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MINERAL AND PETROLEUM EXPLORATION EXPENDITURE

SEPTEMBER KEY FIGURES, Western Australia
	Sep qtr 2010	Jun qtr 2010 to Sep qtr 2010	Sep qtr 2009 to Sep qtr 2010
Mineral Exploration Expenditure (a)	$m	% change	% change
Trend estimates	361.9	5.0	32.0
Seasonally adjusted estimates	355.7	0.9	28.7
(a) Excluding petroleum Source: Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia (cat. no. 8412.0).

• In the September quarter 2010, total expenditure on minerals exploration increased for the fifth consecutive quarter, climbing above $360 million in trend terms. This expenditure value surpasses the previous peak level reached two years earlier, before the global financial crisis saw expenditure fall by 25% in late 2008 and early 2009.

Mineral Exploration Expenditure, Total Minerals

• Exploration expenditure in WA increased (in original terms) across a wide range of minerals between the September quarter 2009 and the September quarter 2010. The most notable annual increases were for Gold (up 49%) and Nickel, cobalt (up 46%).
• In the September quarter 2010, petroleum exploration expenditure was nearly 14% lower than in the previous quarter but only marginally lower than in the corresponding quarter of 2009.

MINERAL AND PETROLEUM EXPENDITURE(a), By selected minerals: Original - Western Australia
		Copper	Silver, lead, zinc	Nickel, cobalt	Gold	Iron ore	Total minerals(b)	Total petroleum
		$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
2009
	September	7.9	4.4	46.1	70.7	134.2	298.9	603.9
2010
	June	15.4	7.2	54.3	109.0	142.3	366.3	692.3
	September	19.2	7.2	67.4	105.3	136.2	384.6	597.1
(a) Includes expenditure on Western Australia leases in the Zone of Cooperation Area B.
(b) Includes minerals not separately listed in the table.
Source: Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia (cat. no. 8412.0).