Lyla Lindsey
Western Australia is a treasure trove of mineral resources, with its mining towns being the lifeblood of the state's economy. Mining and the petroleum industry in Western Australia accounted for 94% of the state's exports in 2019-20. The state is also home to the world's biggest plantations of both Indian and Australian sandalwood. Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, with an area of 2,527,013 square kilometres and a population of 2.66 million as of the 2021 census. It is made up of nine regions, including the Perth Metropolitan Region, which is home to around 2.4 million people. With its vast deserts and mountains, Western Australia is one of the last frontiers on Earth.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,660,026 as of the 2021 Australian census |
| Population density | 1.11 / km2 |
| Population centres | Perth, Bunbury, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Albany, Karratha, Broome, Port Hedland |
| Population of Perth | 2,400,000 |
| Population of Perth metropolitan area | 2,043,138 in June 2017 |
| Area | 2,527,013 square kilometres |
| Number of regions | 9, including Perth Metropolitan Region |
| Mining towns | Coolgardie, Leonora, Boulder, Wiluna, Norseman, Laverton, Kalgoorlie, Port Hedland, Newman |
| Important mines | Coolgardie Gold Mine, Gwalia Gold Mine, Fimiston Super Pit, Wiluna Gold Mine, Harlequin Gold Mine, Thunderbox Gold Mine, Super Pit, Koolan Island mine, Woodie Woodie mine, Butcherbird mine, Argyle diamond mine |
| Important industries | Mining, petroleum, fishing, pearling, tourism, agriculture, forestry, shipbuilding, cement and building product manufacturing, flour milling, food processing, animal feed production, automotive body building, printing |
| Important agricultural products | Wheat, beef, lamb, wool, sandalwood |
| Tourism statistics | 833,100 international visitors in the year ending March 2015 |
| Top tourism source markets | United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand |
| Mountain ranges | Stirling Range, Hamersley Range |
| Highest mountain | Mount Meharry (1,251 m) |
| Most prominent mountain | Bluff Knoll (1,100 m) |
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What You'll Learn
Western Australia's gold mines
Western Australia is one of the world's top mineral producers, with gold being one of the commodities produced in large quantities in the state. The history of gold mining in Western Australia goes back to the 1890s when more than a third of the colony's population was located in the Eastern Goldfields. By 1903, the gold mining industry in Western Australia reached its peak, but it started to decline with the outbreak of the First World War. The effects of the war, including a reduction in the workforce as many miners enlisted in the armed forces and a decrease in overseas investment, led to a significant drop in gold production by 1920.
The Western Australian gold mining industry experienced a revival in the 1930s due to multiple factors, including a rise in gold prices, government incentives, increased foreign investment, and the discovery of the Golden Eagle nugget in Coolgardie, which attracted many prospectors to the state. However, the outbreak of the Second World War caused another decline in the industry. Gold mining in the state recovered temporarily after the Second World War, but by the mid-1960s, it had declined once more, reaching its lowest point in 1976.
The discovery of nickel in the region and advancements in technology led to a resurgence in gold mining by the mid-1980s. Mines like the Super Pit at Kalgoorlie incorporated former surface and underground operations into a large open pit. The Super Pit, owned by Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM), is one of Australia's largest open-pit gold mines and is located adjacent to the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. The KCGM operations include the Fimiston Open Pit (Super Pit), Mt Charlotte Underground Mine, and the Fimiston and Gidji Processing Plants.
Other notable gold mines in Western Australia include the Golden Mile, which was the state's top-producing mine in 2008-09, producing 20 tonnes of gold. The Telfer mine produced 18.1 tonnes, and the St Ives mine produced 13.4 tonnes in the same period. The Boddington Gold Mine, with a project cost of US$2.9 billion, is the biggest gold project to commence production in the state in 2009, with a capacity of producing 900,000 ounces of gold annually. The Mount Monger Operations, consisting of the Daisy Milano and Mount Belches underground mines, and the Aldiss open-pit mine, are also significant gold mining projects in the state.
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Iron ore and LNG
Western Australia's mining industry, together with the petroleum industry, accounted for 94% of the state's income from total merchandise exports in 2019-20. Western Australia's mineral and petroleum industry was valued at $174 billion in 2019-20, up from $145 billion in 2018-19. Iron ore was the most important commodity in Western Australia in 2019-20, accounting for 60% of sales in the state's mineral and petroleum industry. The petroleum sector, consisting of oil and gas, followed in second place with 22% of the overall value.
Iron ore mining in Western Australia dates back to 1948 when it took place at Wundowie and later at Koolyanobbing to feed the Wundowie charcoal iron blast furnaces. However, it wasn't until the Australian government lifted the embargo on iron ore exports in 1960 that mining took off in the state. The first mine in the Pilbara, the Goldsworthy mine, was developed in 1965. By the mid-1970s, iron ore production in Western Australia had reached 100 million tonnes. Today, the bulk of iron ore production in Western Australia comes from the Pilbara region, with some mines also located in the Mid West, Kimberley, and Wheatbelt regions. Rio Tinto and BHP are the two largest producers, accounting for 90% of all iron ore production in the state in 2008-09. Rio Tinto operates twelve iron ore mines in the Pilbara region, while BHP operates seven.
