Major mineral deposits in Australia. Geology and minerals of Australia

Since ancient times, people have flocked to Australia in search of gold and for the rich pastures where they raised huge numbers of livestock. Modern research has shown that the continent has a huge amount of reserves of different types of minerals.

Australia now ranks first in the world in the production of iron ore, bauxite, lead and zinc, 2nd in uranium mining (after Canada), and 6th in coal mining.

Relief features of Australia

In ancient times, Australia was an integral part of Gondwana, one of the two largest continents. Australia broke away around the end of the Mesozoic era, and now most of the continent rests on an ancient platform. Therefore, the relief of Australia is dominated by plains, where the richest deposits of sedimentary rocks are located. About 95% of the country's territory does not rise above 600 m above sea level.

A narrow strip of plateau stretches along the western coast. These are the Western Australian Plateau (average heights - 200 m) and the MacDonnell Range (with the highest peak of Zyl - 1511 m). There are deposits of oil, gas, iron ore, bauxite, titanium, and gold here.

The center of the continent is dominated by lowlands. The lowest point in Australia is recorded in the Lakes Eyre region - minus 16 m from sea level. Copper, manganese, and opals are mined in this area.

In the east of the continent there is the Great Dividing Range - these are high mountains with steep slopes, mainly of volcanic origin, made of limestone, granite and volcanic rocks. This mountain system stores considerable reserves of hard and brown coal, rich deposits of oil and gas, tin, gold, and copper. The highest peak of the continent is located here - Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m). The largest Australian rivers, the Murray and Darling, originate on the slopes of the Great Dividing Range.

Types of minerals

Iron ore- a mineral formation containing large amounts of iron. In terms of iron ore production, Australia, together with Brazil and China, provides 2/3 of world production. The largest deposits have been discovered in the north-west of the mainland - these are the Mount Newman and Mount Goldsworth basins. Ore is also mined in South Australia (the largest deposit is Iron Knob). The Australian company BHP Billiton is one of the world's three largest concerns for the production of iron ore raw materials. This concern alone provides the world with about 188 million tons of ore. Currently, Australia is also the world's largest exporter of ore. Each year, more than 30% of world exports come from this country.

Bauxite- a complex rock from which aluminum is mined. Australia ranks second in the world in terms of bauxite deposits, second only to Guinea. According to experts, more than 7 billion tons of valuable ore are stored on the southern continent, which amounts to almost 26% of the world reserve. In Australia, bauxite is found in mountainous areas. The largest deposits: Weipa (Cape York), Gov (Arnhem Land), Jarrahdale (on the slopes of the Darling Range).

Polymetals- complex ore containing a whole set of chemical elements, of which the most important are zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold. Large deposits of polymetallic ores have been discovered in New South Wales (Broken Hill deposit), in Queensland (Mount Is deposit) and in the north of Australia (Tennant Creek deposit).

Gold- a valuable metal that has found application not only in jewelry, but also in electronics, the nuclear industry, and medicine. Australia ranks 4th in the world in gold production. More than 225 tons are mined here every year. The main gold deposits are concentrated in the southwest of the mainland - in the state of Western Australia. The largest mines are located near the cities of Kalgoorlie, Wilun and in Queensland.

Coal- the most important type of fuel of organic origin. According to experts, almost 9% of the world's coal reserves are concentrated in Australia - that's more than 76.4 billion tons. The main coal basins are located in eastern Australia. The largest deposits are in the states of New South Wales and Queensland.

Oil and natural gas- valuable fuel resources, of which Australia does not have many (compared to other countries, and even more so continents). The main deposits of oil and gas were discovered on the shelf near the coast. The largest oil fields are: Mooney, Alton, Bennett (Queensland), Kingfish (Victoria) and on Barrow Island. The largest gas field is Ranken.

Chromium- a metal used in heavy industry. Rich deposits of chromium have been discovered in Australia. Large deposits: Gingin, Dongarra (Western Australia), Marlin (Victoria).

By production diamonds and opals Australia ranks first in the world. The largest diamond deposit is located in the area of ​​Lake Argyle. And most of the opals (2/3) are found in South Australia. The unusual underground city of Coober Pedy is also located here, which is often called the opal capital of the world. Most of the housing in the city is located in underground mines.

Resources and deposits

Mineral resources. Australia is one of the world's five largest suppliers of mineral raw materials. The mining industry provides a third of the country's total industrial output. Australia's mineral raw materials are exported to more than 100 countries around the world.

