Exploration and discovery of Australia's copper, nickel, lead and zinc resources 1976-2005
Dataset Identification:
Resource Abstract:
Examination of copper, nickel, lead and zinc (base metals) exploration expenditure and discovery in Australia over the period
1976-2005 reveals some significant trends. Australia's base metal resource inventory grew substantially as a consequence of
successful exploration over the period, both through addition of resources at known deposits and new discoveries, notably
a small number of very large deposits that underpin the resource base. In 2005, Australia had the world's largest economic
demonstrated resources (EDR) of nickel, lead and zinc, and the second largest EDR of copper. Growth in nickel resources has
been especially strong owing to discovery of large laterite resources in the late 1990s. Resource life, in average terms based
on current EDR and production, is approximately 30 years for lead and zinc, 40 years for nickel sulphide (120 years for all
nickel EDR) and 50 years for copper. Despite this success, major increases in production over the period (copper, nickel and
zinc output increasing 3-4 fold, lead output doubling) and a fall in discovery rates during much of the 1990s means that resource
life for lead and zinc is lower and nickel sulphide comparable now to that in 1976; only the resource life of copper has grown
substantially over the period. Current published ore reserves are sufficient for at least 15 years operations at current production
levels, but only a small number of the largest deposits currently being mined are likely to still be in production in 20 years.
However, several mines have substantial inferred resources that may allow production beyond current mine reserves and there
is a substantial number of undeveloped deposits that may provide the foundation for extended or new mining operations. The
discovery record is strongly cyclical with resource growth for all the base metals punctuated by the discovery of giant (world-class)
deposits each decade: these underpin current and future production. Recent higher metal prices and renewed interest in base
metals, especially nickel, has reversed a 10 year decline in base metal exploration attended by reduced rates of discovery
and resulted in record expenditure, new nickel, copper and zinc discoveries, and increased resources at a number of existing
deposits, notably the Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit. With the exception of the Prominent Hill copper-gold and West
Musgrave nickel-copper deposits, most of the recent discoveries, especially zinc (-lead) deposits, are of small tonnage (some
of high grade). Nevertheless, these new discoveries have helped stimulate further exploration and also highlight the potential
for further discoveries in little-explored provinces, especially those under regolith and shallow sedimentary cover.
Citation
Title Exploration and discovery of Australia's copper, nickel, lead and zinc resources 1976-2005
Metadata standard for this record:
ANZLIC Metadata Profile: An Australian/New Zealand Profile of AS/NZS ISO 19115:2005, Geographic information - Metadata
standard version:
1.1
Metadata record identifier:
a05f7892-fa9c-7506-e044-00144fdd4fa6
Metadata record format is ISO19139-2 XML (MI_Metadata)