According to new data released by the Government of Western Australia’s Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) today, more than 112,000 people were directly employed in WA’s mining industry in the 2017-2018 recording period – which is more than any other time in the state’s history.
The employment figures were revealed in the DMIRS’ latest statistics release covering 2017-18 and outlined that production was worth almost $115 billion and included record sales volumes across a number of commodities.
The document highlighted that mineral commodities still dominate Western Australia’s resources sector, accounting for 77 per cent, or $88 billion, of total sales value. Iron ore was by far the most valuable commodity in the report, accounting for 70 per cent of mineral sales and 54 per cent of overall sales in the state over the period.
Gold sales volumes increased for the third year in a row to reach a record 212 tonnes in 2017-18, while Alumina and Bauxite sales accounted for 7.5 per cent of mineral sales and 6 per cent of total sales. Additionally, the report found that Western Australia’s mineral and petroleum industry reported record sales of $114.9 billion, up $10 billion from the previous year. This was the second highest financial year sales value on record, behind only the $123 billion achieved in 2013-14, with several commodities reaching record production levels including gold, iron ore, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and lithium.
The report also found that LNG saw the largest increase in value, climbing from $12.7 billion to $19.1 billion, coming off the back of a 32 per cent increase in production. LNG remains to be the state’s most valuable petroleum product, accounting for close to 17 per cent of all mineral and petroleum sales in 2017–18. The value of LNG sales value rose just over $6 billion from $12.7 billion in 2016–17 to $19.1 billion in the recording period.
Acting Mines and Petroleum Minister, Francis Logan commented on the report this morning, stating that these latest statistics demonstrate the strength of Western Australia’s resources sector.
“It’s pleasing to see record job numbers, as well as record production and sales in our resources industry,” Mr Logan announced.
“We are committed to supporting industry investment in Western Australia’s diverse and record-setting sector and the opportunities it brings to our economy,” he said.
More information on the latest DMIRS statistics release can be found here.
