Western Australia’s resources industry has set new records in 2024, with gold sales reaching an all-time high and alumina recording its strongest sales since before the pandemic.
Employment in the mining sector climbed to a historic peak, with 135,693 on-site full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, marking the eighth consecutive year of employment growth and reinforcing the state’s status as a powerhouse of Australia’s economy.
The surge in employment was supported by robust mineral and petroleum sales, which totalled $223 billion.
Iron ore led the sector with $128 billion in sales — the third-highest result on record — driven by strong prices and near-record volumes.
Gold sales soared to a record $24 billion amid global economic uncertainty, despite a slight dip in production, while alumina achieved $7.4 billion in sales, its highest value since 2018-19, buoyed by strong pricing.
The industry also saw significant contributions from lithium and nickel, although both were affected by weaker global markets, with sales of $5 billion and $3.2 billion respectively.
Exploration activity remained vigorous, with near-record mineral exploration expenditure of $2.5 billion focused on key commodities such as gold, iron ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, lithium, and rare earths.
More than $32 billion was invested in the resources sector over the year, and $48 billion worth of mining, petroleum, and associated infrastructure projects are currently committed and under construction, underscoring ongoing industry confidence and a strong investment pipeline.
WA Premier Roger Cook highlighted the state’s economic strength, stating: “The record jobs growth in WA’s mining sector shows there is no better place in the world to get a quality job, with iron ore, gold, LNG and alumina all big contributors to the state’s jobs boom.”
He further affirmed the government’s commitment: “My government will continue to work hard to diversify our economy for the future and make more things here, as part of our Made in WA plan.”
Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael added: “More than 135,000 people are now employed in our resources sector — the highest on record — showing the industry’s vital role in creating jobs for Western Australians.”