Water and forest resources Australia is small. In terms of water supplies, it is the poorest continent on earth. There are few rivers, and 90% of rivers dry up during the dry season. Only the Murray and its tributary, the Murrumbidgee, maintain a constant flow throughout the year. The main forest areas are located in the east and west of the continent. Thickets of eucalyptus trees are especially valued.

Land resources Australia is vast, but almost 44% of the continent is desert. However, semi-deserts and steppes are used for extensive pastures. Sheep breeding is very developed, which is often called the “business card” of the Australian economy. The country occupies a leading position in the world in the production of meat and butter.

Fertile soils are located in steppe regions. They grow mainly wheat. Rich harvests of sugar cane, tobacco, and cotton are also harvested. Recently, winemaking and viticulture have been increasingly developing.

This continent got its name from the Latin language. In it, the word “southern” is consonant with the name of Australia. And this is no coincidence, because it is entirely located in the southern part of the globe. In terms of the total area it occupies (which is about 7.6 million square kilometers), Australia is rightly considered the smallest continent on our planet. For this reason, some scientists tend to classify it as an island continent. Most of the coast is washed by the salty waters of the Indian Ocean and only on one, eastern side, by the Pacific Ocean.

The mainland is located at a great distance from other regions of the world, so most trade routes pass away from it. The shores are not rich in deep bays, the most convenient of which are located in the southeast. The main port area of ​​the Australian continent is located there. The waters surrounding Australia are warm even in winter - not lower than +20 degrees Celsius. This creates a favorable environment for the existence of corals, of which a great variety grows off the coast of the mainland. It is for this reason that the famous Great Reef stretches along the coast of Australia, reaching a length of more than two thousand kilometers.

Due to its geographical location, Australia is an isolated continent. This greatly influenced its development both in terms of culture and species diversity of animals and plants.

Landforms and minerals of Australia

In the past, the continent was not separated from the common mainland as it is now; Australia was an integral part of Gondwana. But towards the end she separated and began to gradually move away until she reached her current position. Now the basis of the Australian continent is the Pre-Cabrian platform, the foundation of which has a crystalline structure. In some areas of the continent it comes to the surface, forming shields, especially in the northern, western and central regions. But most of the platform is hidden under a layer of sedimentary rock, equally of marine and continental origin.

The most striking elements of the relief of the Australian mainland are the following: the Central Lowland, the height of which does not exceed one hundred meters above sea level; The East Australian Mountains, based on the Great Dividing Range (up to a thousand kilometers in height) and the Western Australian Plateau. It is also the only continent of the globe where there are no glaciated mountain peaks, and are completely absent. Although in the past there was violent tectonic activity here. This is evidenced by extensive basins and cones dating back to ancient times.

Australia's mineral resources are rich in diversity. Geological discoveries made in just the last ten years have managed to put it in first place in the extraction of bauxite and lead-zinc ores. The ores of Australia are shown on the map in the Hamersley area. The deposits near this ridge have been developed for more than half a century and do not threaten to be exhausted in the foreseeable future. Iron ore is also mined on the continent's largest island, Tasmania, and on smaller islands in the northwestern region.

Australia's polymetallic minerals, which include primarily zinc and lead with traces of copper and silver, are located in the desert regions of South Wales. Another important center for the extraction of polymetals is the state of Queensland and already named. Small deposits are scattered throughout the continent, but not everywhere there is such active mining as in these key points. In addition, Australia has significant gold reserves. The largest ones are found in areas where the foundation is raised, while the smaller ones can be found in almost every state in the country.

The state of South Wales is also famous for its extensive coal deposits. Although this mineral is found throughout the eastern part of the continent, the main developments occur in the cities of Wales. In addition to the above, not so long ago, considerable gas and oil deposits were discovered deep in the bowels of the Australian mainland. Some of them have been successfully developed recently. The country is also actively mining chromium, clay, sand and limestone.

