Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia

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Quarterly statistics on mineral and petroleum exploration expenditure by private organisations in Australia

Reference period

March 2023

Released

5/06/2023

View all releases

Release date and time

05/06/2023 11:30am AEST

Key statistics

Mineral exploration expenditure rose by 0.7%
Petroleum exploration expenditure rose by 16.3%

		Mar Qtr 23	Dec Qtr 22 to Mar Qtr 23	Mar Qtr 22 to Mar Qtr 23
		$m	% change	% change
Seasonally adjusted
	Mineral Exploration Expenditure	1,025	0.7	4.0
	Petroleum Exploration Expenditure	244	16.3	-18.9

Trend
	Mineral Exploration Expenditure	1,020	-0.4	3.7
	Petroleum Exploration Expenditure	228	2.5	-20.7

Mineral exploration

Total expenditure, seasonally adjusted and trend

Seasonally adjusted rise of 0.7% ($7.3m) to $1,025.1m
Trend fall of 0.4% ($4.6m) to $1,020.0m

Mineral exploration, seasonally adjusted and trend
	Seasonally adjusted ($m)	Trend ($m)
Mar 2015	376.0	376.8
Jun 2015	335.8	358.0
Sep 2015	367.9	352.5
Dec 2015	358.8	354.2
Mar 2016	344.2	349.0
Jun 2016	344.5	346.2
Sep 2016	355.1	356.0
Dec 2016	379.5	375.6
Mar 2017	393.2	399.8
Jun 2017	432.2	423.4
Sep 2017	445.3	447.3
Dec 2017	470.0	478.0
Mar 2018	513.6	511.7
Jun 2018	551.3	540.0
Sep 2018	549.6	554.0
Dec 2018	565.6	567.2
Mar 2019	586.5	594.7
Jun 2019	644.5	640.0
Sep 2019	680.5	686.6
Dec 2019	724.2	707.6
Mar 2020	706.6	698.3
Jun 2020	663.2	682.4
Sep 2020	696.9	697.9
Dec 2020	745.1	755.6
Mar 2021	846.9	830.7
Jun 2021	885.4	886.6
Sep 2021	930.5	919.0
Dec 2021	924.3	946.5
Mar 2022	985.7	983.2
Jun 2022	1,027.7	1,014.1
Sep 2022	1,026.2	1,026.2
Dec 2022	1,017.8	1,024.6
Mar 2023	1,025.1	1,020.0

Mineral exploration, seasonally adjusted and trend

["","Seasonally adjusted","Trend"]

[["Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019","Mar 2020","Jun 2020","Sep 2020","Dec 2020","Mar 2021","Jun 2021","Sep 2021","Dec 2021","Mar 2022","Jun 2022","Sep 2022","Dec 2022","Mar 2023"],[[376],[335.8],[367.9],[358.8],[344.2],[344.5],[355.1],[379.5],[393.2],[432.2],[445.3],[470],[513.6],[551.3],[549.6],[565.6],[586.5],[644.5],[680.5],[724.2],[706.6],[663.2],[696.9],[745.1],[846.9],[885.4],[930.5],[924.3],[985.7],[1027.7],[1026.2],[1017.8],[1025.1]],[[376.8],[358],[352.5],[354.2],[349],[346.2],[356],[375.6],[399.8],[423.4],[447.3],[478],[511.7],[540],[554],[567.2],[594.7],[640],[686.6],[707.6],[698.3],[682.4],[697.9],[755.6],[830.7],[886.6],[919],[946.5],[983.2],[1014.1],[1026.2],[1024.6],[1020]]]

[]

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[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"200","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"1200","axis_title":"$m","precision":"1","table_units":"($m)","tooltip_units":"(m)","axis_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"$","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Mineral exploration, by deposit type, original series

Fall of 14.9% ($156.4m) to $891.8m
New deposits fell 22.2% ($78.4m) to $274.6m
Existing deposits fell 11.2% ($78.0m) to $617.2m

