australia's identified mineral resources 2004 - Geoscience Australia

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AUSTRALIA’S IDENTIFIED MINERAL RESOURCES 2004 Contents Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Trends in Australia’s Economic Demonstrated Resources of major mineral commodities . . . . . . . . .11 COMMODITY REVIEWS Bauxite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Black coal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Brown coal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Copper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Diamond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Iron ore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Lithium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Magnesite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Manganese ore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Mineral sands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Nickel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Niobium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Phosphate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Shale oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Tantalum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Tin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Uranium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Vanadium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Zinc, lead, silver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 PRODUCTION AND RESOURCE LIFE Production and resource life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 EXPLORATION Expenditure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Exploration drilling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 World exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Outlook for exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 Offshore mineral exploration in Commonwealth waters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 4 APPENDICES Appendix 1: Abbreviations and acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Appendix 2: National classification system for identified mineral resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Appendix 3: Staff – Mineral Resources and Advice and Minerals Promotion Projects . . . . . . . . . . .85
AUSTRALIA’S IDENTIFIED MINERAL RESOURCES 2004 TABLES Table 1: Australia’s resources of major minerals and world figures as at December 2003 Table 2: Australian gold production 1999 to 2003 Table 3: Correlation of resource classification schemes for uranium Table 4: Australian production and exports of selected mineral products 2003–04 Table 5: Australian mineral exploration expenditure by commodity, 2001–02 and 2002–03 Table 6: Australian mineral exploration expenditure by State, 2001–02 and 2002–03 FIGURES Figure 1: Trends in Economic Demonstrated Resources (EDR) for major commodities since 1975 Figure 2: Australian mineral exploration expenditure by commodity since 1992–93 (Source: ABS) Figure 3: Australian mineral exploration expenditure by State since 1992–93 (Source: ABS) Figure 4a: Australian mineral exploration expenditures in constant 2002–03 dollars (Based on ABS data deflated by Consumer Price Index) Figure 4b: Australian mineral exploration expenditures excluding gold and base metals, in constant 2002–03 dollars (Based on ABS data deflated by Consumer Price Index) Figure 5: Distribution of world mineral exploration budgets, 2003 (Source: Metals Economics Group, Canada) PHOTOGRAPHS Front Cover: Reclaiming Marra Mamba iron ore from stockpiles at Mining Area C, Pilbara Region of Western Australia (BHP Billiton Iron Ore) Commodity Review cover: Construction of the Broadmeadow punch longwall coal mine, BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance, Bowen Basin, Queensland Inset: Broadmeadow punch longwall mine entrance (main gate) (Geoscience Australia, Bill McKay) Photo 3: Goonyella coal mine owned by BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance, Bowen Basin, Queensland (Geoscience Australia, Bill McKay) Photo 4: Loading a coal haul truck at the Moura mine, Bowen Basin, Queensland (Anglo Coal Australia) Photo 5: Satellite guided D11R dozers using the radial sector method to push coal to a feeder-breaker at the Yallourn brown coal mine, Victoria (Yallourn Mine Alliance, Roche Theiss Linfox Joint Venture) Photo 6: Possible mining methods being studied for the proposed expansion of operations at Olympic Dam mine, South Australia. The current and proposed areas to be mined by sub-level open stoping (SLOS) methods are shown in the northern portion of the orebody. Sub-level caving (SLC) and open pit mining methods are being considered for the southern portion of the orebody as part of the proposed expansion of operations (WMC Resources Ltd) Photo 7: Exploration drilling for gold in the Cracow region, Queensland (Newcrest Mining Ltd) Photo 8: Mining Area C iron ore project, Pilbara Region of Western Australia (BHP Billiton Iron Ore) Photo 9: Loading manganese ore at the Woodie Woodie mine, Western Australia (Consolidated Minerals Ltd) Photo 10: Beverley in situ leach uranium mine, South Australia. Ion exchange plant with main trunkline (pipeline) which extends from the plant to the in situ leach wellfield (top right corner of photo). Recently constructed evaporation ponds are blue areas adjacent to the plant (Heathgate Resources Pty Ltd) Photo 11: Wellfield at Beverley in situ leach uranium mine. Main trunkline with injection wells and recovery wells (Heathgate Resources Pty Ltd) Production and resource life cover: Pouring copper anodes, Olympic Dam operations, South Australia (WMC Resources Ltd) Exploration cover: Exploration for manganese ore in the East Pilbara region, Western Australia (Consolidated Minerals Ltd) 5
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australia's identified mineral resources 2004 - Geoscience Australia

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