The geological structure of Australia is the simplest compared to other continents. The continent consists of two parts - an ancient Precambrian platform occupying the western and central territory, and a folded belt of Late Proterozoic and Paleozoic age in the east. The boundaries of the platform are determined by faults in various directions. In the north, west and south, the platform also includes the underwater outskirts of the continent. The eastern limit of the platform is hidden under the sedimentary cover of the Great Artesian Basin.
The Australian platform is one of the largest on Earth. A distinctive feature of its structure is the alternation of protrusions of the ancient foundation and younger depressions. Outcrops of metamorphosed and volcanic rocks of the folded basement form three shields - Western Australian, North Australian and South Australian; within the first, remains of the most ancient crystallization nuclei that arose more than 3 billion years ago were discovered. In the structure of the North Australian and South Australian shields, separated by a strip of increased mobility and deep subsidence, the main role is played by Proterozoic formations.

Geochronological table

Minerals of Australia

Australia has the largest deposits of bauxite, lead, zinc, iron ore, nickel, and uranium. Non-metallic minerals include rich deposits of phosphorites and table salt. There are large reserves of combustible minerals - hard and brown coal; in the 60s of the twentieth century, the largest resources of natural gas and oil were discovered. Of the leading types of mineral raw materials, only chromium, molybdenum, platinum, beryllium and a few others are poorly represented.
The most diverse and large mineral deposits are concentrated within the Australian Platform. Metal ores are associated with the Archean and Proterozoic projections of the basement, the sedimentary cover in the area of ​​platform structures contains deposits of non-metallic minerals, oil and gas basins are confined to the depressions and troughs of the platform and to the arched uplifts of the shield.
New discoveries of mineral ores made on the continent over the past 10-15 years have propelled the country to one of the first places in the world in reserves and production of minerals such as iron ore, bauxite, and lead-zinc ores.
The largest deposits of iron ore in Australia, which began to be developed in the 60s of our century, are located in the Hamersley Range in the north-west of the country (the Mount Newman, Mount Goldsworth, etc. deposits). Iron ore is also found on the islands of Kulan and Kokatu in King's Bay (in the north-west), in the state of South Australia in the Middleback Range (Iron Knob, etc.) and in Tasmania - the Savage River deposit (in the valley of the Savage River).
Large deposits of polymetals (lead, zinc with an admixture of silver and copper) are located in the western desert part of the state of New South Wales - the Broken Hill deposit. An important center for the extraction of non-ferrous metals (copper, lead, zinc) developed near the Mount Isa deposit (in Queensland). Deposits of base metals and copper are also found in Tasmania (Reed Rosebery and Mount Lyell), copper in Tennant Creek (Northern Territory) and in other places.
Bauxite occurs on the Cape York Peninsula (Waipa deposit) and Arnhem Land (Gove deposit), as well as in the southwest, in the Darling Range (Jarrahdale deposit).
Manganese-containing ores are found on Groot Island - in the Gulf of Carpentaria and in the north-west of the country - in the Pilbara region. Uranium deposits have been discovered in various parts of the mainland: in the north (Arnhem Land Peninsula) - near the South and East Alligator rivers, in the state of South Australia - near Lake. Frome, in Queensland - the Mary Catlin field and in the western part of the country - the Yillirri field.
The main deposits of hard coal are located in the eastern part of the mainland. The largest deposits of both coking and non-coking coal are developed near the cities of Newcastle and Lithgow (New South Wales) and the cities of Collinsville, Blair Athol, Bluff, Baralaba and Moura Keanga in Queensland.
Geological surveys have established that in the bowels of the Australian continent and on the shelf off its coast there are large deposits of oil and natural gas. Oil is found and produced in Queensland (Mooney, Alton and Bennett fields), on Barrow Island off the northwest coast of the mainland, as well as on the continental shelf off the southern coast of Victoria (Kingfish field). Gas deposits (the largest Ranken field) and oil were also discovered on the shelf off the northwestern coast of the continent. Australia has large deposits of chromium (Queensland), Gingin, Dongara, Mandarra (Western Australia), and Marlin (Victoria).