Mineral exploration, by deposit type, original series
	Total deposits ($m)	New deposits ($m)	Existing deposits ($m)
Mar 2015	317.7	91.1	226.6
Jun 2015	344.1	114.5	230.1
Sep 2015	394.0	114.9	279.1
Dec 2015	382.8	105.6	277.3
Mar 2016	290.4	87.1	203.2
Jun 2016	353.9	104.1	249.8
Sep 2016	379.5	113.8	265.6
Dec 2016	403.1	130.9	272.3
Mar 2017	337.6	102.9	234.8
Jun 2017	444.9	135.9	308.9
Sep 2017	475.2	158.9	316.3
Dec 2017	496.1	162.7	333.4
Mar 2018	438.7	145.4	293.3
Jun 2018	567.8	197.9	369.9
Sep 2018	584.4	223.5	361.4
Dec 2018	592.7	233.5	359.3
Mar 2019	505.7	175.3	330.4
Jun 2019	664.8	275.1	389.7
Sep 2019	724.8	302.4	422.4
Dec 2019	753.1	303.9	449.2
Mar 2020	610.6	223.7	386.8
Jun 2020	683.3	229.0	454.3
Sep 2020	744.9	257.5	487.4
Dec 2020	770.0	246.6	523.4
Mar 2021	734.8	252.3	482.5
Jun 2021	912.0	310.5	601.5
Sep 2021	997.6	338.3	659.3
Dec 2021	951.7	307.2	644.5
Mar 2022	855.3	260.3	595.0
Jun 2022	1,057.3	314.4	742.9
Sep 2022	1,099.3	341.5	757.8
Dec 2022	1,048.2	353.0	695.2
Mar 2023	891.8	274.6	617.2

Mineral exploration, by deposit type, original series

["","Total deposits","New deposits","Existing deposits"]

[["Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019","Mar 2020","Jun 2020","Sep 2020","Dec 2020","Mar 2021","Jun 2021","Sep 2021","Dec 2021","Mar 2022","Jun 2022","Sep 2022","Dec 2022","Mar 2023"],[[317.7],[344.1],[394],[382.8],[290.4],[353.9],[379.5],[403.1],[337.6],[444.9],[475.2],[496.1],[438.7],[567.8],[584.4],[592.7],[505.7],[664.8],[724.8],[753.1],[610.6],[683.3],[744.9],[770],[734.8],[912],[997.6],[951.7],[855.3],[1057.3],[1099.3],[1048.2],[891.8]],[[91.1],[114.5],[114.9],[105.6],[87.1],[104.1],[113.8],[130.9],[102.9],[135.9],[158.9],[162.7],[145.4],[197.9],[223.5],[233.5],[175.3],[275.1],[302.4],[303.9],[223.7],[229],[257.5],[246.6],[252.3],[310.5],[338.3],[307.2],[260.3],[314.4],[341.5],[353],[274.6]],[[226.6],[230.1],[279.1],[277.3],[203.2],[249.8],[265.6],[272.3],[234.8],[308.9],[316.3],[333.4],[293.3],[369.9],[361.4],[359.3],[330.4],[389.7],[422.4],[449.2],[386.8],[454.3],[487.4],[523.4],[482.5],[601.5],[659.3],[644.5],[595],[742.9],[757.8],[695.2],[617.2]]]

[]

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[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"$m","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(m)","table_units":"($m)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":null,"tick_interval":"100","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"$","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Mineral exploration, by mineral type, original series