The iron ore industry in Western Australia is a major employer, with 62,950 full-time equivalents (FTEs) in 2023-24, up by more than 1,700 FTEs from the previous year. The industry has a high level of automation, with many companies operating equipment and vehicles remotely from Perth to improve safety and efficiency. Rio Tinto, for example, operates autonomous trucks, trains, and drills at its mines, and its Gudai-Darri mine has a fleet of autonomous haul trucks.
LNG is also a significant industry in Western Australia, with exports valued at approximately A$27 billion in 2018. LNG exports are expected to continue growing, but prices are set to moderate as oil prices ease and global supply outstrips demand growth. Western Australia's petroleum industry consists of projects that produce oil, gas, and condensates from onshore and offshore fields. Many of these projects have associated processing plants for LNG exports and domestic gas sales.
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Coal mining
Western Australia has a substantial mining industry, with coal playing a relatively small role in the state's economy. Coal mining in Western Australia currently occurs at the Premier Mine (Yancoal) and, until September 2022, the Griffin Mine (Griffin Coal Mining Company). In Collie, two mines are in operation, producing coal that is used almost exclusively in power stations. In 2011/12, approximately 6.9 million tonnes of coal were produced in Western Australia, with 5.19 million tonnes produced in 2021-22, valued at A$325 million.
The Western Australian economy is highly specialised and trade-dependent, with mining and mineral processing as the dominant industries. The value of the coal industry has remained relatively constant, with a slight increase in sales to A$319 million in 2019. Employment in the mining and petroleum industry has sharply increased over the last decade, from 85,163 in 2010 to an average of 135,001 in 2019-20.
Coal has a variety of uses, including power generation, mineral sands production, and as an ingredient in shampoo, conditioner, cosmetics, toothpaste, and detergents. The earliest recognised use of coal dates back to around 4000 BC in China, where black lignite was carved into ornaments. In Western Australia, black coal mining began in 1846 at Irwin River. Today, black coal resources can be found in Western Australia, with significant brown coal resources in the Eucla Basin.
The Western Australian government and related departments like the Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration aim to support the development of a sustainable and responsible resources industry, providing educational resources and opportunities for engagement. The state also offers incentives for mineral and energy exploration, with the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia awarding research grants to companies like Victory Metals.
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Mineral and petroleum industry
Western Australia's mineral and petroleum industry is a significant contributor to the state's economy, accounting for 94% of the state's total merchandise export income in 2019-20. The industry's value has seen a steady increase over the years, with a value of $174 billion in 2019-20, up from $145 billion and $43 billion in 2018-19 and 2005-06, respectively.
The Western Australian Government received A$4.9 billion in royalties from the iron ore mining industry in 2019, a 288% increase from a decade earlier. Iron ore mining is primarily carried out in the Pilbara region, which accounted for 98% of the state's total iron ore production in 2018-19. In 2019-20, iron ore was the most important commodity in Western Australia, making up 60% of sales in the state's mineral and petroleum industry. The petroleum sector, including oil and gas, followed closely behind, contributing 22% of the overall value.
The Western Australian mining and petroleum industry has experienced a sharp rise in employment over the last decade, increasing from 85,163 in 2010 to an average of 135,001 employees in 2019-20. The largest employers within the industry are the iron ore and gold sectors, employing 48.5% and 23.4% of the industry's workforce, respectively.
Western Australia is a significant producer of various commodities, ranking in the top ten globally in the share of the world's total production for over a dozen commodities in 2023. In addition to iron ore and gold, other important commodities include alumina, nickel, copper, lead, zinc, lithium, mineral sands, salt, coal, cobalt, rare earths, and diamonds. The state also produces LNG, which was its most valuable petroleum product in 2018-19, accounting for 20% of all mineral and petroleum sales.
The regulating authority for the Western Australian mining and petroleum industry is the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. This department is responsible for ensuring the responsible and sustainable development and management of the state's mineral and energy resources, including compliance with environmental requirements and legislative frameworks.
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Active quarries and mines
Western Australia's mineral and petroleum industry is a highly specialised and trade-dependent sector, with mining and mineral processing as the dominant industries. In 2019-20, the state hosted 123 predominantly higher-value and export-oriented mining projects, along with hundreds of smaller quarries and mines.
The largest employers in the industry are the iron ore and gold sectors. In 2021-22, Western Australia produced 69% of all gold in Australia, employing 36,087 people. Iron ore was the most important commodity in Western Australia in 2019-20, accounting for 60% of sales in the state's mineral and petroleum industry.
Western Australia's mining sector has transformed the state's economy. Gold finds in the 1890s brought unprecedented numbers of people and capital to the state. In more recent times, the state's second major resource boom was stimulated when the Commonwealth Government lifted the iron ore export embargo in 1960.
Lithium mining has also grown in importance. In 2021-22, Western Australia was the world's largest producer of lithium, accounting for 52% of world production.
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Frequently asked questions
Western Australia is made up of nine regions, as well as the Perth Metropolitan Region.
Perth is the largest city in Western Australia, with an estimated population of 2,043,138 in June 2017.
Western Australia's population is approximately 2.8 million people, with a population density of 1.11 / km2.
Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, covering 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi).
Mount Meharry is the highest point in Western Australia, reaching a height of 1,251 m (4,104 ft) above sea level.