Non-metallic minerals include clays, sands, limestones, asbestos, and mica, which vary in quality and industrial use.
However, the greatest interest is in the huge reserves of precious metals and stones - gold, diamonds, topaz, sapphires. We will look at them in more detail.
In the 50s of the 19th century, the first Australian gold deposits were found in the cities of Bendigo and Ballarat near Melbourne. This sparked a gold rush and the rapid growth of Melbourne. The deposits were quickly exhausted, but by this time others had already been discovered, and Australia, producing 100 tons of gold per year, took first place in the world in terms of this indicator. Currently, Australia produces 3% of the world's gold production and 38% of diamonds. More than 80% of Australia's total gold production occurs in Western Australia. Large deposits of placer and vein gold are found in the southern desert region of western Australia. Small villages of gold miners became quite large cities. These are, first of all, Kalgoorlie (the East Kalgoorlie deposit is especially rich) and Coolgardie. Kambalda, Leonora, Wiluna, and East Murchison are very rich in gold reserves. Moreover, near the Murchison Ridge, gold lies very close to the surface, so there are excellent conditions for prospecting. Other important gold areas in Western Australia include the Pilbara, Northman, Nobis, Yampie Sound and others.
5% of Australian gold is mined in the Northern Territory. One of Australia's richest gold deposits is located a few kilometers from the town of Tennant Creek - Nobis Knob. Other deposits include Batchelor and Mary Catlin. Queensland gold makes up 4% of the Australian total. The Townsville, Mount Morgan, Mount Isa, Charters Towers, Mount Coulon, Prosepan, Emerald, Mooney and other mines play an important role in the Queensland economy. Gold is also found in river alluvium. The oldest gold mines in Bendigo and Ballarat (Victoria) are attracting gold-mining tourists with renewed vigor. The mines have long been abandoned, but you can still find “remnants of former luxury” in them. It is also worth noting deposits in Tasmania and Roxty Downs in South Australia. In general, in Australia, mainly ore gold is mined, the share of associated gold does not exceed 1%.
Until the late 60s, it was believed that there were no diamonds in Australia. The first large deposit was discovered in 1976 in the area of ​​Lake Argyle, 120 km from the city of Kununnarra in the north-eastern part of Western Australia. In 1979, a very rich deposit was found there - the AK-1 pipe. Reserves are estimated at 61 million tons. The yield of precious stones is 6.8 carats 3 per ton. Australia soon took first place in the world in diamond production (29 million carats). In terms of the content of jewelry stones in the ore, northwestern diamonds are inferior to diamonds from South Africa and Botswana. But this is compensated by a higher concentration of precious stones per unit of rock. Thus, 1 ton of lamproite from the AK-1 pipe contains approximately 25 times more diamonds than the average in the world’s deposits, which makes Australia many times more attractive for diamond prospecting. 5% of Australian diamonds are gem quality, 40% semi-gem quality and 55% technical. In addition to Argyle, diamonds are mined on the Mitchell Plateau (Western Australia), in the central subtropical region of the Great Dividing Range.
Australia is the world's leading supplier of opals. 2/3 of Australia's opals are produced by the state of South Australia. They are mined in the desert areas in the north of the state (Andamooka and Coober Pedy). Moreover, the method of extracting opals has remained unchanged since the 19th century. The main role is played by the shovel, pickaxe and the miner’s working hands. Large opal deposits are found in western Queensland and northern New South Wales. Black opals from northern New South Wales (Latning Ridge) are especially valuable. Black opals are not found anywhere else in Australia, and they are very rare in the world.
Near the city of Rockhampton, on the Buxland Plateau (Queensland), large deposits of sapphires were found.
Pearls also play an important role among Australia's mineral resources. The most popular areas for pearl fishing are located in Exmouth Bay, near the northern tip of Cape York, in the Great Barrier Reef near Cairns, near Broome and in Darwin Harbor. Cultured pearls are also grown in Australia. In the waters of the Arafura Sea and Van Diemen Bay, the first experiments were carried out to create special cages for breeding pearl mussels. It is much cheaper and faster to grow pearls in these areas than in Japan and the United States. Artificial pearls are stronger than natural pearls and do not fade over time. However, real pearls are more popular, especially among divers.