Gold recorded the largest fall (down 20.5%, $73.6m) to $285.7m

Mineral exploration, by mineral type, original series
	Selected base metals(a) ($m)	Gold ($m)	Iron Ore ($m)	Coal ($m)	All Others(b) ($m)
Mar 2015	59.2	91.6	82.5	43.4	40.6
Jun 2015	58.0	112.4	77.2	50.1	47.0
Sep 2015	61.4	133.7	82.2	56.3	60.2
Dec 2015	58.2	138.2	74.5	63.4	47.1
Mar 2016	56.6	119.3	57.7	23.4	32.8
Jun 2016	54.8	156.9	76.8	30.3	35.1
Sep 2016	59.0	159.1	79.8	37.2	44.3
Dec 2016	63.4	182.3	73.7	33.3	48.8
Mar 2017	54.4	155.2	53.5	23.9	47.6
Jun 2017	94.1	192.6	84.3	26.0	47.9
Sep 2017	111.7	192.9	83.8	35.1	51.6
Dec 2017	120.6	208.9	68.9	39.0	57.9
Mar 2018	110.8	187.4	50.1	36.4	53.9
Jun 2018	153.1	220.9	89.0	43.6	61.1
Sep 2018	146.2	239.7	86.3	43.6	69.5
Dec 2018	157.9	244.1	75.5	50.0	65.1
Mar 2019	128.1	223.0	67.4	36.0	50.0
Jun 2019	188.6	259.8	94.8	52.5	69.2
Sep 2019	208.7	281.3	102.8	63.2	68.9
Dec 2019	199.5	303.9	84.6	77.6	87.5
Mar 2020	139.5	272.3	75.2	75.1	48.4
Jun 2020	133.5	304.4	98.7	87.2	59.6
Sep 2020	137.8	356.1	111.0	73.1	66.8
Dec 2020	155.7	383.5	110.2	56.2	64.4
Mar 2021	161.8	360.2	101.2	50.8	60.9
Jun 2021	195.8	429.8	150.8	54.9	80.7
Sep 2021	236.8	417.9	174.6	66.5	101.8
Dec 2021	265.0	390.8	130.8	54.0	111.0
Mar 2022	207.9	363.6	139.5	43.3	101.0
Jun 2022	241.2	421.7	201.0	61.7	131.5
Sep 2022	274.6	380.5	200.0	64.8	179.4
Dec 2022	265.1	359.3	174.5	71.4	178.0
Mar 2023	235.2	285.7	137.6	61.7	171.6

Mineral exploration, by mineral type, original series

["","Selected base metals(a)","Gold","Iron Ore","Coal","All Others(b)"]

[["Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019","Mar 2020","Jun 2020","Sep 2020","Dec 2020","Mar 2021","Jun 2021","Sep 2021","Dec 2021","Mar 2022","Jun 2022","Sep 2022","Dec 2022","Mar 2023"],[[59.2],[58],[61.4],[58.2],[56.6],[54.8],[59],[63.4],[54.4],[94.1],[111.7],[120.6],[110.8],[153.1],[146.2],[157.9],[128.1],[188.6],[208.7],[199.5],[139.5],[133.5],[137.8],[155.7],[161.8],[195.8],[236.8],[265],[207.9],[241.2],[274.6],[265.1],[235.2]],[[91.6],[112.4],[133.7],[138.2],[119.3],[156.9],[159.1],[182.3],[155.2],[192.6],[192.9],[208.9],[187.4],[220.9],[239.7],[244.1],[223],[259.8],[281.3],[303.9],[272.3],[304.4],[356.1],[383.5],[360.2],[429.8],[417.9],[390.8],[363.6],[421.7],[380.5],[359.3],[285.7]],[[82.5],[77.2],[82.2],[74.5],[57.7],[76.8],[79.8],[73.7],[53.5],[84.3],[83.8],[68.9],[50.1],[89],[86.3],[75.5],[67.4],[94.8],[102.8],[84.6],[75.2],[98.7],[111],[110.2],[101.2],[150.8],[174.6],[130.8],[139.5],[201],[200],[174.5],[137.6]],[[43.4],[50.1],[56.3],[63.4],[23.4],[30.3],[37.2],[33.3],[23.9],[26],[35.1],[39],[36.4],[43.6],[43.6],[50],[36],[52.5],[63.2],[77.6],[75.1],[87.2],[73.1],[56.2],[50.8],[54.9],[66.5],[54],[43.3],[61.7],[64.8],[71.4],[61.7]],[[40.6],[47],[60.2],[47.1],[32.8],[35.1],[44.3],[48.8],[47.6],[47.9],[51.6],[57.9],[53.9],[61.1],[69.5],[65.1],[50],[69.2],[68.9],[87.5],[48.4],[59.6],[66.8],[64.4],[60.9],[80.7],[101.8],[111],[101],[131.5],[179.4],[178],[171.6]]]

[]

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[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"$m","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(m)","table_units":"($m)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"450","tick_interval":"100","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"$","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

(a) Selected Base Metals contains Copper, Silver, Lead & Zinc, and Nickel & Cobalt

(b) All Others contains Mineral Sands, Uranium, Diamonds and Other Minerals

Metres drilled, seasonally adjusted and trend

Seasonally adjusted rise of 1.9% (55.2km) to 2,909.8km
Trend rise of 0.6% (16.5km) to 2,878.7km

