1362.6 - Regional Statistics, Tasmania, 2005  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/08/2003   
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Contents >> Mining >> Mining production >> Mersey-Lyell Region

METALLIC MINERALS

The Mersey-Lyell Region of Tasmania is famous for its mineralisation, particularly for metallic minerals: base metals, gold and iron ore.

Base metals

Three main mining operations in the Mersey-Lyell Region extract base metals:

  • Pasminco Mining Limited operates a silver-lead-zinc mine at Rosebery on Tasmania's west coast. For production, employment and capital expenditure details, see Pasminco Mining Rosebery on this web site (under Statistics - Tasmania).
  • Renison Bell Limited operates one of the world's major tin mines at Renison Bell, north of Queenstown. For production, employment and capital expenditure details, see Renison Bell Limited - Renison tin mine on this web site (under Statistics - Tasmania).
  • Copper Mines of Tasmania Pty Ltd operates a world-class copper mine at Mt Lyell, in the Queenstown area of western Tasmania. For production, employment and capital expenditure details, see Copper Mines of Tasmania Pty Ltd - Mt Lyell mine on this web site (under Statistics - Tasmania).

Gold

Gold is mined south of Rosebery at the new Henty Gold Mine, which is operated by Goldfields Limited. It was officially opened in July 1996. For production, employment and capital expenditure details of the Henty Mine, see under Gold production on this web site (under Statistics - Tasmania).

Iron ore

Iron ore is mined at Savage River, the deposits being part of a mineralised belt west of Waratah and extending north east to Burnie and out to Bass Strait. For production, employment and capital expenditure details of the Savage River mine, see under Iron ore on this web site (under Statistics - Tasmania).


NON-METALLIC MINERALS

At Railton, in Tasmania's central north, one of the world's largest deposits of limestone is mined to provide Australian Cement Holdings with the raw material to make cement. For further information, see Australian Cement Holdings on the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources web site, http://www.dier.tas.gov.au

Other quarries located in the Mersey-Lyell Region produce dolomite and silica flour. These include:
  • Circular Head Dolomite Trading Co. Pty Ltd at Smithton, which extracts dolomite
  • Cominex mine at Corinna, which produces silica flour.

For further information on production of non-metallic minerals, see Non-Metallic (excluding fuel) minerals on this web site (under Statistics - Tasmania).



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