Australian Mining and Exploration

A National Perspective

Dr Anthony Budd

Resources Advice, Assessment and Mineral Promotions

Geoscience Australia

Photo by Yu Kato on Unsplash

Federation Australia

Established Resources Sector

2017-18

Exports 69% A$217 bn

A$103 bnGDP 6%

Japan accounts for 14.9% of Australia’s total exports

Employment 2% Direct

Mining is in Australia’s

DNA

Commodity World Ranking

Resources Production

Black Coal 4 4

Iron Ore 1 1

Gold 1 2

Bauxite 2 1

Copper 2 5

Lead 1 2

Zinc 1 3

Nickel 1 5

Lithium 3 1

Rare Earths 6 2

Uranium 1 3

LNG * <10 2

Geoscience Australia, Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources 2018

* Office of the Chief Economist, Resources and Energy Quarterly June 2018

World leading resources and production

>400 operating mines

Australia’s geological context

Outcrop and subcrop of limited extent (bright colours)

Extensive regolith cover (~80 %, pale colours)

Major mines and deposits in bedrock dominated areas

Geological features continue under cover (e.g. aeromagnetics)

Australia is largely

unexplored at

depth and has

significant

greenfields

potential

O Major mineral deposit

The greyscale background represents aeromagnetic data(0.5 first vertical derivative of magnetic intensity)

Mines, deposits and occurrences of Technology Minerals

National innovative exploration strategy

http://www.coagenergycouncil.gov.au/publications/national-mineral-exploration-strategy-december-2012

Best geoscientific information – free!

Analysis – mineral potential mapper Mafic-related Ni-Cu-PGE

Exploration for the Future – a collaborative program

Increasing exploration expenditure

0

2000

4000

6000

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10000

12000

0

500

1000

1500

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2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18

Explo

ration

drillin

g (00

0m

)Ex

plo

rati

on

exp

en

dit

ure

($

mill

ion

)

Financial year

Total expenditure Total drilling

Exploration expenditure versus metres drilled (June 2018)

Increasing exploration expenditure

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18

Exp

lora

tio

n e

xpe

nd

itu

re (

$ m

illio

n)

Financial year

Copper

Nickel-Cobalt

Gold

Iron ore

Coal

Uranium

Silver-Lead-Zinc

Minor

Exploration spend by commodity (June 2018)

Significant new discoveries - gold

Significant new discoveries – base metals

Significant new discoveries – tech minerals

Australia Minerals for information

www.australiaminerals.gov.au

Australia Minerals for information

Mineral resources information Projects and exploration Publications

Infrastructure Legislation, regulations and guidelines

Conferences and events

• Minerals and Petroleum and the Australian Economy

• Exploring for minerals & petroleum

• Role of Government• Foreign investment guidelines and

business entry into Australia• Onshore and offshore approvals

processes

• Industry growth centres• Social licence to operate (CSR)• Mine health and safety

• Working visas, immigration and skills• Indigenous engagement• Transport infrastructure

• Equipment, technology and services• Tariffs and customs duty concessions• Taxation – general, petroleum and

minerals

• Contacts

Australia Minerals for information

Geoscience Portal Uncover Geoscience Australia

Investing in Australian Resources

Australia –

a minerals innovation powerhouse

For free national and regional geoscientific datasets visit:

www.geoscience.gov.au

www.australiaminerals.gov.au

Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org