Mining in Australia 5418677 224968012 2008-07-11T06:21:41Z Lightbot 7178666 Units/dates/other [[Image:Kalgoorlie The Big Pit DSC04498.JPG|thumb|right|350px|[[Super Pit gold mine]] at [[Kalgoorlie, Western Australia|Kalgoorlie]] in [[Western Australia]] is Australia's largest [[Open-pit mining|open-pit]] mine]] '''Mining in Australia''' is a significant [[primary industry]] and contributor to the [[economy of Australia]] and encouraged [[immigration to Australia]]. Many different ores and minerals are mined throughout the country. == Brief history == Mining contributed significantly to preventing potential bankruptcy for the early colonies in Australia. [[Silver]] and later [[copper]] were discovered in [[South Australia]] in the 1840s, leading to the export of ore and the immigration of skilled miners and smelters. The first economic minerals discovered in Australia were silver and [[lead]] in February 1841 at [[Glen Osmond, South Australia|Glen Osmond]], now a suburb of [[Adelaide]] in South Australia. Mines including [[Wheal Gawler]] and [[Wheal Watkins]] opened soon after. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/glenosm.htm |title=The Glen Osmond Mines |publisher=Flinders Ranges Research |work=South Australian History |accessdate=2006-06-05 }}</ref> The value of these mines was soon overshadowed by the discovery of copper at [[Kapunda, South Australia|Kapunda]] (1842), <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/kapunda.htm |publisher=Flinders Ranges Research |work=South Australian History |accessdate=2006-06-06 |title=Kapunda}}</ref> [[Burra, South Australia|Burra]] (1845) <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/burra.htm |publisher=Flinders Ranges Research |work=South Australian History |accessdate=2006-06-06 |title=Burra}}</ref> and in the [[Copper Triangle]] ([[Moonta, South Australia|Moonta]], [[Kadina, South Australia|Kadina]] and [[Wallaroo, South Australia|Wallaroo]]) area at the top of [[Yorke Peninsula]] (1861).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/moonta.htm |publisher=Flinders Ranges Research |work=South Australian History |accessdate=2006-06-06 |title=The Moonta Mine}}</ref> In 1851, gold was found near [[Ophir, New South Wales]]. Weeks later, gold was found in the newly established colony of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]. [[Australian gold rushes]], in particular the [[Victorian Gold Rush]], had a major lasting impact on Victoria, and on Australia as a whole. The gold rush coloured every aspect of Australian society and elements of it are still clearly visible today. The influx of wealth that gold brought soon made Victoria Australia's richest colony by far, and [[Melbourne]] the islands largest city. Australia's population changed dramatically as a result of the gold rushes: in 1851 the population was 437,655 and a decade later it was 1,151,947; the rapid growth was predominantly a result of the [[new chums]] (recent immigrants from the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth states) who contributed the 'rush'.<ref>{{cite book | last = Caldwell | first = J. C. | authorlink = | editor = Wray Vamplew (ed.) | title = Australians: Historical Statistics | date = 1987 | publisher = Fairfax, Syme & Weldon Associates | location = Broadway, New South Wales, Australia | id = ISBN 0-949288-29-2| pages = pages 23 and 26 | chapter = Chapter 2: Population}}</ref> Although most Victorian goldfields were exhausted by the end of the 19th century, and although much of the profit was sent back to the United Kingdom, sufficient wealth remained to fund substantial development of industry and infrastructure. {{wide image|Broken Hill Town & Line of Lode Pano, NSW, 08.07.2007.jpg|1400px|[[Broken Hill, New South Wales|Broken Hill, NSW]], one of Australia's iconic mining towns, backed by the man-made mullock heaps from the ''Line of Lode'' mine}} == Minerals and resources == Large quantities of minerals and resources are [[resource extraction|extracted]] from Australia's landscape. These include [[iron ore]], [[nickel]], [[bauxite]]/[[aluminium]], [[copper]], [[gold]], [[silver]], [[uranium]], [[diamond]], [[opal]], [[zinc]], [[coal]], [[oil shale]], [[petroleum]], and [[natural gas]]. Once extracted, the