1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/01/2003   
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Contents >> Mining >> Mineral production

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
Units
1995-96
1996-97(a)
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000

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

(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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