Metres drilled, seasonally adjusted and trend
	Seasonally adjusted ('000)	Trend ('000)
Mar 2015	1,439.8	1,454.9
Jun 2015	1,407.0	1,434.0
Sep 2015	1,463.3	1,486.8
Dec 2015	1,626.7	1,575.0
Mar 2016	1,626.4	1,628.3
Jun 2016	1,644.6	1,647.1
Sep 2016	1,673.4	1,689.6
Dec 2016	1,789.2	1,806.3
Mar 2017	1,962.1	1,959.6
Jun 2017	2,120.1	2,076.8
Sep 2017	2,131.9	2,123.9
Dec 2017	2,128.5	2,167.2
Mar 2018	2,249.8	2,291.9
Jun 2018	2,482.9	2,439.4
Sep 2018	2,606.1	2,542.2
Dec 2018	2,459.7	2,567.8
Mar 2019	2,647.4	2,551.0
Jun 2019	2,507.5	2,561.0
Sep 2019	2,570.9	2,618.2
Dec 2019	2,696.1	2,616.1
Mar 2020	2,655.7	2,566.7
Jun 2020	2,347.5	2,544.6
Sep 2020	2,741.2	2,683.1
Dec 2020	2,981.3	2,980.2
Mar 2021	3,260.9	3,266.8
Jun 2021	3,441.8	3,379.8
Sep 2021	3,350.0	3,343.2
Dec 2021	3,149.3	3,204.0
Mar 2022	3,081.7	3,051.9
Jun 2022	2,932.4	2,936.4
Sep 2022	2,848.1	2,878.0
Dec 2022	2,854.6	2,862.2
Mar 2023	2,909.8	2,878.7

Metres drilled, seasonally adjusted and trend

["","Seasonally adjusted","Trend"]

[["Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019","Mar 2020","Jun 2020","Sep 2020","Dec 2020","Mar 2021","Jun 2021","Sep 2021","Dec 2021","Mar 2022","Jun 2022","Sep 2022","Dec 2022","Mar 2023"],[[1439.8],[1407],[1463.3],[1626.7],[1626.4],[1644.6],[1673.4],[1789.2],[1962.1],[2120.1],[2131.9],[2128.5],[2249.8],[2482.9],[2606.1],[2459.7],[2647.4],[2507.5],[2570.9],[2696.1],[2655.7],[2347.5],[2741.2],[2981.3],[3260.9],[3441.8],[3350],[3149.3],[3081.7],[2932.4],[2848.1],[2854.6],[2909.8]],[[1454.9],[1434],[1486.8],[1575],[1628.3],[1647.1],[1689.6],[1806.3],[1959.6],[2076.8],[2123.9],[2167.2],[2291.9],[2439.4],[2542.2],[2567.8],[2551],[2561],[2618.2],[2616.1],[2566.7],[2544.6],[2683.1],[2980.2],[3266.8],[3379.8],[3343.2],[3204],[3051.9],[2936.4],[2878],[2862.2],[2878.7]]]

[]

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[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"'000","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Metres drilled, original series

Fall of 11.9% (338.0km) to 2,513.0km
Existing deposits fell 8.7% (179.1km) to 1,878.4km
New deposits fell 20.0% (158.9km) to 634.6km