raw [[material]] is processed into useful products. For example, crude oil is used [[downstream (oil industry)|downstream]] to make a range of refined products. Much of Australia's raw materials are exported to overseas countries such as China. Two thirds of Australia's exports to China is energy and minerals, and more than half of the exported iron ore goes to China. <ref name="Kelly">{{cite web |url=http://www.trademinister.gov.au/parlsec/speeches/060503_acbc.html |title=Speech at the Australia China Business Council, Queensland Branch Business Dinner |author=The Hon [[De-Anne Kelly]] MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade |date=[[2006-05-03]] |accessdate=2006-06-18 }}</ref> == Mining regions == [[Image:RC drill rig.jpg|thumb|right|[[Drilling rig]] at a [[BHP Billiton]] minesite about 550 km outside of [[Newman, Western Australia]].]] Australia has mining activity in all of its states and territories. Particularly significant areas today include the [[Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia|Goldfields]] and [[Pilbara region of Western Australia|Pilbara]] regions of Western Australia, the [[Hunter Valley]] in NSW, the [[Bowen Basin]] in QLD and [[Latrobe Valley]] in VIC and various parts of the [[Outback]]. Major active mines in Australia include: *[[Olympic Dam, South Australia|Olympic Dam]] in South Australia, a copper, silver and uranium mine believed to have the world's largest uranium resource. *[[Super Pit gold mine]], which has replaced a number of underground mines near [[Kalgoorlie, Western Australia]] :''For a more comprehensive list of mines in Australia, see [[:Category:Mines in Australia|Mines in Australia]]'' == Coal mining == {{main|Coal mining in Australia}} [[Coal]] is mined in every state of Australia. It is used to generate electricity and is exported. 75% of the coal mined in Australia is exported, mostly to eastern Asia. In 2000/01, 258.5 million tonnes of coal was mined, and 193.6 million tonnes exported. Coal also provides about 85% of Australia's electricity production.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gc3.cqu.edu.au/modern-world/index.php#australia |title=The Importance of Coal in the Modern World - Australia |publisher=Gladstone Centre for Clean Coal |accessdate=2007-03-17}}</ref> == Economics == A number of large multinational mining companies including [[BHP Billiton]], [[Newcrest Mining|Newcrest]], [[Rio Tinto Group|Rio Tinto]], [[Alcoa]], [[Chalco]], [[Alcan]] and [[Xstrata]] operate in Australia. There are also a lot of small mining and mineral exploration companies listed on the [[Australian Stock Exchange]] (ASX). Overall, the resources sector represents almost 20% of the ASX market by capitalisation, and almost one third of the companies listed. <ref name="year book 2005">{{cite web |url=http://www.asx.com.au/investor/industry/mining/asx_involvement.htm |title=ASX and Australian mining |accessdate=2006-06-04 |publisher=[[Australian Stock Exchange]]}}</ref> Mining contributes about 5.6% of Australia's [[Gross Domestic Product]]. This is up from only 2.6% in 1950, but down from over 10% at the time of federation in 1900. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/1301.0Feature%20Article212005?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=1301.0&issue=2005&num=&view= |title=1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2005 |accessdate=2006-06-18 |date=2005-01-21}}</ref> In contrast, mineral exports contribute around 35% of Australia's exports. Australia is the world's largest exporter of coal (35% of international trade), iron ore, lead, diamonds, [[rutile]], zinc and zirconium, second largest of gold and uranium, and third largest of aluminium. <ref name="Costello">{{cite web |url=http://www.treasurer.gov.au/tsr/content/speeches/2002/003.asp |title=Address to the Minerals Council of Australia, 2002 Minerals Industry Dinner |author=The Hon [[Peter Costello]], MP, [[Treasurer of Australia]] |accessdate=2006-06-18 |date=[[2002-06-05]] |publisher=[[Government of Australia]] |work=speech}}</ref> Of the developed countries, perhaps only in [[Canada]] and [[Norway]] does mining play as significant a part in the economy; for comparison, in Canada mining represents about 3.6% of the Canadian economy and 32% of exports <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/cmy/pref_e.htm|title=Canadian Minerals Yearbook, 2004|author=Natural Resources Canada|accessdate=2006-06-19|publisher=government of Canada}}</ref>, and in Norway mining, dominated by petroleum, represents about 19% of GDP and 46% of exports.