PRODUCTION AND TRADE OF MINERALS
Mineral production
Tables 18.15 and 18.16 show the quantity and value of selected minerals (including oil and gas) produced in Australia.
In the period 2000-01 to 2004-05 the most significant increases in production were for manganese ore (81%), leucoxene (77%) and iron ore and concentrates (42%). The steady increase in iron ore and concentrate production over this period was driven by increased production in Western Australia, which accounts for 98% of Australian production. There was also a steady increase in saleable black coal, liquefied natural gas and salt.
Production of gold, ilmenite, rutile, zinc, crude oil, lead, natural gas and diamond decreased between 2000-01 and 2004-05 with the largest falls recorded for crude oil (37%), ilmenite (27%) and rutile (23%). Diamond production changed significantly during the period with an increase of 51% in 2002-03 followed by decreases in 2003-04 and 2004-05 of 17% and 30% respectively.
18.15 Mineral commodities produced, Quantity |
| |
| | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | Percentage change from 2000-01 to 2004-05 | |
Metallic minerals | |
| |
Bauxite | Mt | 54.5 | 54.5 | 54.4 | 55.7 | 57.4 | 5.5 | |
Copper (metal content) | ’000 t | 871.5 | 861.4 | 821.7 | 774.7 | 896.1 | 2.8 | |
Gold (metal content) | t | 286.4 | 262.7 | 273.1 | 267.4 | 254.8 | -11.0 | |
Iron ore and concentrate | Mt | 166.7 | 167.4 | 193.6 | 205.1 | 236.2 | 41.7 | |
Lead (metal content) | ’000 t | 688.9 | 684.3 | 653.7 | 663.8 | 642.8 | -6.7 | |
Nickel (metal content) | ’000 t | 167.5 | 179.0 | 192.0 | 182.0 | 180.0 | 7.5 | |
Silver (metal content) | t | 1 999.8 | 1 999.2 | 1 912.9 | 2 018.6 | 2 225.5 | 11.3 | |
Uranium oxide | t | 9 629.6 | 7 717.0 | 9 148.0 | 9 532.0 | 10 963.0 | 13.8 | |
Zinc (metal content) | ’000 t | 1 282.7 | 1 295.6 | 1 326.9 | 1 214.6 | 1 184.4 | -7.7 | |
Fuel minerals | |
| |
Black coal (saleable) | Mt | 258.3 | 272.2 | 274.8 | 283.8 | 305.0 | 18.1 | |
Brown coal | Mt | 65.0 | 66.7 | 66.8 | 66.3 | 67.2 | 3.4 | |
Crude oil | ML | 33 124 | 31 097 | 27 061 | 23 670 | 20 897 | -36.9 | |
Condensate | ML | 6 442 | 6 974 | 7 526 | 6 825 | 7 757 | 20.4 | |
Natural gas | Mm3 | 23 609 | 23 823 | 24 176 | 24 748 | 23 328 | -1.2 | |
LNG | t | 8 260 389 | 7 424 658 | 7 765 874 | 7 787 261 | 11 037 572 | 33.6 | |
Industrial minerals | |
| |
Diamonds | '000 ct | 25 516.8 | 25 785.1 | 38 996.1 | 32 499.1 | 22 791.8 | -10.7 | |
Salt | '000 t | 9 597.3 | 9 403.5 | 10 438.0 | 10 634.7 | 12 260.3 | 27.7 | |
Ilmenite | t | 1 174 415 | 927 593 | 1 133 556 | 905 367 | 859 188 | -26.8 | |
Synthetic rutile | t | 643 274 | 590 804 | 597 274 | 592 178 | 648 796 | 0.9 | |
Leucoxene | t | 39 814 | 39 768 | 38 060 | 51 734 | 70 372 | 76.8 | |
Rutile | t | 205 336 | 204 703 | 192 629 | 189 229 | 158 665 | -22.7 | |
Zircon | ’000 t | 391.9 | 369.9 | 468.4 | 472.6 | 469.2 | 19.7 | |
Manganese ore | t | 1 985 427.0 | 1 914 068.0 | 2 471 981.0 | 3 066 754.0 | 3 584 893.0 | 80.6 | |
| |
Source: Mining Operations, Australia (8415.0). |
The largest increases in percentage terms in the value of minerals production in the period 2000-01 to 2004-05 were for manganese ore (127%) and iron ore and concentrate (67%). The increase in iron ore and concentrate was also the second largest in dollar terms ($3,329m) behind saleable black coal ($6,139m). The most significant decrease in percentage terms was for zinc (27%).
