Australia's Identified Mineral Resources 1997

Resource Abstract:

In 1996, Australia's Economic Demonstrated Resources (EDR) of cobalt, gold, nickel, phosphate rock and tantalum increased substantially, while EDR of bauxite, lead, lithium, platinum group metals (PGM), silver and zinc rose slightly. There was a significant reduction in EDR of gem and near gem diamond and industrial diamond due to ongoing high levels of production. Magnesite and tin EDR were also significantly reduced as a result of depletion due to production and reassessment of deposits. EDR of all other commodities remained unchanged or had minor reductions.Australia continues to rank highly as one of the world's leading mineral resource nations. It has the world's largest EDR of bauxite, lead, mineral sands (ilmenite, rutile and zircon), silver, tantalum, uranium and zinc. In addition, its EDR is in the top six worldwide for black coal, brown coal, cobalt, copper, gold, iron ore, lithium, manganese ore, nickel, rare earth oxides, gem and near gem diamond and industrial diamond.Mineral exploration expenditure rose by 7.5% in 1995-96 to $960.2 million from $893.3 million in the previous year. Increases were recorded in all states and the Northern Territory. Gold was again the main target, accounting for 57% of the total expenditure.In 1995-96 mineral resources exports increased to a new record of $34.7 billion (thousand million), a rise of 12.7% over the previous fiscal year. These export earnings comprised 60% of Australia's commodity exports, 45% of merchandise exports and 35% of the country's total exports of goods and services. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) forecast export earnings to set a further record in 1996-97, rising by nearly 4% to over $36 billion.

Citation

Title Australia's Identified Mineral Resources 1997

publication  Date   1997

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Lambert, I.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name McKay, W.J.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Huleatt, M.B.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name David, L.J.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Towner, R.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Elliott, B.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Girvan, S.W.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Miezitis, Y.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Jaireth, S.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Perkin, D.J.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Porritt, K.R.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name McKay, A.D.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Rossiter, D.G.

cited responsible party - author

individual Name Sait, R.

Topic Category:  geoscientificInformation

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