Mining has long been a cornerstone of the Australian economy and the gold rushes were pivotal in the early development of the country. Australia is presently in the midst of yet another minerals boom—exhibited by both high prices for, and record export volumes of mineral commodities, especially iron ore and coal. This follows previous minerals booms in the early s and mids.
The present boom is underpinned by high demand for primary commodities in the industrialising economies of China and India. Geologically, Australia is an ancient continent with an abundant supply of minerals. The known deposits have been relatively easy to discover and develop. Australia has relatively flat terrain and is sparsely populated apart from some coastal regions, both aspects advantaging exploration and mine development. Western Australia and Queensland are the most resource-rich states.
Today, the Australian minerals sector accounts for eight per cent of gross domestic product GDP. The growth of mineral commodity exports since —04 has been phenomenal, driven by strong demand for iron ore and coal.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics showed a trade surplus for the June Quarter a rare phenomenon , largely due to increases in both volume and prices for exports of iron ore and coal. Australia has very large reserves of extremely high quality thermal coal used for making steam and generating electricity and coking coal used for steel making located in New South Wales and Queensland.
The first shipment of coal left the mine on 5 June aboard the Kangaroo bound for Hobart. The Plunkett Point mine was the first operational mine in Tasmania. In Queensland, the earliest record of production of coal in the State was in when 12, tons were reported as being won from the Ipswich field but it is widely recognised that coal was being exploited from outcrops in the river bank near Redbank much earlier than this.
End of the survey line 1 chain 50 links to river and marked a gum tree. At this place, I found numerous particles of gold convenient to river. The gold rushes of the s contributed to one of the fastest growth periods for the Australian mining industry.
As the fourth largest mining country in the world after China, the United States and Russia , Australia also has an ongoing demand for high-tech equipment. Global companies like Caterpillar, Liebherr and Komatsu have benefited largely from Australian mining growth in recent years however the country has a range of innovative mining equipment manufacturers that are known worldwide for their quality, safety and efficiency in mining operations.
Geoscience Australia reported in that there are at least operating mine sites in Australia spread across a wide variety of resources. Gold makes up of the total while coal mines total There has been extensive growth in iron ore over the past several years with mines totalling more than There are many different types of mining methods applied to Australian mining operations. Mining methods are often dependent on resources types with coal and iron ore the two most mined commodities we have included information on the Australian mining methods for those commodities.
In contrast to most global production, the majority of black coal mined in Australia is produced from open-cut open cast mines. Mining techniques have dramatically transformed over the development of the mining industry in Australia, with a significant number of technological advances aimed at improving efficiency and the safety and health, while seeking to minimise the environmental impact of Australian mining operations. The two main methods of mining coal in Australia are:.
Open-cut often called open-cast outside Australia mining usually occurs where the coal deposit is close to to the surface. The selection of the method used if often dependent on the economy of scale for removing the overburden material from the coal seam. The mining method in Australia typically involves blasting and removing surface layers of soil and rock to reach the coal seam.
When the coal seam becomes exposed, it is drilled, fractured and the coal excavated for processing. Processing can be dependent on the cleanliness and quality of the coal mined. Open-cut coal mining can be more cost-effective and safer than underground coal mining methods.
However the environmental rehabilitation of sites is costly and must be achieved effectively according to regulatory requirements. Open-cut mining is also used for some iron ore, gold and copper production in Australian mines. Underground mining involves creating tunnels from the surface into the mineral seam, which can be hundreds of metres below the surface. These tunnels are used to transport machinery that extracts the mineral.
This method is also used to mine metallic minerals like gold and copper. The two main types of underground mining in Australia are bord-and-pillar and longwall mining. A newer technique is block-caving , where mineral ores — like gold and copper — are extracted by collapsing the mineral deposits under their own weight. The Australian mining industry has ebbed and flowed with economic cycles. In recent times the Australian mining industry experienced an extended phase of strong growth from around to early and again from into There has been considerable recent investment and construction of major projects.
There are typical variants of these for surface and underground mining. While Australian manufacturers have developed some substantial capital equipment, the vast majority is sourced from overseas and assembled here by the subsidiaries of foreign capital equipment companies. The US is one of the largest exporters of mining equipment to Australia, with Japan, China and Germany being other important sources of imported equipment.
Smaller-scale local manufacturers cater to niche and specialized markets and are particularly competitive in mining-related software, fine coal cleaning and process control, and strata reinforcement technology. There are more than Australian mining equipment and technology suppliers including world leading mining brands. Are you a member of the Australian mining industry? Should your name appear here? Please contact us. Australia is a high-cost labour market and accordingly many mines are seeking to reduce labour costs with automation.
Australian mines operate many semi-autonomous or autonomous vehicles and it is expected that this trend will continue in future years. While the adoption of autonomous technology has been strongest in the Iron Ore sector many other Australian mining operations are considering the benefits of automation.
The Australian mining industry also a leading early adopter of technologies such as mobile and wearable technologies. Australian mining is one of the safety mining industries globally. The industry was traditionally heavily unionised and subsequently miners working conditions and slary levels were one of the best internationally.
In , Australasian Mine Safety Journal was established to provide sharing of information and best practices to the industry. Australian mining safety technology has been at the forefront of the world particularly in gas detection and monitoring, hazard identification and recording and a range of safety monitoring technologies and sensors.
The rarest and most valuable of all are diamond , emerald green beryl , sapphire blue corundum and ruby red corundum. Opal is the national gemstone of Australia. Geoscience Australia houses the National Mineral and Fossil Collection, an impressive selection of some 15 mineral and fossil specimens, of which approximately are on permanent display. The Australian Museum has a section devoted to geoscience in Australia.
The Queensland Resources Council hosts Oresome Resources a website that provides a wide range of educational resources to support teaching and learning about minerals and energy. The Academy assists students with their understanding of, and exposure to, the resources sector and related career paths. The South Australian Government provides educational resources for teachers. The Victorian Government offers an overview of Victoria's geology.
The government also provides minerals information on commodities produced in Victoria. Mineral Resources Tasmania has comprehensive information on Tasmania geology, mining and exploration.
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