (solid fuel) assets, mines and production/processing centres (existing and planned)

present factual data that can assist with planning, decision making, investment, education and management of the environment

complement other national data sets dealing with land use, population, soils, agriculture, climate, water and vegetation

show where, and how, the mining industry is placed to continue its contribution to regional development in Australia and sustain its role as a major exporter of mineral commodities.

The Atlas delivers authoritative minerals and mining information to individual Australians and provides a virtual-showcase of the industry for global audiences.

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Objectives

The Atlas was developed as a working tool for use whenever and wherever customers can access the internet. It allows users to examine and evaluate digital spatial data related to the minerals industry against an array of infrastructure, demographic, resource and environmental dimensions.

The key objective of the Atlas is to serve the needs of diverse clients in many ways, including as:

a reliable and up-to-date reference with links to site specific and more detailed information, either directly, as for mineral resources, or through links, such as linking to the website of each particular owner company

an interactive decision support system with small-scale, map-making capability

a framework and instrument for education

an aid to visualise and understand complex issues relating to regional development of mining and mineral processing activities, and identify/promote opportunities for employment in remote areas

an aid to industry research.

Dataset Citation

Geoscience Australia (2015) Operating Mines OZMIN Geoscience Australia 20150201. Bioregional Assessment Source Dataset. Viewed 13 March 2019, http://data.bioregionalassessments.gov.au/dataset/65c0c042-1ba8-47a8-9793-4363672500b9.

Australia Employment: Mining data was reported at 325.723 Person th in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 309.427 Person th for Nov 2024. Australia Employment: Mining data is updated quarterly, averaging 108.982 Person th from Nov 1984 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 162 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 325.723 Person th in Feb 2025 and a record low of 75.389 Person th in Feb 2001. Australia Employment: Mining data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G021: Employment: by Industry.

Australia Employment: Full Time: Males: Mining: Coal Mining data was reported at 42.070 Person th in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 38.776 Person th for Nov 2024. Australia Employment: Full Time: Males: Mining: Coal Mining data is updated quarterly, averaging 30.375 Person th from Nov 1984 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 162 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 54.038 Person th in May 2012 and a record low of 13.228 Person th in May 2002. Australia Employment: Full Time: Males: Mining: Coal Mining data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G024: Employment: by Sex and by Industry: Full Time.

The following data is based on statistics collected by us from mines and quarry sites throughout Queensland.

Incident frequency rates data shows the quarterly frequency rates for serious accidents, high potential incidents, recordable injuries, lost-time injuries and disabling injuries for each major industry sector, for the period specified.

Mining industry worker numbers data shows the number of workers by mine and sector, for the period specified.

The lost-time injuries/diseases data covers occurrences that resulted in fatalities, permanent disability or time lost from work of 1 shift or more. Data is categorised by body part affected, hazards identified, injury type, major equipment, mechanism of injury, occurrence class and worksite location.

In the financial year 2024, the sales and service income of the mining industry in Australia amounted to approximately 492.16 billion Australian dollars. This was a decrease from the previous financial year.

Number of Businesses statistics on the Mining industry in Australia

Mining plays an important role in Australia’s economy. In the 2024 financial year, the total income of the metal ore mining industry in Australia amounted to approximately 221.32 billion Australian dollars. What metals are mined in Australia? Australia is rich in natural resources, and minerals are no exception. An abundance of useful metals can be extracted from the minerals that are mined in Australia. The country produces large quantities of iron ore, lithium, gold, lead, and bauxite to name a few. A key component in electric vehicle batteries, lithium is also mined in the country. How large is the metal export market? Australia is a dominant force in the global metal mining industry and is a world leader in the export of iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, uranium, and aluminum. The Asia Pacific region was the main destination for many Australian metals. Many countries in the region were the leading export markets for Australian gold.

The Report covers Australian Coal Companies and the market is segmented by application (electricity, iron and steel, and other applications). The market size and forecasts are provided in revenue (USD) for all the above segments.