Australia Precious Minerals Map(I put up the badges myself!)

AUSTRALIA, Commonwealth of Australia, is a state within the Commonwealth (British). Located on the mainland of Australia, the island of Tasmania and small coastal islands: Flinders, King, Kangaroo, etc. Area 7.7 million km 2. Population 14.9 million people (1981). The capital is Canberra. Administratively, Australia is divided into 6 states and 2 territories. The official language is English. The currency is the Australian dollar.

General characteristics of the farm. By the beginning of the 1970s. According to basic economic indicators, Australia entered the top ten capitalist countries. The country's GDP in 1981 was 130.1 billion Australian dollars at current prices. GDP structure: manufacturing 18.4%, trade and services 13%, construction 7%, transport and communications 6.6%, agriculture and forestry, fishing 4.3%, mining 3.8%, electric power 2.9 %, other 44%. Electricity production 100.1 billion kWh (1980/81).

Main industries: mining, chemical, electrical, metallurgical and automotive. In the structure of the country's fuel and energy balance, about 78% comes from hydropower, 19% from hydropower, and 3% from liquid fuel (mid-1970s). Length of railways. 44.8 thousand km (1981), about 812 thousand km. About 75% of freight and passenger transportation is carried out by road transport. The main ports are Newcastle, Sydney, Melbourne, Port Kembla.

Nature. The relief of Australia is dominated by plains, about 95% of the surface does not exceed 600 m. The Western Australian Plateau, the Central Lowlands and the Great Dividing Range are distinguished on the territory of Australia. The average height of the Western Australian Plateau is 400-500 m. Within its limits in the east are the Musgrave ridge (Woodroffe, 1440 m) and McDonnell (Zile, 1510 m), in the north - the Kimberley massif (height up to 936 m), on in the west - the flat-topped Hamersley Range (height up to 1236 m) and in the southwest - the Darling Range (height up to 582 m). The prevailing height of the Central Lowlands is up to 100 m (1-12 m in the Lake Eyre area). In the east of the country there is the Great Dividing Range with a steep, highly dissected eastern slope and a gently stepped western slope, turning into hilly foothills (downs). In the southern part of the ridge is the highest point in Australia - Mount Kosciuszko (2230 m).

About 2/3 of Australia is characterized by a semi-desert and desert climate. In the north, the climate is equatorial, monsoonal and hot, summer-humid, in the central part it is tropical, desert, in the south it is subtropical with predominant winter precipitation; the average temperature in July is 12-20°C, in January 20-30°C. The amount of precipitation decreases from east to west from 1500 mm to 300-250 mm per year. About 60% of the territory is occupied by areas of internal drainage with rare temporary watercourses (“screams”), and there are salt lakes (Eyre, Torrens, Amadies, etc.). The most abundant river is the Murray (Murri); its main tributary is the Darling. Vast areas of inland and western Australia are occupied by deserts (Great Sandy, Victoria, Gibson); 3% of the area is forests.

The geological structure of Australia is an ancient platform, framed in the east by the Hercynian folded region - the Tasmanian geosyncline, or the Tasmanian belt of Paleozoic folding. See map.

Hydrogeology. There are more than 33 wells in Australia with a total area of ​​about 4,800 thousand km2 (most of the wells self-flow). The most significant basins include: Great Artesian, Murray, Moreton-Clarence, Eucla, Officer, Georgina, Canning, Carnarvon, Perth. The area of ​​the Murray Basin is 320 thousand km 2, the depth is from 60 to 500 m, the average salt content is 1-14 g/l or more. The Yukla and Officer basins have a total area of ​​380 km 2, water depths of 40-400 m; Georgina basin - 325 thousand km 2, aquifer depths 100-750 m, up to 11 g/l; The depth of the aquifers in the Carnarvon and Perth basins is up to 750 m, the water is fresh and brackish. Total consumption is about 20% of water used.

In terms of reserves of heavy sands, Australia ranks 2nd among industrialized capitalist and developing countries (1982). They are confined to coastal-marine placers of the eastern and southwestern coasts (the largest deposits of Eniba, Capel-Bunbury, Southport, Hammock Hill, Hexham-Tomago, etc.). The sands contain minerals (,), (zircon) and rare earths (). The content of heavy minerals varies sharply (from a few% to 60%).

The largest gold deposits are: Kalgoorlie, Telfer (total reserves 3.8 thousand tons, Au content 9.6 g/t), Norsmen. All are located in Western Australia. Ore-bearing areas are quartz veins and zones of hydrothermal alteration, confined to the Upper Archean sedimentary-volcanogenic strata of greenstone belts. Stratiform quartz-dolomite ore bodies of the Telfer deposit (Pilbara region) occur in Upper Proterozoic sedimentary rocks. In the Norsmen deposit, in addition to gold-sulfide veins, loose rocks containing up to 19 g/t Au are mined. Gold mineralization was also discovered at the Jabiluka uranium deposit.