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ssb.no/english/yearbook/emne09.html|author=Statistics Norway|publisher=Government of Norway|title=Statistical Yearbook 2005|accessdate=2006-06-19}}.</ref> By comparison, in the United States mining represents only about 1.6% of GDP<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bea.gov/bea/industry/gpotables/gpo_action.cfm?anon=145&table_id=14095&format_type=0|title=Gross-Domestic-Product-by-Industry Accounts|author=Bureau of Economic Analysis|publisher=United States government|accessdate=2006-06-19}}</ref>. Despite its export importance, the mining sector employs only a small proportion of the workforce - roughly 129,000 Australians, representing only about 1.3% of the total labor force <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/6291.0.55.003Feb%202006?OpenDocument|title=6291.0.55.003 Table 04: Employed persons by Industry - Trend, Seasonally adjusted, Original|date=[[2006-03-16]]|accessdate=2006-06-18|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]}}</ref>. == Technology and services == Australia's high labour costs and first-world safety regulations, distinctive geology, and the importance placed on mining research by successive governments and businesses has meant that the Australian mining sector is quite technologically advanced. A large proportion of mines worldwide make use of Australian-developed computer software, such as specialised [[Enterprise resource planning]] software by [[Mincom Limited]] and geology/mine planning software by Maptek Pty Ltd. Australia's mining services, equipment, and technology exports are over $2 billion annually <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.austrade.gov.au/overseas/layout/0,,0_S3-1_3zo-2_-3_PWB110704527-4_-5_-6_-7_,00.html |title=Mining Capability Overview |publisher=[[Austrade]] |date=unknown|accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> == Lifestyle == Many mines in remote areas have a traditional [[company town]] (for example [[Roxby Downs, South Australia|Roxby Downs]] or [[Leigh Creek, South Australia|Leigh Creek]]), or support towns that used to be company towns such as [[Broken Hill, New South Wales|Broken Hill]] and [[Mount Isa, Queensland|Mount Isa]]. [[Image:IMG 0321.JPG|thumb|right|The town of [[Mount Isa, Queensland|Mount Isa]] is surrounded by vast mineral deposits.]] Most mines in remote areas are operated on a fly-in-fly-out basis where the miners' "home" and family remains in a major city, and the miners fly out to their mine for two weeks of solid work, then fly home for one week of rest.{{fact|date=April 2008}} The roster may vary from site to site. 3 weeks on / 1 week off rosters are not uncommon and the working away period can be for much longer than 2 or 3 weeks. A fly-in-fly-out roster is common on offshore [[oil platform]]s, as well as minesites located inland of Australia, such as [[Century Mine|Century]], [[Challenger Mine|Challenger]] and [[Bronzewing Mine|Bronzewing]] minesites. Free meals and accommodation are provided for employees as a means to offset the time spent living away from home. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are consumed and collected from the 'mess hall' at the mining camp. Living quarters provided at camp sites range from 2 by 4 metre portable homes to permanent 6 by 8 metre rooms with ensuites. Fridges, single beds, television, electricity and water are also provided with rooms. == Environment & Politics == [[Image:Queenstown moonscape 1984.jpg|thumb|The mountains near [[Queenstown, Tasmania]], completely denuded of vegetation through effects of mining]] Mining has had a substantial environmental impact in some areas of Australia. Historically, the Victorian gold rush resulted in substantial deforestation, consequent erosion, and arsenic pollution. