90-659: South Coast Highway is a Western Australian highway. It is a part of the Highway 1 network. With a length of 592 kilometres (368 mi), it runs from Esperance to Walpole roughly in parallel to Western Australia's south coast. Even then the journey is pretty much inland. Approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Ravensthorpe lies the Fitzgerald River National Park with beaches, coastal and mountain walking trails and wildflowers. There are three more national parks with abundant wildlife along
180-525: A brief dip in production in 2004 due to the closure of the Lennard Shelf mine. In 2009 however, world copper prices fell by 26 percent, causing the industry in the state to lose 11 percent of its value. In 2021-22, Western Australian copper production reached a record value of almost A$ 2 billion. After decade-low production figures in the previous period, production of 153,000 tonnes of copper saw an increase again. Despite this, Western Australia remains
270-683: A capacity of 23,200 cubic metres per day (146,000 barrels per day) until its closure in 2021, producing most of the state's petrol and diesel. Kwinana also hosts alumina and nickel processing plants, port facilities for grain and other bulk exports, and support industries for mining and petroleum such as heavy and light engineering, and metal fabrication. Shipbuilding (e.g. Austal ) and associated support industries are found at nearby Henderson , just north of Kwinana. Significant secondary industries include cement and building product manufacturing, flour milling, food processing, animal feed production, automotive body building and printing. Western Australia has
360-527: A comparative advantage in resource extraction and processing. As a consequence: In 2019 Western Australia's overseas exports accounted for 46% of the nation's total. The state's major export commodities included iron-ore, petroleum, gold, alumina , nickel, wheat, copper, lithium, chemicals and mineral sands. Western Australia is the world's largest iron-ore producer (34% of the world's total), and extracts 66% (6.9% of world production) of Australia's 306 tonnes (9.8 million troy ounces) of gold in 2022. It
450-514: A decrease compared to the previous period, at a value of A$ 558 million. Salt mining in Western Australia is carried out at Dampier , Lake Macleod and Port Hedland by Dampier Salt , at Onslow by Onslow Salt, at Shark Bay by Shark Bay Salt and at Lake Deborah by WA Salt Koolyanobbing. Coal in Western Australia is currently, as of 2019, mined at Collie , where two mines are operating. Ninety percent of all coal mined at Collie
540-459: A further 1,196 species currently recognised but unpublished. They occur within 1,543 genera from 211 families ; there are also 1,276 naturalised alien or invasive plant species, more commonly known as weeds. In the southwest region are some of the largest numbers of plant species for its area in the world. Western Australia's ecoregions include the sandstone gorges of the Kimberley on
630-403: A lack of storage and refrigeration facilities favour live animals over imports of processed meat. About half of Australia's live cattle exports come from Western Australia. Resource sector growth in recent years has resulted in significant labour and skills shortages, leading to recent efforts by the state government to encourage interstate and overseas immigration. According to the 2006 census,
720-717: A major centre for associated services. Outside of mining, primary industry is the other significant contributor to the state's economy, including agriculture in the Wheatbelt and temperate southern coastal regions, pastoralism in marginal grassland areas, forestry in the south-west and fishing (including pearling and, historically, whaling ). Western Australia has a geological history dating back to 4.4 billion years ago when Hadean zircons were formed. The earliest direct known life on land, known as stromatolites , started to be created by microbes at around 3.48 billion years ago. The first human inhabitants of Australia arrived from
810-414: A market for Western Australian products (notably sandalwood and wool), the export of iron ore to Japan marked a fundamental shift in Western Australia's trade dynamic and paved the way for the development of Asia as the state's most important trading region. Prior to the resurgence of the resource sector, economic conditions had been relatively subdued, with constant-price household income per capita roughly
900-541: A minor producer of the metal on the world stage. Over seventy percent of the state's production goes to South Korea (27 percent), the Philippines (24 percent) and Japan (22 percent). In its first phase of operation, from 2004 to 2015, the Savannah Mine was the premier source of copper mining in Western Australia, providing up to 50 percent of the annual production in the state and being the largest producer of
990-455: A prolonged strike at a major nickel in Canada, meant that the discoveries were rapidly developed, bringing about a "nickel boom" between 1967 and 1971. The Western Australian nickel industry suffered from falling international prices in 2009. Nickel production had been reasonably steady, the value of the industry had decreased from a peak A$ 6.9 billion in 2007 to under 3.3 billion in 2009. Also,