18.16 Mineral commodities produced, Value |
| |
| 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | Percentage change from 2000-01 to 2004-05 | |
| $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | |
Metallic minerals | |
| |
Bauxite | 891 | 986 | 782 | 817 | 862 | -3.3 | |
Copper (metal content) | 2 928 | 2 509 | 2 260 | 2 542 | 3 777 | 29.0 | |
Gold (metal content) | 4 318 | 4 679 | 5 046 | 4 731 | 4 635 | 7.3 | |
Iron ore and concentrate | 5 001 | 5 235 | 5 298 | 5 359 | 8 330 | 66.6 | |
Lead (metal content) | 617 | 623 | 502 | 654 | 830 | 34.5 | |
Nickel (metal content) | 2 278 | 2 034 | 2 528 | 3 139 | 3 613 | 58.6 | |
Silver (metal content) | 562 | 544 | 490 | 530 | 666 | 18.5 | |
Uranium oxide | 493 | 378 | 308 | 382 | 463 | -6.1 | |
Zinc (metal content) | 2 544 | 1 969 | 1 778 | 1 649 | 1 852 | -27.2 | |
Fuel minerals | |
| |
Black coal (saleable)(a) | 11 579 | 14 525 | 12 724 | 11 566 | 17 718 | 53.0 | |
Brown coal | 520 | 533 | 534 | 531 | 843 | 62.1 | |
Crude oil | 10 314 | 8 415 | 7 888 | 6 721 | 8 518 | -17.4 | |
Condensate | 2 189 | 1 868 | 2 207 | 1 925 | 3 008 | 37.4 | |
Natural gas | 2 210 | 2 245 | 2 250 | 2 380 | 2 445 | 10.6 | |
LNG | 2 696 | 2 971 | 3 131 | 2 776 | 3 782 | 40.3 | |
Industrial minerals | |
| |
Diamonds | 633 | 506 | 788 | 520 | 467 | -26.2 | |
Salt | 264 | 273 | 260 | 211 | 239 | -9.5 | |
Ilmenite | np | np | np | np | np | np | |
Synthetic rutile | 409 | 385 | 354 | 307 | 334 | -18.3 | |
Leucoxene | 18 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 22 | 22.2 | |
Rutile | np | np | np | np | np | np | |
Zircon | np | np | np | np | np | np | |
Manganese ore | 211 | 267 | 275 | 282 | 478 | 126.5 | |
| |
np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated |
(a) Excludes production from Tasmania. |
Source: Mining Operations, Australia (8415.0). |
As few minerals can be directly used in the form in which they are mined, most of these undergo processing and treatment before use.
Table 18.17 shows the production of the main manufactured products of mineral origin.