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sbs.com.au/gold/story.html?storyid=135 |title=Deforestation - Gold |publisher=[[Special Broadcasting Service]] |accessdate=2006-06-19}}</ref> The effects on the landscape near [[Bendigo, Victoria|Bendigo]] and [[Ballarat, Victoria|Ballarat]] can still be seen today. [[Queenstown, Tasmania]]'s mountains were also completely denuded through a combination of logging and pollution from a mine smelter, and remain bare today. Uranium mining has been controversial, partly for its alleged environmental impact but more so because of its end uses in [[nuclear power]] and [[nuclear weapon]]s. The [[Australian Labor Party]] , one of Australia's two major parties, maintains a policy of "no new uranium mines". As of 2006, the increased world demand for uranium has seen some pressure, both internally and externally on the ALP, for a policy change. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,18703281-2702,00.html |author=Patrick Walters and Joseph Kerr |date=[[2006-04-04]] |title=PM threatens ALP on China uranium deal|publisher=[[The Australian]] |accessdate=2006-06-19}}</ref> Australia is a participant in international anti-proliferation efforts designed to ensure that no exported uranium is used in nuclear weapons. <ref>{{cite web |title=Weapons of Mass Destruction: Australia’s Role in Fighting Proliferation |url=http://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/wmd/ |year=2005 |accessdate=2006-06-19 |author=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |publisher=Government of Australia}}</ref> == Mining disasters == [[Image:MtKembla coalmine disaster memorial.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Memorial for the workers who lost their lives at Mt Kembla, 1902]] === Mount Kembla === In 1883 a coal mine was opened near [[Mount Kembla]] in the [[Illawarra]] District of [[New South Wales]]. In 1902 there was an explosion in the mine and 96 men and boys lost their lives, either while at work or in the course of trying to save the lives of others. Every family in the village lost a relative. A service of commemoration is held annually on [[31 July]] at the Mt Kembla Soldiers’ and Miners’ Memorial Church. This is the worst mining disaster in Australia’s history. <ref>[[Stuart Piggin]] and Henry Lee, ''The Mount Kembla Disaster'', Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1992</ref> === Balmain Colliery === Balmain Colliery was located in [[Birchgrove, New South Wales|Birchgrove]], [[New South Wales]] and produced coal from 1897 until 1931 and natural gas until 1945. During this period, 10 miners lost their lives in three separate incidents: '''1900''' On 17 March 1900, six miners were being lowered down the Birthday shaft. At 1,424 feet the bucket they were travelling in caught on a projection, tipped over and five of the six men fell to their death in the shaft. As a result of this accident, the ''Mining Act'' was amended to provide guide rails in shafts to prevent bucket swinging or overturning. <ref name="balmaincolliery">Peter Reynolds, ''Balmain Places 2 - The Coal Mine Under The Harbour'' , Architectural History Research Unit, University of New South Wales, 1996, ISBN 0-908502-54-0</ref> '''1932''' In 1932, a year after the mine closed, a six inch bore was sunk below the Birthday shaft to pipe Natural Gas to the surface. During the sinking of the bore, two men were killed when the gas ignited and exploded. <ref name="balmaincolliery" /> '''1945''' During the sealing of the Birthday shaft on 20 April 1945, a rudimentary test was being undertaken which ignited escaping gas and caused an explosion below the seal. The company manager and two men were killed in the accident and another two men injured. <ref name="balmaincolliery" /> === North Mount Lyell === On October 12 1912, the [[1912 North Mount Lyell Disaster|North Mount Lyell Fire]] caused the death of 42 miners, and required breathing apparatus to be transported from Victorian mines at great speed, to rescue trapped miners. The subsequent royal commission was inconclusive as to the cause. === Mount Mulligan === The 1921 [[Mount Mulligan mine disaster]] occurred in [[Far North Queensland]]. These explosions, caused by using naked flame for lighting, killed seventy-five men. === Moura === Four serious accidents have occurred at mines in the [[Central Queensland]] town of [[Moura, Queensland|Moura]]. The first accident took the lives of 13 men in September 1975. In July 1986 there was an [[explosion]] at Moura Number 4 Mine. 12 coal miners lost their lives in this disaster that sparked controversy after experts claimed the accident was avoidable. Another explosion killed two men in January 1994 and just eight months later another explosion deep underground took the lives of 11 men.