Metres drilled, original series
	Total deposits ('000)	New deposits ('000)	Existing deposits ('000)
Mar 2015	1,140.7	242.1	898.6
Jun 2015	1,540.2	438.1	1,103.3
Sep 2015	1,573.5	341.1	1,232.7
Dec 2015	1,682.3	442.4	1,240.2
Mar 2016	1,301.3	306.6	994.8
Jun 2016	1,794.6	418.2	1,376.4
Sep 2016	1,796.9	539.1	1,257.9
Dec 2016	1,842.6	658.7	1,183.9
Mar 2017	1,591.2	484.0	1,117.5
Jun 2017	2,298.7	682.6	1,616.2
Sep 2017	2,294.0	841.6	1,452.4
Dec 2017	2,175.9	766.1	1,409.8
Mar 2018	1,853.6	631.7	1,221.9
Jun 2018	2,672.8	971.8	1,701.0
Sep 2018	2,811.6	1,041.7	1,778.6
Dec 2018	2,494.5	949.3	1,545.2
Mar 2019	2,215.8	755.4	1,460.4
Jun 2019	2,679.7	923.8	1,755.9
Sep 2019	2,780.3	1,115.8	1,664.5
Dec 2019	2,715.2	917.2	1,798.0
Mar 2020	2,252.7	805.7	1,447.0
Jun 2020	2,495.4	850.6	1,644.8
Sep 2020	2,964.8	1,048.5	1,916.3
Dec 2020	2,990.2	1,031.7	1,958.4
Mar 2021	2,793.8	878.4	1,915.4
Jun 2021	3,644.0	1,107.4	2,536.5
Sep 2021	3,622.6	1,160.3	2,462.3
Dec 2021	3,150.3	974.4	2,175.9
Mar 2022	2,654.8	830.2	1,824.6
Jun 2022	3,101.8	869.1	2,232.7
Sep 2022	3,076.9	943.3	2,133.6
Dec 2022	2,851.0	793.5	2,057.5
Mar 2023	2,513.0	634.6	1,878.4

Metres drilled, original series

["","Total deposits","New deposits","Existing deposits"]

[["Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019","Mar 2020","Jun 2020","Sep 2020","Dec 2020","Mar 2021","Jun 2021","Sep 2021","Dec 2021","Mar 2022","Jun 2022","Sep 2022","Dec 2022","Mar 2023"],[[1140.7],[1540.2],[1573.5],[1682.3],[1301.3],[1794.6],[1796.9],[1842.6],[1591.2],[2298.7],[2294],[2175.9],[1853.6],[2672.8],[2811.6],[2494.5],[2215.8],[2679.7],[2780.3],[2715.2],[2252.7],[2495.4],[2964.8],[2990.2],[2793.8],[3644],[3622.6],[3150.3],[2654.8],[3101.8],[3076.9],[2851],[2513]],[[242.1],[438.1],[341.1],[442.4],[306.6],[418.2],[539.1],[658.7],[484],[682.6],[841.6],[766.1],[631.7],[971.8],[1041.7],[949.3],[755.4],[923.8],[1115.8],[917.2],[805.7],[850.6],[1048.5],[1031.7],[878.4],[1107.4],[1160.3],[974.4],[830.2],[869.1],[943.3],[793.5],[634.6]],[[898.6],[1103.3],[1232.7],[1240.2],[994.8],[1376.4],[1257.9],[1183.9],[1117.5],[1616.2],[1452.4],[1409.8],[1221.9],[1701],[1778.6],[1545.2],[1460.4],[1755.9],[1664.5],[1798],[1447],[1644.8],[1916.3],[1958.4],[1915.4],[2536.5],[2462.3],[2175.9],[1824.6],[2232.7],[2133.6],[2057.5],[1878.4]]]

[]

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[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"'000","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"4000","tick_interval":"500","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Petroleum exploration

Total expenditure, seasonally adjusted and trend

Seasonally adjusted rise of 16.3% ($34.3m) to $244.4m
Trend rise of 2.5% ($5.5m) to $228.2m

Petroleum exploration, seasonally adjusted and trend
	Seasonally adjusted ($m)	Trend ($m)
Mar 2015	998.8	944.5
Jun 2015	705.7	762
Sep 2015	578.3	584.9
Dec 2015	460.4	471.4
Mar 2016	451.9	399.7
Jun 2016	284.4	342.4
Sep 2016	350.8	323.7
Dec 2016	316.6	338.9
Mar 2017	381.6	355.1
Jun 2017	332.1	330.6
Sep 2017	280.9	277.6
Dec 2017	225.8	234.1
Mar 2018	208.2	239.5
Jun 2018	309.1	278.7
Sep 2018	306.8	302.8
Dec 2018	315.6	303
Mar 2019	262.2	309.2
Jun 2019	367.4	342.7
Sep 2019	372.1	368
Dec 2019	362.1	350.2
Mar 2020	289.4	292.6
Jun 2020	232.1	247
Sep 2020	225.8	228.9
Dec 2020	252.2	237.1
Mar 2021	242.4	255.4
Jun 2021	279	275.4
Sep 2021	297.8	296.3
Dec 2021	302.5	304.2
Mar 2022	301.5	287.8
Jun 2022	246.9	255.3
Sep 2022	226.8	230.3
Dec 2022	210.1	222.7
Mar 2023	244.4	228.2

