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The total value of minerals produced in the coal mining, oil and gas extraction and metal ore mining industries was $34.6b in 1998-99, an increase of $354m (1%) compared with 1997-98 (table 18.3). The metallic minerals group was the major contributor to the total value of production with 45%, followed by the coal industry and the oil and gas extraction industry.
The value of metallic minerals produced increased by $978m (7%) to $15.7b. Although US dollar prices for commodities remained depressed, an increase in production for a number of commodities coupled with a weak Australian dollar meant that revenues for commodities such as copper concentrate and lead concentrate increased. The value of production for iron ore increased by $388m (10%) to $4.3b as a result of favourable exchange rates. The value of gold production decreased by $450m (9%) to $4.5b due to decreased production and a low market price for gold associated with uncertainty within the gold market.
The value of coal produced increased by $522m (5%) to $10.5b in 1998-99 mainly due to an increase in production. Decreases in the value of crude oil and natural gas were attributable to record low prices for crude oil during the reference period and reduced output from the Bass Strait field following the Longford refinery explosion. The value of oil and gas production fell by $1.1b (12%) to $8.4b in 1998-99.
18.3 MINERAL PRODUCTION, Selected Minerals, Australia |
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| | Units | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97(a) | 1997-98 | 1998-99 |
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| Metallic minerals | | | | | | |
| - Bauxite | ’000 t | 45,384 | 50,724 | 46,874 | 50,418 | 58,005 |
| - Copper concentrate(b) | ’000 t | (c)9,423 | (c)1,316 | 1,769 | 1,662 | 1,835 |
| - Gold bullion (dore)(d) | kg | 298,697 | 291,965 | 296,398 | 333,673 | 310,378 |
| - Iron ore(e) | ’000 t | 137,525 | 137,267 | 162,480 | 168,104 | 162,224 |
| - Lead concentrate | ’000 t | 766 | 774 | 782 | 768 | 927 |
| - Mineral sands(f) | ’000 t | 2,375 | 2,491 | 3,044 | 3,198 | 3,195 |
| - Uranium oxide (U3O8)(g) | t | 2,631 | 5,105 | 5,996 | 5,797 | 6,386 |
| - Zinc concentrate(h) | ’000 t | 1,699 | 1,295 | 2,070 | 1,921 | 2,143 |
| - Total value of metallic minerals | $m | (i)11,715 | 12,708 | 13,617 | 14,696 | 15,674 |
| Coal | | | | | | |
| - Black coal | ’000 t | 191,903 | 194,492 | 206,169 | 226,818 | 232,584 |
| - Brown coal | ’000 t | 50,679 | 54,281 | 58,886 | 68,638 | 65,880 |
| - Total value of coal(k) | $m | (j)7,340 | 8,006 | 9,089 | 9,994 | 10,516 |
| Oil and gas | | | | | | |
| - Crude oil(l) | ML | 31,301 | 30,763 | 29,556 | 33,931 | 30,306 |
| - Natural gas | GL | (m)17,486 | (m)19,169 | n.a. | (n)27,774 | (n)30,352 |
| - Ethane | GL | 208 | 199 | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| - Propane | ML | 1,999 | 2,092 | 2,142 | 2,421 | 1,509 |
| - Butane | ML | 1,480 | 1,544 | 1,584 | 1,883 | 1,993 |
| - Liquefied natural gas | ’000 t | 6,888 | 7,346 | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| - Total value of oil and gas | $m | 7,683 | 8,070 | 8,823 | 9,523 | 8,376 |
| Total value of metallic minerals, coal, oil and gas | $m | 26,738 | 28,784 | 31,529 | 34,213 | 34,567 |
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(a) Break in series - data from 1996-97 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 South Australia.
(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 Australian Commodity Statistics, 2000 (ABARE).
(h) Includes zinc-lead concentrate and lead-zinc concentrate.
(i) Includes Tasmanian coal production.
(j) Excludes Tasmania.
(k) Excludes briquettes.
(l) Includes condensate.
(m) Includes field and plant usage.
(n) Includes ethane and liquefied natural gas. |
Source: Mining Operations, Australia (8414.0); Australian Commodity Statistics, 2000 (ABARE). |
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