<ref>{{cite book |title=Australia's worst disasters: mining disasters |last=Barwick |first=John |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1999 |publisher=Heinemann Library |location=Port Melbourne, Victoria |isbn=1863918868 |pages=24-25 }}</ref> === Bronzewing === On the 26th of June 2000, at the Bronzewing mine in Western Australia (400 kilometers from Kalgoorlie), 18,000 cubic meters of sand-slurry, sludge, mud and rock broke through a storage wall. Three men (Timothy Lee Bell, 21, Shane Hamill, 45 and Terrence Woodard, 26) were killed and eight escaped the 'accident'. It took over a month to retrieve the men from the site. === Beaconsfield === [[Image:Beaconsfield mine.JPG|thumb|Headworks over a shaft at [[Beaconsfield, Tasmania|Beaconsfield]] gold mine in [[Tasmania]].]] On [[25 April]] [[2006]], part of an underground gold mine at [[Beaconsfield, Tasmania|Beaconsfield]] in [[Tasmania]] [[Beaconsfield mine collapse|collapsed]]. One miner was killed by the rock fall, and two others were trapped, leading to a rescue mission that took two weeks to get them out alive. === Bulli === '''1887''' At 2.30pm on 23 March 1887, an explosion at the mine in [[Bulli, New South Wales|Bulli]] in [[New South Wales]] killed 81 people. <ref name="bulli1">Wollongong City Library, [http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/localinfo/bulli/history.html Bulli - History], Retrieved on 2/11/06. </ref> A special commission was set up to investigate the explosion and concluded: {{cquote2|quotetext=..that the explosion was caused by marsh gas or carbonic hydrate that had accumulated at the face. That the immediate cause was probably the flame from an overcharged shot fired by a miner in the coal in No. 2 Heading.}} This gas explosion propagated a coal dust explosion and travelled towards the fresh air at the surface. The commission was also of the opinion that the Deputy, Overman and to a lesser extent the Manager, were all guilty of contributing negligence. <ref name="bulli3">Illawarra Coal, [http://www.illawarracoal.com/bullidisaster.htm Bulli Colliery Gas Explosion- 1887], Retrieved on 2/11/06. </ref> '''1965''' On November 9 1965, a pocket of gas ignited in a panel several hundred yards from the main shaft and killed four miners. Ten mining rescue teams and the Southern Mines Rescue Station worked all night to extinguish the fire. <ref name="bulli2">Illawarra Coal, [http://www.illawarracoal.com/bullidisaster2.htm Bulli Colliery Underground Fire - 1965], Retrieved on 2/11/06. </ref> == Australian mining in literature, art and film == *[[Henry Lawson]], ''His Father's Mate'' from ''While The Billy Boils,'' 1896 (short story) *[[Nickel Queen]] movie based on the West Australian late 1960s nickel boom *[[Colin Thiele]], ''The Fire in the Stone'' (book which became a film) *[[Wendy Richardson]], ''Windy Gully'' 1989 Currency Press (play) *Conal Fitzpatrick, ''Kembla- The Book of Voices'' 2002 Kemblawarra Press (poetry) ISBN 0-9581287-0-7 *[[Henry Handel Richardson]], ''[[The Fortunes of Richard Mahony#Australia Felix|The Fortunes of Richard Mahony: Australia Felix]]'' Takes place in the chaos of the early [[Ballarat]] goldrush. == See also == * [[List of disasters]] == References == {{reflist}} == External links == *[http://www.abareconomics.com/ ABARE - Australian Mineral Statistics] *{{cite web |url=http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/doco/ge.jsp |title=Australian Atlas of Mineral Resources, Mines & Processing Centres |publisher=[[Geoscience Australia]] |accessdate=2006-06-06 }} *[http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=EC133p12.pdf WA’s mining boom: where does it leave the environment?] {{Australian_industries}} [[Category:Mining in Australia| ]] [[Category:Mining by country|Australia]]