18.17 PRODUCTION OF PRINCIPAL MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS, By mineral origin |
| |
| | | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
METALS | |
| |
Non-ferrous | | | | | | | |
| Alumina | ’000 t | 16 417 | 16 413 | 16 690 | 17 161 | 17 826 | |
| Refined aluminium | ’000 t | 1 809 | 1 855 | 1 877 | 1 890 | 1 890 | |
| Refined copper | ’000 t | 561 | 537 | 459 | 479 | 461 | |
| Lead bullion | ’000 t | 201 | 181 | 143 | 153 | 141 | |
| Refined lead | ’000 t | 275 | 267 | 247 | 234 | 234 | |
| Refined zinc | ’000 t | 572 | 570 | 502 | 464 | 446 | |
| Refined tin | t | 829 | 708 | 553 | 445 | 736 | |
Ferrous | | | | | | | |
| Raw steel | ’000 t | 8 611 | 9 399 | 9 430 | 7 395 | 7 884 | |
Precious | | | | | | | |
| Refined gold | t | 346 | 386 | 397 | 345 | 380 | |
| Refined silver | t | 616 | 672 | 619 | 722 | 655 | |
PETROLEUM | |
| |
Petroleum products | | | | | | | |
| Diesel automotive oil | ML | 13 064 | 13 335 | 12 544 | 12 822 | 10 154 | |
| Industrial and marine diesel fuel | ML | 105 | 117 | 84 | 22 | 31 | |
| Fuel oil | ML | 1 684 | 1 441 | 1 105 | 1 092 | 1 048 | |
| Automotive gasoline | ML | 18 000 | 17 984 | 17 375 | 17 913 | 16 528 | |
BUILDING MATERIALS | |
| |
Clay bricks (standard brick equivalent) | mill. | 1 602 | 1 733 | 1 789 | 1 705 | 1 606 | |
Portland cement | ’000 t | 7 235 | 7 731 | 8 460 | 8 925 | 8 910 | |
CHEMICALS | |
| |
Single superphosphates | ’000 t | 2 052 | 1 423 | 1 446 | 1 594 | 1 309 | |
| |
Source: Manufacturing Production, Australia (8301.0.55.001); Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), 'Australian Mineral Statistics', various issues and 'Australian Commodity Statistics 2006' . |
Exports of minerals
Export earnings of minerals, (including oil and gas) from the Australian resources sector rose to $91 billion (b) in 2005-06, an increase of $22b on the previous year. The resources sector covering minerals and energy production includes some commodities which are processed outside the Mining industry (as defined by ANZSIC).
Tables 18.18 and 18.19 shows the quantity and value of the main mineral commodities exported from Australia. In 2005-06, black coal (including coking and steaming) was the largest export earner ($24b), followed by iron ore and pellets ($13b), refined gold ($7b), crude oil and other refinery feedstock ($7b), copper ($6b), alumina ($5b) and aluminium ($5b).
18.18 EXPORTS OF MINERAL COMMODITIES, Quantity |
| |
| | | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| |
Alumina | kt | 13 168 | 13 572 | 14 073 | 14 499 | |
Aluminium (ingot metal) | kt | 1 551 | 1 546 | 1 512 | 1 615 | |
Coal, black | | | | | | |
| Coking | Mt | 108 | 112 | 125 | 120 | |
| Steaming | Mt | 100 | 107 | 106 | 111 | |
Copper | kt | 687 | 652 | 701 | 791 | |
Diamonds | '000 ct | 32 274 | 24 326 | 32 515 | 27 751 | |
Gold, refined | t | 282 | 315 | 309 | 315 | |
Iron and steel | | | | | | |
| Iron ore and pellets | Mt | 181 | 195 | 228 | 239 | |
| Iron and steel | kt | 3 589 | 3 818 | 2 338 | 2 428 | |
Lead | kt | 735 | 688 | 782 | 756 | |
Manganese ore and concentrate | kt | 2 014 | 2 603 | 3 128 | 3 215 | |
Oil and gas | | | | | | |
| Crude oil and other refinery feedstock | ML | 20 950 | 17 526 | 15 731 | 13 078 | |
| LNG | Mt | 8 | 8 | 11 | 12 | |
| LPG | ML | 3 194 | 2 916 | 2 844 | 2 800 | |
Salt | kt | 10 172 | 10 285 | 12 128 | 10 776 | |
Tin | t | 5 963 | 143 | 1 529 | 1 556 | |
Titanium minerals | | | | | | |
| Ilmenite concentrate | kt | 1 020 | 783 | 633 | 722 | |
| Rutile concentrate | kt | 195 | 146 | 158 | 169 | |