Australia has large resources, among which the noble and. Unique deposits of precious opal, discovered in the mid-19th century, are located in the southeast of the country in the states of South Australia (Coober Pedy, Andamooka), New South Wales (Lightning Ridge, White Cliffs) and Queensland (Yowah, Hayricks). All of them are associated with chemical weathering crusts of sandy-shale rocks of the Cretaceous and Paleogene of the Great Artesian Basin. The largest opal deposit is Coober Pedy; The main source of the famous black opals is the Lightning Ridge deposit. Sapphire deposits are concentrated in the state of Queensland (Anaki) and New South Wales (Inverell, Glen Innes) and are represented by sapphire-bearing Paleogene-Neogene alkaline basalts. , and are also systematically mined. Chrysoprase of good quality is found in nickel-bearing weathering crusts (Marlborough deposit in the state of Queensland, etc.), rhodonite - in Paleozoic siliceous-shale-spilite strata (Tamworth in the states of New South Wales, etc.). B 1970s Intensive development of jade deposits in serpentine marbles began on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. In 1978, a promising deposit of ruby ​​was discovered in Precambrian skarnirovny marbles in the Northern Territory. In Australia there are also deposits associated with kimberlite pipes (mainly in Western Australia, Ellentail-Fitzroy deposit, 26 pipes) and diamond-bearing placers (mostly in the state of New South Wales).

In terms of reserves, Australia ranks 4th among industrialized capitalist and developing countries (1982). Phosphorite deposits are confined to Cambrian sedimentary deposits of the Georgina Basin (Queensland and Northern Territory strain). The largest deposit is Duchess, the total reserves of which are 1418 million tons, the content of P 2 O 5 is 18%.

The country has known deposits in the state of New South Wales (Barraba deposits - total reserves of 34 million tons, Sherlock, Asbestos Point), (Mount Seabrook, Three Springs, Mount Fitton), (Oraparina, North Paul, Camp Field), (in South Australia), (Napier Downs, Yinnitharra, Mount Plenty), (Coppio, Kendenup, Donnelly), pyrite (Brookung, Iron King), (McLeod), bentonite clays (Scone), sand and in coastal marine and alluvial deposits.

History of mineral resource development. The oldest evidence of the use of stone for making tools in Australia dates back to the Upper Paleolithic (about 35 thousand years ago), when the development of this continent by people is supposed to have begun. Apart from stone, until the discovery and settlement of Australia by Europeans (starting in the 17th century), there was no widespread use of other non-metallic mineral resources. B 90s The mining industry began in the country in the 18th century. Its appearance is associated with the beginning of the exploitation of coal deposits near Newcastle in New South Wales. B 40s In the 19th century, deposits were discovered, and in the 50s - gold. The Gold Rush contributed to the accumulation of capital in the country and the growth of extractive industries (Fig. 1).

Extracted from Victoria (87%) and New South Wales, it accounted for half the value of all Australian mining output and about 40% of global production. B was dominated by English companies. In the initial period (1851), 150 thousand people were employed in the gold mines. Over time, the number of workers began to decline (83 thousand people in 1861, 36 thousand people in 1881). B 60s Australia has taken 3rd place in the world in copper ore mining. This was facilitated by the discovery of rich deposits of copper ore in South Australia - in 1843 Kapunda, in 1845 Burra-Burra.

In the 2nd half of the 19th century. The development of coal and iron ore deposits begins in New South Wales, Tasmania, and Victoria. In 1872-73, Australia became the world's largest producer of tin (13 thousand tons per year, about 25% of world production), which was mined in Tasmania and New South Wales. In the latter, with the discovery of the richest deposits of Broken Hill in 1882, a “silver boom” began. By the beginning of the 40s. In the 19th century, about 70 million tons of ore were mined. At the end of the 80s. In the 19th century, after some decline, the development of the gold mining industry acquired a new scope. The rise was associated with the discovery of deposits in Queensland (Mount Morgan, 1882) and Western Australia (Kimberley, 1885, and a particularly rich one - Kalgoorlie, 1892-93).

In the mid-90s. There were about 300 companies in London exploiting the Australian gold fields. The maximum production volume occurred in 1903-04 (up to 56,700 kg per year). During the period from 1901 to 1911, Australian gold accounted for 18.3% of world production (about 50% was mined in Western Australia). By the beginning of the 20th century (following the example of gold mining enterprises in New Zealand), scoop and dredges with a sand elevator pump began to be used in mines; sand processing began using and. This made it possible to begin secondary mining of old dumps. B 10s The 20th century began an intensive growth in brown coal production in Victoria (from 3 thousand tons in 1913 to 2.6 million tons in 1933).

