The Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration has released its 2024-25 Mineral and Petroleum Statistics Digest, revealing impressive production, sales and market resilience despite global market uncertainties and price volatility in key commodities.
Mineral and petroleum sales reached $220 billion, reinforcing WA’s status as the nation’s resources powerhouse.
Iron ore, the backbone of the industry, achieved exceptional results, generating $122 billion in sales on the back of high prices and near-record output of 864 million tonnes.
Gold reached new heights, with a record $29 billion in sales driven by strong prices and slightly higher output of 6.7 million ounces (209 tonnes). A robust pipeline of new projects, restarts and expansions continues to build momentum for the industry.
The sector also remains a major employer, supporting 138,257 full-time equivalent (FTE) on-site positions in mining and mineral exploration, while the petroleum sector employed 9,428 on-site people.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales totalled $36 billion, among the highest on record, while alumina delivered its second-highest result at $8.2 billion as higher prices offset lower production.
The impressive results across gold, iron ore, LNG and alumina were partly offset by lithium and nickel, which experienced weaker market conditions and lower prices.
Other minerals also performed well, with mineral sands reaching a record $1.4 billion in sales, while manganese achieved its second-highest sales value of $409 million.
Mineral exploration spending remained near record levels at $2.57 billion, reflecting continued efforts to discover new deposits and rising costs.
Investment WA’s mining and petroleum industries reached $33 billion, representing 62 per cent of national investment.
The sector also continued to underpin State finances, contributing $10.6 billion in royalties and related grants.
The annual Statistics Digest is widely used by global analysts, investment banks and industry groups, providing a comprehensive snapshot of trends and performance across WA’s resources sector.
The Statistics Digest is available to download. If you have any questions about the publication and its contents, or would like a hard copy, please contact: statistics@dmpe.wa.gov.au
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