- New figures reveal remarkable resilience of WA's resources sector in 2024-25
- Gold sector continues to boom on the back of record prices
- Mineral exploration expenditure and project investment continue to impress
- Cook Government continuing to provide quality jobs and business opportunities for Western Australians
Record gold and mineral sands sales were among the highlights for the WA resources sector as it continued to perform strongly, despite challenging conditions in some commodities during the 2024-25 financial year.
WA recorded strong resources sales of $220 billion in the 12 months to June 30, supported by robust mining job numbers of 134,009 on-site full-time equivalent (FTE) positions.
The mining industry workforce showed remarkable resilience through challenging market conditions, with solid jobs growth in gold and iron ore.
There were also 4,248 on-site FTE positions in the exploration sector and a further 9,428 workers in the petroleum industry.
WA's gold sector led the way with all-time high sales of $29 billion, driven by high prices and slightly higher output of 6.7 million ounces (209 tonnes).
Iron ore also achieved exceptional results, generating $122 billion in sales on the back of high prices and near-record output of 864 million tonnes.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production was valued at $36 billion, among the highest sales for any calendar or financial year.
Alumina achieved its second-highest sales value of $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 expenditure remained strong at $2.57 billion, reflecting ongoing efforts to discover new mineral deposits, as well as higher costs for labour, equipment and fuel.
Investment in WA's mining and petroleum industries reached $33 billion in 2024-25, maintaining the high levels seen since 2023 and highlighting the sector's stability and growth potential.
Projects currently under construction or already committed are valued at an estimated capital cost of $49 billion.
For more information on the latest statistics, visit resources industry data.
As stated by Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael:
"Thanks to the Cook Government's sound economic management, WA is driving the State and national economies through ongoing investment in exploration and our resources sector success.
"It's encouraging to see mining and petroleum employment remain resilient, supporting economic growth in our regional communities and across the State.
"The billions invested in projects committed and under construction, combined with WA's long history of excellence, reaffirm our status as a reliable business partner and global investment destination."