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#17327729376081080-438: A record 37.9 million tonnes (84 billion pounds), with values rising from A$ 18.9 billion in 2017–18 to A$ 29 billion in 2018–19 (A$ 6.3 billion in 2009). In 2018–19 crude oil production was down 34 percent to 3.2 gigalitres (20 million barrels), while condensate increased 60 percent to 11.4 gigalitres (3.0 billion US gallons) over the previous year. The history of gold mining in Western Australia dates back to
1170-517: A result, the South West region of the state has a higher concentration of rare, threatened or endangered flora and fauna than many areas of Australia, making it one of the world's biodiversity "hot spots". Large areas of the state's wheatbelt region have problems with dryland salinity and the loss of fresh water. The southwest coastal area has a Mediterranean climate . It was originally heavily forested, including large stands of karri , one of
1260-553: A scientific paper, General view of the botany of the vicinity of Swan River . It discusses the vegetation of the Swan River Colony . Europeans began to settle permanently in 1826 when Albany was claimed by Britain to forestall French claims to the western third of the continent. Perth was founded as the Swan River Colony in 1829 by British and Irish settlers, though the outpost languished. Its officials eventually requested convict labour to augment its population. By
1350-628: A significant fishing industry. Products for local consumption and export include western rock lobsters , prawns, crabs, shark and tuna, as well as pearl fishing in the Kimberley region of the state. Processing is conducted along the west coast. Whaling was a key marine industry but ceased at Albany in 1978. Western Australia has the world's biggest plantations of both Indian sandalwood (northern WA) and Australian sandalwood (semi-arid regions), which are used to produce sandalwood oil and incense . The WA sandalwood industry provides about 40% of
1440-404: A value of $ 174 billion, up from $ 145 billion in 2018–19. In comparison, the value of the mineral and petroleum industry in 2005–06 was $ 43 billion. Iron ore was, in 2019–20, the most important commodity in Western Australia, accounting for 60 percent of sales in the state's mineral and petroleum industry. The petroleum sector, consisting of oil and gas, followed in second place with 22 percent of
1530-485: A value of A$ 355 million, both increased figures compare to the previous period. In 2021–22, Mineral sands sales in Western Australia reached a record value of A$ 1.3 billion. Western Australia is the world's largest producer of Garnet and Zircon , having produced 374,476 tonnes of Garnet, 313,998 tonnes of Zircon, 66,596 tonnes of Rutile , 281,991 tonnes of Synthetic rutile , 230,358 tonnes of Ilmenite and 15,458 tonnes of Leucoxene . Western Australia, in 2021–22,
1620-490: Is 1,862 km (1,157 mi). There are 20,781 km (12,913 mi) of coastline, including 7,892 km (4,904 mi) of island coastline. The total land area occupied by the state is 2.5 million km (970 thousand sq mi). The bulk of Western Australia consists of the extremely old Yilgarn craton and Pilbara craton which merged with the Deccan Plateau of India, Madagascar and
1710-646: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia . It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Australia is Australia’s largest state, with a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi), and
1800-450: Is a major world producer of bauxite, which is processed into alumina at four refineries providing 11% of total world production. Until 2020 diamonds were extracted from the world's largest diamond mine in the far north Kimberley region. Coal mined at Collie is the main fuel for baseload electricity generation in the state's south-west. Agricultural production in WA is a major contributor to
1890-463: Is also the second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth, surpassed only by the Sakha Republic in eastern Russia, and formerly Northwest Territories in Canada, before the creation of Nunavut. It is also the largest proper subnational entity, being a state rather than a territory or an autonomous region. Western Australia has a diverse range of climates, including tropical conditions in
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#17327729376081980-401: Is attributed by historians as an important factor driving the state's population and economic growth. Following a campaign led by Forrest, electors of the colony of Western Australia voted in favour of federation with the five other Australian colonies, resulting in Western Australia officially becoming a state on 1 January 1901. Western Australia is bounded to the east by longitude 129°E,
2070-573: Is currently tilted 10 degrees away from the South Pole towards Western Australia, allowing for aurora australis displays as far north as Geraldton . Western Australia is home to around 630 species of birds (depending on the taxonomy used). Of these around 15 are endemic to the state. The best areas for birds are the southwestern corner of the state and the area around Broome and the Kimberley. The Flora of Western Australia comprises 10,162 published native vascular plant species, along with
2160-504: Is now known as Cape Inscription, Dirk Hartog Island . For the rest of the 17th century, other Dutch and British navigators encountered the coast of what Abel Tasman named New Holland in 1644, usually unintentionally as demonstrated by the many shipwrecks along the coast of ships that deviated from the Brouwer Route (because of poor navigation and storms). By the late 18th century, British and French sailors had begun to explore
