The mining sector in Australia is thriving. One of the main reasons for this is because Australia has a significant supply of mineral, non-mineral, and hydrocarbon reserves. These reserves are often high quality and located close to the Earth’s surface, meaning Australian mining companies are able to be price competitive on a global scale. If you want to learn more about the Australian mining sector, then keep reading below:
What Minerals Are Mined in Australia?
Australia is well-known in the mining industry as the lucky country. Although this notion was first used as an insult to Australian culture, there’s no denying that when we compare the number of mining opportunities in Australia to the rest of the world, they possess enviable wealth. Australia has an abundance of raw minerals that exist under the soil.
Mineral exports currently make up 35% of Australia’s total exports. One of the main reasons why this number is so high is because Australia is located on the doorstep of China. Being located so close to China, Australia’s economy is in the prime location to exploit the Chinese economic market. As the population of China has grown, so has their need for industrial materials. Research has shown that over the last few years, Australia has played a significant part in providing China with the industrial materials it needs.
Although China isn’t Australia’s only trading partner, the list of minerals that Australia exports shows just how strong the Australian and Chinese economic relationship is. Some of the most well-known mineral exports include coal, iron ore, gold, and lead. In fact, Australia is currently the world’s second biggest exporter of gold and the biggest exporter of coal in the world.
Getting Approval for Coal Mining in Australia
It has recently become much more difficult to obtain approval for new coal mines in Australia. Companies wanting to mine in Australia now have to produce stringent reports on the effect of mining on the water table and water quality.
However, the mining industry in Australia still remains optimistic, and development and exploration of nickel, copper, gold, and battery minerals continue.
Mining Development Stages
Mining in Australia is completed in three main stages:
- Exploration – the first stage of the process is exploration. Mining companies must apply for a permit or license before carrying out exploration activities. While this permit gives companies conditional access to the land they want to explore, it doesn’t give them the right to start mining.
- Retention development license – companies who are granted this license are allowed to evaluate potential mining activities. They are also allowed to stop development until it is commercially viable.
- Mining lease – if a mining company discovers minerals during the exploration phase, they will need to apply for a mining lease. This lease usually allows companies to extract the minerals and dispose of them or sell them.
The Main Types of Equipment Used for Mining in Australia
The mining industry is made up of five main sections – gas and oil extraction, coal mining, metal ore mining, non-metal mineral mining and other activities such as transportation. Although each of these segments require the use of specific equipment, there are a number of pieces of equipment used throughout the industry. These include:
- Excavators – traditionally, miners used shovels to remove earth, but miners today rely on excavators to do this work for them.
- Draglines – these are huge earth moving machines. They are used to pull away dirt and expose underlying minerals. Draglines are some of the largest machines on the planet.
- Drills – miners who extract oil and gas rely on drills to reach underground deposits. Drills are also used by coal and mineral miners to create holes in the ground. These holes are then filled with explosive charges to blast away sections of earth. The Rotary Blasthole Surface Drill Rig is one example of a blast hole drilling rig for mining excavation. If you’re looking for drill rigs for your company then contact Complete Field Maintenance. They specialise in surface drill rigs and supply a variety of quality pieces of equipment and Epiroc parts. This company prides themselves on supporting Australia’s mining industry with trusted quality parts and services.
- Roof bolters – these large machines force bolts into roofs. They are used to support tunnel roofs and prevent them from collapsing.
- Longwall miners – this type of machinery is used to remove big rectangular pieces of coal from the coal bed.
- Continuous miners – these machines are used to scrape coal from the coal bed. They can be controlled remotely if needed.
- Shuttle cars and scoops – these vehicles are used to transport coal from the coal bed to a safer part of the mine. Once there, miners use basic scoops and haulage vehicles to move their load.
- Rock duster – rock dusters are used to spray inert mineral dust over coal dust. The mineral dust helps to prevent accidental fires from occurring.
The Regulatory Framework of Mining in Australia
The regulatory framework for mining in Australia is split into three levels of government:
- Australian Federal Government – the Australian Federal Government are in charge of things like trade and customs, corporation law, taxation, international agreements, and foreign investment law.
- State and Territories – this level of government is responsible for things like land administration, collecting royalties on the minerals found and mining health and safety.
- Local governments – local governments are responsible for looking after the community’s needs. They will usually take care of things like the upkeep of roads and town services.
Australia is a nation blessed with large mineral resources. While nearby metropolitan resources in Australia are mostly exhausted now, huge mineral deposits are still being located in the back of beyond. These hard-to-find resources are essential materials required for modern electronics and other contemporary materials. Thanks to the abundance of mineral resources they possess, we’re likely to see the Australian mining sector continue to thrive over the coming years.