Western Australia’s resources industry reached several milestones in 2017 according to statistics released today by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.
Higher iron ore prices, strong growth in LNG volumes and the gold sector’s continued strength contributed to reported sales of $108.8 billion, a 16 per cent increase from 2016.
Iron ore sales were up 14 per cent to nearly $63 billion; gold sales exceeded $11 billion for the first time, more than twice what it was 10 years ago; and LNG volumes increased by 38 per cent to a record 32.7 million tonnes.
Sales of spodumene, the primary lithium-bearing mineral produced in the State, increased by 166 per cent to reach $780 million in 2017.
The average number of people directly employed in WA’s minerals sector also increased by six per cent to more than 111,000.