Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

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Exploration involves the search for new ore occurrences or undiscovered oil or gas, and/or appraisal intended to delineate or greatly extend the limits of known deposits of minerals or oil or gas reservoirs by geological, geophysical, geochemical, drilling or other methods. This includes construction of shafts and adits primarily for exploration purposes, but excludes activity of a developmental or production nature. Exploration for water is excluded.


Mineral exploration expenditure

Expenditure in Australia during the last five years on private mineral exploration other than for petroleum is summarised in table 18.5.

Mineral exploration expenditure in 1999-2000 was $676m, $284m (30%) lower than in 1995-96, and $162m (19%) lower than in 1998-99. Western Australia and Queensland, with expenditure lower by $105m (20%) and $98m (54%) respectively, were the main contributors to the fall between 1995-96 and 1999-2000. Western Australia continued to account for the majority of the exploration expenditure over this period and in 1999-2000.

18.5 PRIVATE MINERAL EXPLORATION EXPENDITURE, By State/Territory
State/Territory	1995-96 $m	1996-97 $m	1997-98 $m	1998-99 $m	1999-2000 $m
New South Wales	80.4	94.1	88.2	65.6	56.1
Victoria	42.6	51.8	43.1	37.0	33.8
Queensland	181.0	160.7	133.2	93.8	82.6
South Australia	24.1	35.1	45.0	41.9	22.6
Western Australia	519.5	691.7	660.4	523.1	415.0
Tasmania	18.8	26.0	20.7	11.9	8.8
Northern Territory	93.9	88.9	75.9	64.5	57.5
Australia	960.3	1,148.6	1,066.8	837.8	676.3
Source: Mineral And Petroleum Exploration, Australia (8412.0).

Drilling methods used in Australia

The drilling method with the highest reported expenditure in 1999-2000 was diamond drilling. This method accounted for 40% of the total $257m expenditure reported, although it contributed only 16% of the 6.5 million metres drilled.

The most used method in terms of metres drilled for 1999-2000 was reverse circulation, contributing 34% (2.2 million metres) of the total 6.5 million metres drilled. This method accounted for 33% ($84m) of total drilling expenditure.

Rotary air blast was the second most used drilling method in terms of metres drilled, contributing 24% (1.6 million metres) of the total metres drilled. However, this method accounted for only 10% of the total exploration expenditure for drilling.

Tables 18.6 and 18.7 show metres drilled and expenditure by drilling methods for all areas (including exploration on production leases and all other areas) by State and Territory.

18.6 TOTAL METRES DRILLED, By State/Territory - 1999-2000
Drilling method	NSW ’000 metres	Vic. ’000 metres	Qld ’000 metres	SA ’000 metres	WA ’000 metres	Tas. ’000 metres	NT ’000 metres	Aust. ’000 metres
Diamond	117	n.p.	140	18	686	n.p.	15	1,061
Reverse circulation	116	n.p.	108	38	1,789	n.p.	157	2,232
Percussion	n.p.	—	58	n.p.	32	—	—	139
Rotary air blast	47	n.p.	353	142	935	—	n.p.	1,560
Aircore/Vacuum	178	263	n.p.	11	863	—	n.p.	1,374
Other	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	26	—	n.p.	123
Total	513	350	706	273	4,331	21	294	6,489
Source: Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia September Quarter 2000 (8412.0).

18.7 TOTAL DRILLING EXPENDITURE, By State/Territory - 1999-2000
Drilling method	NSW $m	Vic. $m	Qld $m	SA $m	WA $m	Tas. $m	NT $m	Aust. $m
Diamond	16.7	n.p.	15.4	1.1	59.2	n.p.	1.9	103.5
Reverse circulation	4.7	n.p.	5.0	1.0	67.9	n.p.	4.5	84.0
Percussion	n.p.	—	2.5	n.p.	1.2	—	—	5.3
Rotary air blast	0.9	n.p.	8.6	1.7	12.3	—	n.p.	24.9
Aircore/Vacuum	3.8	5.0	n.p.	0.2	19.5	—	n.p.	30.4
Other	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	3.9	—	n.p.	8.5
Total	28.3	11.7	34.4	6.1	164.0	3.3	8.6	256.6
Source: Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia, September Quarter 2000 (8412.0).

Petroleum exploration expenditure

Total private petroleum exploration expenditure was $723.3m in 1999-2000 (table 18.8), slightly lower than in 1995-96. Between 1995-96 and 1999-2000 offshore exploration expenditure increased by $63m (11%) to $613m, whereas onshore exploration expenditure fell by $65m (37%) to $110m.

Reported expenditure on petroleum exploration in 1999-2000 was $144m (17%) lower than in 1998-99.

18.8 PRIVATE PETROLEUM EXPLORATION EXPENDITURE
	1995-96 $m	1996-97 $m	1997-98 $m	1998-99 $m	1999-2000 $m
Onshore	174.8	251.9	232.2	182.3	110.1
Offshore	550.3	601.0	748.9	685.4	613.2
Total	725.1	853.0	981.2	867.7	723.3
Source: Mineral And Petroleum Exploration, Australia (8412.0).

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