Mining. General characteristics. Australia is one of the 5 largest producers of mineral raw materials in the world (for the location of mountain objects, see the map). Its cost in the country has been since the late 60s. until the beginning of the 80s. increased almost 3 times, amounting to 5.8 billion Australian dollars in 1978. In the total value of mining industry products in 1978, coal was (%) 31.4, iron ore 15.2, oil and gas 13.4, copper, lead, zinc 10.7, nickel 3.9, bauxite 3.9. Australia accounts for a significant share of the world's mining and production of rutile, bauxite, ilmenite, alumina, nickel ores, lead, iron, and zinc (Table 2). At the end of the 70s. about 60% of production was controlled by foreign capital, mainly American, British and Japanese. Foreign monopolies own more than 50% of the production capacity of iron ore, coal, oil and 35-50% of mineral sands, silver ores, lead, zinc, and tin.

The country's mining industry is export-oriented: of the 14 main types of mineral raw materials mined in the country, 10 are exported by 70%. The share of mineral raw materials in the value of exports has increased from 10% in the 50s. up to 25% in 1970 and 37% in 1980. Of the total value of exports of mining products in 1980 there were (%): coal 24, iron ore, pellets, cast iron and steel 22.5, bauxite and alumina 14, copper, lead , zinc 13, nickel 4.5, oil and gas 5.5, rutile, zircon, ilmenite 3.5. Australian minerals are exported to more than 100 countries. In 1979, more than 50% of its value came from Japan, 10% from the USA, 20% from the EEC countries, incl. 8% for the UK. At the same time, about 80% of all exported iron ore, 75% of coal, more than 50% of copper and bauxite, and over 40% of zinc were exported to Japan. The USA accounted for 33% of ilmenite and rutile exports, 15% of lead; for the EEC countries - 63% lead, about 50% bauxite, 40% copper, 35% ilmenite and rutile.

The country's mining industry is developing rapidly: in 1968-78, capital investments in the industry amounted to 11.2 billion Australian dollars, in 1979-80 - 1 billion Australian dollars per year. By 1990, it is planned to put into operation 45 mining enterprises. The total costs for the implementation of these projects are estimated at 10 billion dollars, incl. for oil and gas production 3.1 billion, 2.9 billion, 1.9 billion, 1.1 billion dollars. The prospects for the development of the Australian mining industry and the export of products from this industry are assessed as very favorable. According to forecasts, by 2000, coal exports will increase to 185 million tons, iron ore to 188 million tons, bauxite to 14 million tons, alumina to 13 million tons, aluminum to 2 million tons, copper to 600 thousand tons, lead up to 500 thousand tons, zinc up to 640 thousand tons.

Oil and gas industry. The birth of Australia's oil industry is associated with the discovery of the Rough Range field in 1953. Oil and gas production on an industrial scale in the country has been carried out since 1960 (Muni oil field, etc.). Australia's oil and gas industry meets only 70% of the country's raw material needs (1981). The largest oil and gas exploration and production company in Australia is the American monopoly ESSO. Together with the Australian company "Broken Hill Proprietary CoMr. Ltd." (“GNR”) operates in the Gippsland Basin. The English monopolies Shell and British Petroleum (BP) are also involved in the development of oil and gas fields. Approximately 94% of the country's oil and 45% of its gas come from the Bass Strait fields. The fields are exploited from offshore drilling platforms at a distance from the coast from 25 to 80 km (well depth 1400-2300 m). Oil and gas are also produced in the Western Coastal, Northwestern, Central Intracratonic and Inland East Australian Basins. In 1980, oil production was carried out mainly from 409 wells, incl. 71 in Bass Strait, 305 on Barrow Island, 25 in Queensland and a few with minor yields in Dongara. Since the beginning of industrial development, the total volume of oil produced in Australia has increased several times, reaching 20.5 million tons in 1979, incl. in Bass Strait 19.2 million tons, on Barrow Island 0.6 million tons, Mooney field (Queensland) 0.06 million tons. Natural gas is produced from approximately 130 wells (10.7 billion m 3 in 1980). The Bass Strait field accounts for 4.8 billion m3, and the state of South Australia has 4.5 billion m3. The rest of the gas comes from the gas-bearing region of Western Australia (Barrow-Dongara-Mondarra region) and the fields of the Roma region (Queensland). The number of people employed in exploration, field development, and oil and gas production is about 2.2 thousand people.