Petroleum exploration, seasonally adjusted and trend

["","Seasonally adjusted","Trend"]

[["Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019","Mar 2020","Jun 2020","Sep 2020","Dec 2020","Mar 2021","Jun 2021","Sep 2021","Dec 2021","Mar 2022","Jun 2022","Sep 2022","Dec 2022","Mar 2023"],[[998.8],[705.7],[578.3],[460.4],[451.9],[284.4],[350.8],[316.6],[381.6],[332.1],[280.9],[225.8],[208.2],[309.1],[306.8],[315.6],[262.2],[367.4],[372.1],[362.1],[289.4],[232.1],[225.8],[252.2],[242.4],[279],[297.8],[302.5],[301.5],[246.9],[226.8],[210.1],[244.4]],[[944.5],[762],[584.9],[471.4],[399.7],[342.4],[323.7],[338.9],[355.1],[330.6],[277.6],[234.1],[239.5],[278.7],[302.8],[303],[309.2],[342.7],[368],[350.2],[292.6],[247],[228.9],[237.1],[255.4],[275.4],[296.3],[304.2],[287.8],[255.3],[230.3],[222.7],[228.2]]]

[]

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Onshore, seasonally adjusted and trend

Seasonally adjusted rise of 12.5% ($17.3m) to $155.3m
Trend rise of 2.0% ($2.9m) to $149.5m

Petroleum exploration, onshore, seasonally adjusted and trend
	Seasonally adjusted ($m)	Trend ($m)
Mar 2015	303.1	318
Jun 2015	263.1	263.9
Sep 2015	199.9	197.1
Dec 2015	137.5	136.7
Mar 2016	86.8	93.1
Jun 2016	65.2	72.8
Sep 2016	96.8	79
Dec 2016	72.5	101.7
Mar 2017	146.5	119.7
Jun 2017	119.4	117.3
Sep 2017	92.5	98.5
Dec 2017	73.8	81.2
Mar 2018	85.7	84
Jun 2018	99	94.2
Sep 2018	99.8	102.3
Dec 2018	109	105.9
Mar 2019	110	109.8
Jun 2019	121.1	128.1
Sep 2019	145.9	155.1
Dec 2019	201.6	174.6
Mar 2020	161.5	175.5
Jun 2020	160	159.5
Sep 2020	151.5	144.1
Dec 2020	131	145.4
Mar 2021	160.5	159.2
Jun 2021	186.8	179.8
Sep 2021	189	190.5
Dec 2021	186.5	181.4
Mar 2022	163.4	165.5
Jun 2022	144	151.3
Sep 2022	153.3	145.9
Dec 2022	138	146.6
Mar 2023	155.3	149.5

Petroleum exploration, onshore, seasonally adjusted and trend

["","Seasonally adjusted","Trend"]

[["Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019","Mar 2020","Jun 2020","Sep 2020","Dec 2020","Mar 2021","Jun 2021","Sep 2021","Dec 2021","Mar 2022","Jun 2022","Sep 2022","Dec 2022","Mar 2023"],[[303.1],[263.1],[199.9],[137.5],[86.8],[65.2],[96.8],[72.5],[146.5],[119.4],[92.5],[73.8],[85.7],[99],[99.8],[109],[110],[121.1],[145.9],[201.6],[161.5],[160],[151.5],[131],[160.5],[186.8],[189],[186.5],[163.4],[144],[153.3],[138],[155.3]],[[318],[263.9],[197.1],[136.7],[93.1],[72.8],[79],[101.7],[119.7],[117.3],[98.5],[81.2],[84],[94.2],[102.3],[105.9],[109.8],[128.1],[155.1],[174.6],[175.5],[159.5],[144.1],[145.4],[159.2],[179.8],[190.5],[181.4],[165.5],[151.3],[145.9],[146.6],[149.5]]]

[]

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Offshore, seasonally adjusted and trend

Seasonally adjusted rise of 23.6% ($17.0m) to $89.1m
Trend rise of 3.8% ($2.9m) to $78.9m

