Infographic

Mining in Australia in numbers

Australia's mining drawn as one poster: number 1 in iron ore with 38% of world output, top three for 8 minerals, mineral rents 10.5% of GDP. Scroll to draw it, then download it as SVG or PNG.

PROSPECTOR TRAILS · INFOGRAPHIC · DATA YEAR 2025AustraliaAUSMining country · ISO AUSAustralia is the world's number 1 producer of iron ore (38% of 2025 mine output), ranks in thetop three for 8 of the 36 minerals we track, mineral rents were 10.5% of GDP in 2021.MINERAL RENTS, % OF GDP 202110.5%Mineral rents are what the minerals earn above the cost ofproducing them. World Bank WDI.ORES AND METALS IN EXPORTS 202535%Share of merchandise exports that are ores and metals.World Bank WDI.MINERALS IN THE WORLD TOP 38Of the 36 minerals in our atlas, Australia is among thethree largest producers for 8: iron ore, zirconiumRULE OF LAW ESTIMATE 2025+1.46World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, scale −2.5(weak) to +2.5 (strong).GDP 2025$1.8 tnMINERALS PRODUCED (OF 36)21WORLD SHARE BY MINERAL 2025What Australia mines, by share of world outputIron ore #138%980 MtZirconium (zircon) #133%400 ktLithium #132%92 ktAluminium and bauxite #222%97 MtLead #211%480 ktGold #38.5%280 tZinc #38.5%1.1 MtTitanium minerals #48.3%780 ktManganese #48.0%1.6 MtRare earths #37.4%29 ktTin #74.1%12 ktSilver #93.8%1.0 ktBar is the share of world production; number after # is the world rank. USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, minestage where reported.GOVERNANCE 2025World Bank governance estimates−2.50+2.5Rule of law+1.46Political stability+0.78Control of corruption+1.84Regulatory quality+1.67Estimates on a −2.5 to +2.5 scale; higher is stronger. Source: World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators.2020–2025Australia: iron ore mine output0.00 t250 Mt500 Mt750 Mt1.0 Gt2020202120222023202420252025: 980 Mtusable ore. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, successive editions.2020–2025Australia: zirconium (zircon) mine output0.00 t125 kt250 kt375 kt500 kt2020202120222023202420252025: 400 ktzircon concentrates, gross weight. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, successive editions.ON THE MAPAustralia, 21 of our 36 minerals producedOutline map simplified from Natural Earth.TOP EXPORT FLOWS 2024Where Australia's mineral exports goIron ore (ore) → China · HS 260111 2024$73 bnIron ore (ore) → Japan · HS 260111 2024$5.4 bnIron ore (ore) → South Korea · HS 260111 2024$5.2 bnLithium (ore) → China · HS 253090 2024$3.0 bnAluminium and bauxite (ore) → China · HS 260600 2024$1.8 bnLargest single exporter-to-importer flows across the HS codes we track for these minerals, by customs value. Source:CEPII BACI (HS22).POLICYOn Australia's critical minerals listLithiumCobaltNickelGraphite (natural)ManganeseCopperZincAluminium and bauxiteTinTungstenTantalumNiobiumRare earthsGalliumGermaniumIndiumAntimonyBismuthBerylliumVanadiumChromiumMolybdenumTitanium mineralsZirconium (zircon)MagnesiumSiliconPlatinum group metalsFluorsparOPERATIONS IN OUR DATA232 operations across 19 minerals, including Boddington, Cannington, Cooljarloo, Dugald River, FortescuePilbara hubs (Chichester, Solomon, Eliwana), GEMCO (Groote Eylandt) and others.prospectortrails.comSources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, CEPII BACI, IEA (CC BY 4.0), World Bank,government lists. Figures rounded.PROSPECTOR TRAILSOpen data, drawn in numbers
Mining in Australia infographic: mineral rents, export dependence, world share and rank by mineral, governance estimates, export flows and policy. Data year 2025.

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The numbers

The figures on the poster, with their sources. Production shares are USGS estimates, economic indicators are World Bank data, trade values are CEPII BACI customs data.

Mineral rents, % of GDP, 2021
10.5% World Bank World Development Indicators
Ores and metals, % of merchandise exports, 2025
34.6% World Bank World Development Indicators
Minerals where it is a top-three producer
8: Iron ore (#1), Zirconium (zircon) (#1), Lithium (#1), Aluminium and bauxite (#2), Lead (#2), Gold (#3), Zinc (#3), Rare earths (#3) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Rule of law (WGI estimate), 2025
+1.46 on a −2.5 to +2.5 scale World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators
GDP, current US$, 2025
$1.80 trillion World Bank World Development Indicators
Largest world share
Iron ore: 38% of world mine output (#1), 980 Mt USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Political stability (WGI estimate), 2025
+0.78 World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators
Control of corruption (WGI estimate), 2025
+1.84 World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators
Regulatory quality (WGI estimate), 2025
+1.67 World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators
Iron ore mine output, 2020 → 2025
912 Mt → 980 Mt USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Zirconium (zircon) mine output, 2020 → 2025
400 kt → 400 kt USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Largest mineral export flow, 2024
Iron ore (ore) to China, $73 bn CEPII BACI trade database
Minerals on Australia's own critical list
28: Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Graphite (natural), Manganese, Copper, Zinc, Aluminium and bauxite, Tin, Tungsten, Tantalum, Niobium, Rare earths, Gallium, Germanium, Indium, Antimony, Bismuth, Beryllium, Vanadium, Chromium, Molybdenum, Titanium minerals, Zirconium (zircon), Magnesium, Silicon, Platinum group metals, Fluorspar government critical mineral lists

Sources

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · World Bank World Development Indicators · World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators · CEPII BACI trade database · government critical mineral lists. Figures are rounded.

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Mining in AustraliaIron ore infographicZirconium (zircon) infographicLithium infographicAluminium and bauxite infographicMining by countryAll infographics