In the early 80s. 12 operated with a total capacity for direct oil refining of 37 million tons per year and cracking capacity of 8 million tons. The largest enterprises are, as a rule, located near the main areas of consumption of petroleum products and are connected to oil and gas fields. These include plants in Kernell, Sydney (6 million tons), Geelong (5 million tons), Queenan (5.2 million tons), Alton, Me

Australia is one of the world's leading mineral producers. The country produces 19 different species in very significant quantities from nearly 400 active mines. Minerals are mined in all states, the Northern Territory and Christmas Island. There are no developments in the capital region other than quarries used for the extraction of crushed stone and other building materials.

Minerals are an important part of the Australian economy, accounting for 10% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012-13. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that approximately 266,000 people were employed in the mining industry in June 2012.

Resources and production

Minerals are Australia's largest export. According to the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE), industrial exports (excluding oil and gas) were about US$107 billion in 2012-13, accounting for about 59% of goods and services exports and 71% of merchandise exports. export. Australian mining companies trade freely on the global market. The main export markets are China, Japan, South Korea and India.

The country is one of the most significant producers of mineral fertilizers in the world, in addition to which it has a large resource reserve of most major raw materials. Australia is the world's leading producer of bauxite, ilmenite, iron ore, rutile and zircon; second largest producer of gold, lead, lithium, manganese ore and zinc; third largest uranium producer; fourth - black coal (also the largest exporter), nickel and silver; and the fifth - cobalt, copper and diamonds.

Australia has the world's largest deposits of gold, iron ore, lead, nickel, rutile, uranium, zinc and zircon, and the second largest resources of bauxite, cobalt, copper, ilmenite, niobium, silver, tantalum and thorium. Australia's deposits of black and brown coal, magnesite, tungsten, lithium, manganese ore, rare earth elements and vanadium are among the top five in the world.

Geoscience Australia compiles annual National Mineral Resource Inventory reports based on information released publicly by mining companies to estimate Australia's mineral resources. Geoscience Australia also produces large-scale maps showing the country's mineral deposits and regional distribution for a wide range of mineral products.

Information on mineral resource production and exports is published quarterly by BREE in its Resources and Energy Quarterly Report, along with commodity price, consumption, trade and supply forecasts.

History of mining

Mining development in Australia began in 1800, when coal mining began near Newcastle in New South Wales. Metals development began with lead mining at Glen Osmond (South Australia) in 1841, and soon after at Kapunda (South Australia) in 1842.

Gold mining played an important role in the country's development following the initial gold rushes near Bathurst in southern New South Wales, Ballarat and Bendigo in Victoria in the 1850s and 1860s, and at Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in the Goldfields of Western Australia in the 1890s. Development of the major metal deposits - Broken Hill (discovered in 1883), Mount Isa (1923) and the Golden Mile in Kalgoorlie (1893), now known as the Super Pit - continues to this day and is a key factor for further development these regions.

Other mining developments of major economic importance to the country were the expansion of the Hunter Valley and Bowen Basin coal mines, the Hamersley Basin iron mines in the 1960s and 1970s, and the copper, gold and uranium production of South Australia. in the 1980s.

Development of new deposits

Mining development follows a standard pattern - first exploration using a range of geological, geophysical and/or geochemical tools, followed by drilling to locate and evaluate mineralization. If these steps provide encouraging results, more detailed work is carried out to assess the size and quality of the deposit, followed by preliminary analysis to assess the economic potential.

Where there is potential benefit, a feasibility study is conducted to assess the commercial viability of mining, including mine planning: commercial assessment of the mineable portion of the deposit, metallurgy, value and market potential of the ore mined, and the full costs of mine development including infrastructure, production, expenses for financing and closure or restoration.

international trade

The main importers of Australian minerals and metals are China, Japan, South Korea, India and the European Union, which is one of the world's largest consumers of non-ferrous metals. Australian coal and iron ore are typically sold to customers based on a quarterly agreed contract price, which is set using various benchmarks.

Most base metals (copper, lead, zinc and nickel) are traded internationally on the London Metal Exchange; with smaller volumes they are sold directly or through small exchanges - Comex and NYMEX in the USA or the Shanghai Futures Exchange in China. Other goods are usually traded outside international clearing schemes through direct sales at agreed prices. The market for a number of smaller volume products is dominated by one or more dominant suppliers.