Australia Yearbook - 2001

682 Year Book Australia 2001
Despite continued high levels of production
Australia’s EDR increased by 58% in 1998 to
18,020 t of tantalum largely because of the new
resources at the Greenbushes deposit, in the
south-west of Western Australia.
Exports of tantalum and niobium ores and
concentrates in 1998–99 were 2,547 t, an increase
of 899k over 1997–98. The total value of tantalum
exports in 1998-99 was $60m, an increase of
43% over 1997–98.
Uranium
Australia has the world’s largest resources of
uranium in the low cost Reasonably Assured
Resources (RAR) category, with 26% of world
resources in this category.
About 95% of Australia’s total uranium resources
in the low cost RAR category are within the
following six deposits: Olympic Dam, South
Australia; Ranger, Jabiluka and Koongarra in the
Alligator Rivers Region, Northern Territory; and
Kintyre and Yeelirrie, Western Australia. The
Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold-silver deposit
is the world’s largest deposit of low-cost uranium.
Uranium oxide is currently produced at two
mining/milling operations: Ranger and Olympic
Dam. Australia’s total production for 1998 was
5,790 tonnes of uranium oxide (t U 3 O 8 ). Ranger
produced 4,050 t of U 3 O 8 and Olympic Dam
produced 1,740 t of U 3 O 8 . Total production for
1998 was 11% less than in 1997.
Australia is one of the few countries where
exploration expenditure increased in recent
years, a result of the abolition of the ‘three mines’
policy in 1996 and improved demand for
uranium. Following removal of the policy in
March 1996, the Government received formal
proposals to develop four new uranium mines:
Jabiluka deposit, Beverley deposit, Honeymoon
deposit and Kintyre deposit. Australia’s uranium
mining sector was the subject of a review by the
Senate Select Committee on Uranium Mining and
Milling which tabled its report in the Senate in
May 1997. The Committee’s majority report
found that the major finding of the 1977 Ranger
Uranium Environmental Inquiry (the Fox Report),
that “The hazards of mining and milling uranium
if these activities are properly regulated and
controlled, are not such as to justify a decision
not to develop Australian uranium mines”,
remained valid as the foundation for policy on
the mining and milling of uranium in Australia.
Energy Resources of Australia Ltd completed the
first stage of the Jabiluka mine development in
mid-1999. Beverley deposit production is
proposed to commence in the year 2000. Subject
to necessary approvals being obtained,
production at Honeymoon deposit is scheduled
to start in 2000.
Exports of uranium ores and concentrates in
1998–99 totalled 5,989 t and earned $288m.
All exports of Australian uranium are subject to
stringent safeguards which provide assurance
that none of the material is diverted from
peaceful uses.
Zinc, lead, silver
Australia has the world’s largest EDR of zinc
(18%), lead (26%) and silver (15%). According
to USGS world production data for 1998 Australia
ranks as the largest producer of lead, second of
zinc and fourth of silver. Australia’s gold mines
also contribute significantly to silver production.
EDR for zinc (34 Mt), lead (17.2 Mt) and silver
(40.6 kt) decreased in 1998 by 6%, 1% and
2% respectively as a result of production and
reassessment of resources at major mines.
Production is mainly from mines at Cannington,
George Fisher, Hilton and Mount Isa in
Queensland; McArthur River in the Northern
Territory; Broken Hill and Elura in New South
Wales; Hellyer and Rosebery in Tasmania; and
Scuddles, Gossan Hill and the Lennard Shelf
deposits in Western Australia. Development of
the large Century mine, in northwest
Queensland, was expected to commence in the
final quarter of 1999. More than 1,300 people are
employed on the project.
The silver-lead-zinc mining industry had
employment of 3,276 people at the end of
June 1998.
Crude oil and condensate
Australian production of crude oil and
condensate in 1998–99 was 27,885 ML, a decrease
of 18% over the 1997–98 record of 34,000 ML.
Production of total crude oil and condensate
from the Gippsland Basin accounted for 35% (or
9,732 ML) of total Australian crude oil production,
followed by the North West Shelf with 29.5% (or
8,230 ML). The North West Shelf was the major
producer of condensate during 1998–99 with
80% (6,346 ML) of total Australian production
sourced in that region.
In 1998–99 exports of crude oil and other refinery
feedstock decreased by 16% to $1.9b. The main
markets were Japan, USA and Chinese Taipei.