INVESTMENT


PRIVATE NEW CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

Between the June and September quarters 2010, the South Australian chain volume (trend) estimate of private new capital expenditure fell by 4.4% to $1,173m. Expenditure on Buildings and structures rose $16m (3.4%) to $519m, whilst expenditure on Equipment, plant and machinery fell $71m (9.8%) to $652m.

Over the same period, private new capital expenditure for Australia rose $409m (1.5%) to $28,061m. Expenditure on Buildings and structures rose 7.3% but expenditure on Equipment, plant and machinery fell 4.8%.

MINERAL AND PETROLEUM EXPLORATION EXPENDITURE

The value of South Australian mineral exploration expenditure (in original terms) was $47.7m in the June quarter 2010; an increase of 41.5% over the previous quarter but 49.9% below the peak recorded in the June quarter 2008 ($95.2m). Australian expenditure on mineral exploration was $637.1m in the June quarter 2010; an increase of 38.7% from the March quarter 2010 estimate ($459.3m).

Exploration expenditure on Copper ($23.0m) accounted for a little under half (48.2%) of all South Australian mineral exploration expenditure in the June quarter 2010. A further $16.4m was spent on exploration for Uranium ($9.7m) and Iron ore ($6.7m).

Data relating to expenditure on petroleum exploration in South Australia (and Victoria) was not available for publication in the June quarter 2010 but it has been included in the national total. Nationally expenditure on petroleum exploration increased by 16.5% from $863.5m to $1,005.9m between the March and June quarters 2010.