Uranium oxide | t | 9 593 | 9 099 | 11 249 | 10 253 | |
Zinc | kt | 1 548 | 1 369 | 1 427 | 1 337 | |
Zircon concentrate | kt | 445 | 443 | 428 | 435 | |
| |
Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), 'Australian Commodity Statistics, 2006'. |
18.19 EXPORTS OF MINERAL COMMODITIES, Value |
| |
| | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| | $m | $m | $m | $m | |
| |
Alumina | 3 660 | 3 781 | 4 383 | 5 262 | |
Aluminium (ingot metal) | 3 696 | 3 441 | 3 726 | 4 781 | |
Coal, black | | | | | |
| Coking | 7 448 | 6 510 | 10 758 | 17 003 | |
| Steaming | 4 448 | 4 372 | 6 336 | 7 206 | |
Copper | 2 005 | 2 166 | 3 082 | 5 681 | |
Diamonds | 789 | 531 | 650 | 626 | |
Gold, refined | 5 133 | 5 510 | 5 523 | 7 117 | |
Iron and steel | | | | | |
| Iron ore and pellets | 5 342 | 5 277 | 8 120 | 12 832 | |
| Iron and steel | 1 855 | 2 004 | 2 031 | 1 674 | |
Lead | 657 | 728 | 1 041 | 1 295 | |
Manganese ore and concentrate | 312 | 371 | 473 | 424 | |
Oil and gas | | | | | |
| Crude oil and other refinery feedstock | 6 402 | 5 055 | 6 330 | 6 667 | |
| LNG | 2 607 | 2 174 | 3 199 | 4 416 | |
| LPG | 855 | 647 | 804 | 1 002 | |
Salt | 233 | 186 | 226 | 229 | |
Tin | 38 | 1 | 8 | 12 | |
Titanium minerals | | | | | |
| Ilmenite concentrate | 135 | 82 | 63 | 76 | |
| Rutile concentrate | 149 | 94 | 114 | 138 | |
Uranium oxide | 427 | 364 | 475 | 546 | |
Zinc | 1 427 | 1 234 | 1 466 | 2 542 | |
Zircon concentrate | 282 | 260 | 319 | 395 | |
| |
Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), 'Australian Commodity Statistics, 2006'. |
Graph 18.20 shows the value of Australia's four largest mineral exports during the period 1998-99 to 2005-06. Exports of black coal, iron ore and pellets, and crude oil and other refinery feedstock have been growing over this period with crude oil and other refinery feedstock recording the largest increase (254%) followed by iron ore and pellets (234%) and black coal (162%). Refined gold increased 13% for the same period. The increases for black coal exports in 2000-01, 2004-05 and 2005-06 were due to an increase in unit values of coking and steaming coal exports. A similar peak was observed for the export of crude oil occurring in 2000-01. Over the five years following this peak the export values of crude oil and other refinery feedstock fell by more than $1b.
18.20 Exports of selected minerals
The major markets for Australian mineral and oil exports were Japan, China, the Republic of (South) Korea, India and Singapore in the period 1990-91 to 2005-06 (graph 18.21).
Japan was consistently the main destination for Australian minerals receiving 28% ($24b) of total mineral exports in 2005-06. The main minerals exported to Japan were aluminium, coal, copper ores and concentrate, iron ore and pellets, crude oil and other refinery feedstock, LNG and LPG. Of this, coal was the most significant. In 2005-06, 59 megatonnes (Mt) of steaming coal and 44 Mt of coking coal were exported to Japan (54% and 37% respectively of total Australian exports for these commodities). In the same year, 2,201 megalitres (ML) of crude oil and other refinery feedstock, 2,142 ML of LPG and 72,313 kilotonne (kt) of iron ore and pellets were also exported to this country. These exports respectively accounted for 17%, 77% and 30% of Australia's total exports of crude oil and other refinery feedstock, LPG and iron ore and pellets. Aluminium and copper concentrate exports to Japan contributed 34% and 24% respectively of total exports for each commodity.
