Mining in Australia—What You Should Know
Mining in Australia is actually one of the major industries of the country’s economy. In fact, the power of some of these “booms” has often times led to high numbers of immigrants entering Australia. Ever since the 19th century, people have been mining the resources of Australia for silver, lead and copper. There have also been gold rushes, which were responsible for making Victoria the richest colony in the country and making Melbourne the most prominent city. Gold is the primary reason why Australia’s population grew so rapidly in the 19th century.
In addition to these precious metals, there are also other minerals and resources that have been discovered through mining. Iron ore, nickel, gold, uranium, diamond, opal, zinc, coal, petroleum and natural gas are among the most common discoveries. When it comes to iron ore, the country is the world’s second largest producer, and also the second largest producer for gold. It is the third most prolific mining country for uranium and the third most commercially successful company for diamonds. It is currently the largest producer of opal in the world, and makes 95% of the world’s total production. Australia is also the world’s lead coal exporter.
In practically every state and area in the country there is mining potential. However, the Goldfields, Peel and Pilbara regions of Western Australia are frequently mentioned. Other mining friendly areas include the Hunter Valley in New South Wales and the Latrobe Valley in Victoria. Even the famous Outback has great mining potential. Some of the most active mines include the Olympic Dam and the Super Pit gold mine.
Mining operations sometimes come at the expense of natural resources. There is still a significant amount of deforestation observable from the Victorian gold rush days. Uranium mining is also a controversial subject. At the same time, the country does help to lead in international anti-proliferation efforts to ensure that the earth does not suffer because of modern and potentially devastating technology.
What matters is not how far we come in society (in terms of technology and progress), but who is in charge of such great power, and how responsibly such technology is used. There can be mining operations and respect for life, and this is one of the Australian government’s priorities right now.
Locally speaking, you can find more information on mining, minerals and safety by looking up resources in your local region or state.