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The total value of minerals produced in the coal mining, oil and gas extraction, and metal ore mining industries was $34.3b in 1999-2000, an increase of $117m (less than 1%) over 1998-99 (table 18.15).
The value of metallic minerals produced decreased by $1b (7%) to $14.2b. The performance of metallic mineral commodities throughout the reporting period was mixed. Several commodities, such as copper and nickel, experienced an increase in prices, while others such as lead, and in particular gold, remained relatively weak. The Australian dollar was lower in the second half of the reference period, which helped producers to sustain sales values for those commodities where prices had fallen. The value of copper concentrate production rose by $106m (8%) to $1.5b in 1999-2000, through the combined effects of improved prices and increased production. The value of gold production decreased by $681m (15%) to $3.9b, due to decreased production and a low market price for gold. The value of other metallic minerals rose by $107m (7%).
The value of coal produced decreased by $677m (6%) to $9.9b in 1999-2000 despite an increase in the level of production. The value of crude oil increased globally in 1999-2000. This is reflected in the $1.7b (39%) increase, to $6.2b, in the value of production of crude oil. Production levels remained comparable with the previous year, although production from Bass Strait improved as output increased following repair work to the Longford refinery.
The metallic minerals group was the major contributor to the total value of production with 41%, followed by the oil and gas extraction industry with 30% and the coal industry with 29%.
18.15 MINERAL PRODUCTION, Selected minerals
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| | Units | 1995-96 | 1996-97(a) | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 |
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Metallic minerals | | | | | | |
| Bauxite | ’000 t | 50,724 | 46,874 | 50,418 | 58,005 | 53,141 |
| Copper concentrate(b) | ’000 t | (c)1,316 | 1,769 | 1,662 | 1,835 | 1,918 |
| Gold bullion (dore)(d) | kg | 291,965 | 296,398 | 333,673 | 311,038 | 286,359 |
| Iron ore(e) | ’000 t | 137,267 | 162,480 | 168,104 | 160,564 | 165,966 |
| Lead concentrate | ’000 t | 774 | 782 | 768 | 927 | 964 |
| Mineral sands(f) | ’000 t | 2,491 | 3,044 | 3,198 | 3,195 | 3,589 |
| Uranium oxide (U3O8)(g) | t | 5,105 | 5,996 | 5,797 | 6,387 | 8,217 |
| Zinc concentrate(h) | ’000 t | 1,295 | 2,070 | 1,921 | 2,143 | 2,303 |
| Total value of metallic minerals | $m | 12,708 | 13,617 | 14,696 | 15,228 | 14,234 |
Coal | | | | | | |
| Black coal | ’000 t | 194,492 | 206,169 | 226,818 | 226,870 | 253,846 |
| Brown coal | ’000 t | 54,281 | 58,886 | 68,638 | 65,880 | 65,991 |
| Total value of coal(i) | $m | 8,006 | 9,089 | 9,994 | 10,578 | 9,901 |
Oil and gas | | | | | | |
| Crude oil(j) | ML | 30,763 | 29,556 | 33,931 | 29,225 | 29,765 |
| Natural gas | GL | (k)19,169 | n.a. | (l)27,774 | (l)27,691 | (l)24,447 |
| Ethane | GL | 199 | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| Propane | ML | 2,092 | 2,142 | 2,421 | 1,509 | 1,643 |
| Butane | ML | 1,544 | 1,584 | 1,883 | 1,993 | 1,646 |
| Liquefied natural gas | ’000 t | 7,346 | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| Total value of oil and gas | $m | 8,070 | 8,823 | 9,523 | 8,377 | 10,164 |
Total value of metallic minerals, coal, oil & gas | $m | 28,784 | 31,529 | 34,213 | 34,182 | 34,299 |
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(a) Break in series - data for 1996-97 and subsequent years derived solely from information supplied through the ABS mining collection. Data for prior years derived from information supplied by state mines departments or directly to the ABS, supplemented in some cases by data from other sources.
(b) Includes copper precipitate.
(c) Excludes SA.
(d) Includes alluvial gold.
(e) Includes iron ore pellets.
(f) Includes ilmenite, beneficiated ilmenite, leucoxene, monazite, rutile, synthetic rutile and zircon.
(g) Uranium figures supplied from ABARE, ‘Australian Commodity Statistics, 2001’.
(h) Includes zinc-lead concentrate and lead-zinc concentrate.
(i) Excludes briquettes.
(j) Includes condensate.
(k) Includes field and plant usage.
(l) Includes ethane and liquefied natural gas. |
Source: Mining Operations, Australia (8415.0); ABARE, ‘Australian Commodity Statistics, 2001’. |
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