Other major export destinations in 2005-06 were China, the Republic of (South) Korea, India and Singapore. After Japan, the Republic of (South) Korea was the main market for Australia's black coal with steaming coal amounting to 20Mt (18% of total steaming coal exported). Other major exports to the Republic of (South) Korea included iron ore and pellets, lead concentrate, lead refined, crude oil and other refinery feed stock and zinc ore which accounted for 10%, 26%, 10%, 21% and 28% respectively of export totals. Singapore was a major market for Australian crude oil and other refinery feedstock, importing 3,110 ML in 2005-06, 24% of the total volume exported.
China has become a major export destination for iron ore and pellets, lead concentrate and LPG accounting for 52%, 50% and 14% respectively of total exports for these commodities.
Exports to India have been increasing since 1990-91 with a sharp increase between 2002-03 and 2003-04 (107%). Gold exports to India accounted for 40% (127 tonnes) of Australian exports of gold in 2005-06.
18.21 Exports of mineral commodities, by country of destination
Imports of minerals and petroleum
Many imported mineral and petroleum commodities have had a certain amount of manufacturing applied to their raw forms. Table 18.22 provides details of the major commodities imported in the period 2002-03 to 2005-06. In terms of value, the largest imports for 2005-06 were for crude oil and other refinery feedstock ($13b), followed by other refinery products ($9b). The major sources of Australian imports of crude oil and other refinery feedstock were Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam with a combined value of $7.8b (61% of the total import value for this commodity).
18.22 IMPORTS OF MINERALS AND PETROLEUM |
| |
| | | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
Quantity | |
| |
Diamonds | '000 ct | 3 218 | 2 229 | 2 168 | 4 098 | |
Gold | | na | na | na | na | |
Iron and steel | | | | | | |
| Iron ore and pellets | kt | 4 667 | 5 417 | 4 648 | 5 026 | |
| Iron and steel | kt | 1 306 | 1 583 | 2 116 | 2 191 | |
Petroleum | | | | | | |
| Crude oil and other refinery feedstock | ML | 27 958 | 23 498 | 26 054 | 24 429 | |
| LPG | ML | 299 | 785 | 540 | 598 | |
| Automotive gasoline | ML | 1 673 | 3 242 | 3 131 | 3 697 | |
| Diesel fuel | ML | 1 627 | 3 374 | 3 944 | 6 122 | |
| Other refinery products | ML | 5 194 | 9 762 | 10 648 | 14 534 | |
Phosphate rock | kt | 711 | 723 | 797 | 655 | |
Platinum and platinum group metals | kg | 2 319 | 2 984 | 2 391 | 2 097 | |
Value | |
| |
Diamonds | $m | 302 | 309 | 347 | 403 | |
Gold | $m | 2 957 | 2 559 | 2 462 | 4 800 | |
Iron and steel | | | | | | |
| Iron ore and pellets | $m | 114 | 140 | 145 | 222 | |
| Iron and steel | $m | 1 226 | 1 353 | 2 041 | 2 075 | |
Petroleum | | | | | | |
| Crude oil and other refinery feedstock | $m | 8 610 | 6 594 | 9 995 | 12 839 | |
| LPG | $m | 76 | 166 | 143 | 194 | |
| Automotive gasoline | $m | 569 | 1 168 | 1 463 | 2 348 | |
| Diesel fuel | $m | 561 | 1 134 | 1 933 | 4 076 | |
| Other refinery products | $m | 1 971 | 3 428 | 4 979 | 8 575 | |
Phosphate rock | $m | 50 | 41 | 49 | 42 | |
Platinum and platinum group metals | $m | 64 | 86 | 59 | 70 | |
| |
na not available |
Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), 'Australian Commodity Statistics, 2006' and 'Australian Mineral Statistics', various issues. |
Graph 18.23 shows imports of selected major minerals and petroleum during the period 1999-2000 to 2005-06. The imports of crude oil and other refinery feedstock were significantly larger than the imports of other minerals particularly in 2004-05 and 2005-06. While the volumes of imports of crude oil and other refinery feedstock fluctuated over the period 1999-2000 to 2005-06, the large changes in the value of imports were mainly due to significant unit value rises in 2000-01, 2004-05 and 2005-06.
18.23 Imports of selected mineral commodities