Petroleum exploration, offshore, seasonally adjusted and trend
	Seasonally adjusted ($m)	Trend ($m)
Mar 2015	695.7	626.4
Jun 2015	442.6	498.1
Sep 2015	378.4	387.8
Dec 2015	322.9	334.7
Mar 2016	365.1	306.7
Jun 2016	219.2	269.5
Sep 2016	254	244.7
Dec 2016	244.1	237.2
Mar 2017	235.1	235.4
Jun 2017	212.7	213.3
Sep 2017	188.4	179.2
Dec 2017	152	152.9
Mar 2018	122.5	155.5
Jun 2018	210.1	184.5
Sep 2018	207	200.5
Dec 2018	206.6	197.1
Mar 2019	152.2	199.5
Jun 2019	246.2	214.6
Sep 2019	226.1	212.9
Dec 2019	160.6	175.6
Mar 2020	127.9	117.1
Jun 2020	72.1	87.5
Sep 2020	74.3	84.9
Dec 2020	121.2	91.6
Mar 2021	82	96.2
Jun 2021	92.3	95.6
Sep 2021	108.9	105.8
Dec 2021	116	122.7
Mar 2022	138.1	122.3
Jun 2022	102.9	104
Sep 2022	73.5	84.4
Dec 2022	72.1	76
Mar 2023	89.1	78.9

Petroleum exploration, offshore, seasonally adjusted and trend

["","Seasonally adjusted","Trend"]

[["Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019","Mar 2020","Jun 2020","Sep 2020","Dec 2020","Mar 2021","Jun 2021","Sep 2021","Dec 2021","Mar 2022","Jun 2022","Sep 2022","Dec 2022","Mar 2023"],[[695.7],[442.6],[378.4],[322.9],[365.1],[219.2],[254],[244.1],[235.1],[212.7],[188.4],[152],[122.5],[210.1],[207],[206.6],[152.2],[246.2],[226.1],[160.6],[127.9],[72.1],[74.3],[121.2],[82],[92.3],[108.9],[116],[138.1],[102.9],[73.5],[72.1],[89.1]],[[626.4],[498.1],[387.8],[334.7],[306.7],[269.5],[244.7],[237.2],[235.4],[213.3],[179.2],[152.9],[155.5],[184.5],[200.5],[197.1],[199.5],[214.6],[212.9],[175.6],[117.1],[87.5],[84.9],[91.6],[96.2],[95.6],[105.8],[122.7],[122.3],[104],[84.4],[76],[78.9]]]

[]

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[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"250","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"1250","axis_title":"$m","precision":"","table_units":"($m)","tooltip_units":"(m)","axis_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"$","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data downloads

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Time series spreadsheets

Data files

Table 1. Private exploration, actual and expected expenditure
Download xlsx [51.41 KB]
Table 2. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure and metres drilled
Download xlsx [57.56 KB]
Table 3b. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by type of deposit
Download xlsx [67.16 KB]
Table 4. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by state and territory
Download xlsx [71.89 KB]
Table 5. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by mineral sought
Download xlsx [281.65 KB]
Table 6a. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by onshore and offshore
Download xlsx [76.13 KB]
Table 6b. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by type of lease
Download xlsx [67.71 KB]
Table 7. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by state and territory
Download xlsx [150.92 KB]

Data Explorer datasets

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Help for: Data Explorer Datasets

Mineral Exploration - Quarterly mineral exploration expenditure and metres drilled

Petroleum Exploration - Quarterly petroleum expenditure

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Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 8412.0.

Methodology

Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia methodology, March 2023

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APA

Citation

Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia

APA

Citation

Key statistics

Mineral exploration

Total expenditure, seasonally adjusted and trend

Mineral exploration, by deposit type, original series

Mineral exploration, by mineral type, original series

Metres drilled, seasonally adjusted and trend

Metres drilled, original series

Petroleum exploration

Total expenditure, seasonally adjusted and trend

Onshore, seasonally adjusted and trend

Offshore, seasonally adjusted and trend

Data downloads

Time series spreadsheets

Table 1. Private exploration, actual and expected expenditure

Table 2. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure and metres drilled

Table 3b. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by type of deposit

Table 4. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by state and territory

Table 5. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by mineral sought

Table 6a. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by onshore and offshore

Table 6b. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by type of lease

Table 7. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by state and territory

Data Explorer datasets

Inquiries

Previous catalogue number

Methodology

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