2250-495: Is predominantly, but not exclusively, carried out in the Pilbara region, which produced ore in value of A$ 76.8 billion in 2018–19, 98 percent of the total for the state. Petroleum production was valued at $ 38.4 billion in 2018–19, an increase of 45 per cent from $ 26.5 billion in 2017–18. LNG was the state's most valuable petroleum product, accounting for 20 per cent of all mineral and petroleum sales in 2018–19. Sales reached
2340-400: Is the northern tropical regions. The Kimberley has an extremely hot monsoonal climate with average annual rainfall ranging from 500 to 1,500 millimetres (20–60 in), but there is a very long almost rainless season from April to November. Eighty-five percent of the state's runoff occurs in the Kimberley, but because it occurs in violent floods and because of the insurmountable poverty of
2430-492: Is used in power stations, the remainder in the mineral sands production. While a small amount of Western Australian coal has been exported to India and China in recent years, the majority goes to the coal-fired power stations, mainly located in the Collie area. Coal production in the state has been quite steady in the past decade, with the 2019 production of 6.3 million tonnes: only four percent less than in 2009. Like production,
2520-687: The Greenbushes mine . Production values for the three minerals had doubled by 2015, and, in 2016–17, seven lithium mines were active in Western Australia, with a combined production of 2.1 million tonnes of spodumene concentrate at a value of A$ 1.6 billion. Western Australia, during 2021–22, was the world's largest producer of Lithium, accounting for 52 percent of the world production. Global Lithium prices rose drastically, with spodumene concentrate reaching A$ 6,000 per tonne, six times its previous record, while battery-grade lithium hydroxide rose to US$ 70,000 per tonne. Spodumene concentrate production in
2610-641: The Group Settlement Scheme of the 1920s, which encouraged farmers to settle the southwest—increased awareness of Australia's western third as a destination for colonists. Led by immigrants from the British Isles, Western Australia's population developed at a faster rate during the twentieth century than it had previously. After World War II , both the eastern states and Western Australia received large numbers of Italians , Croatians and Macedonians . Despite this, Britain has contributed
2700-588: The Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe cratons of Southern Africa, in the Archean Eon to form Ur , one of the oldest supercontinents on Earth (3 – 3.2 billion years ago). In May 2017, evidence of the earliest known life on land may have been found in 3.48-billion-year-old geyserite and other related mineral deposits (often found around hot springs and geysers ) uncovered in the Pilbara craton. Because
2790-486: The Kimberley , deserts in the interior (including the Great Sandy Desert , Little Sandy Desert , Gibson Desert , and Great Victoria Desert ) and a Mediterranean climate on the south-west and southern coastal areas. As of 2021, the state has 2.91 million inhabitants—11 percent of the national total. Over 90 percent of the state's population live in the south-west corner and around 80 percent live in
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2880-510: The petroleum industry in the state , accounted for 94% of the State's and 46% of Australia's income from total merchandise exports in 2019–20. The state of Western Australia hosted 123 predominantly higher-value and export-oriented mining projects and hundreds of smaller quarries and mines. The principal projects produced more than 99 per cent of the industry's total sales value. Western Australia's mineral and petroleum industry, in 2019–20, had
2970-489: The tallest trees in the world. This agricultural region is one of the nine most bio-diverse terrestrial habitats, with a higher proportion of endemic species than most other equivalent regions. Thanks to the offshore Leeuwin Current , the area is one of the top six regions for marine biodiversity and contains the most southerly coral reefs in the world. Average annual rainfall varies from 300 millimetres (12 in) at
3060-519: The 17th century, with Dirk Hartog 's 1616 expedition the first Europeans to make landfall. The British claimed Western Australia in 1827 and established the Swan River Colony with Perth as its capital in 1829. The Western Australian gold rushes of the late 19th century resulted in a significant population influx. The colony was granted responsible government in 1890, the last of the Australian colonies to become self-governing, and federated with
3150-410: The 1880s but took on some larger dimensions in the 1890s, after gold discoveries at Coolgardie in 1892 and Kalgoorlie in 1893. It reached an early peak in 1903, experienced a golden era in the 1930s and a revival in the mid-1980s. In between, the industry declined a number of times, particularly during the two world wars, experiencing an absolute low point in 1976. In 2018–2019, gold production in
3240-576: The 1890s around Kalgoorlie . In 1887, a new constitution was drafted, providing for the right of self-governance of European Australians, and in 1890, the act granting self-government to the colony was passed by the British Parliament . John Forrest became the first Premier of Western Australia . In 1896, after discoveries of gold at Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie , the Western Australian Parliament authorised
3330-420: The 1960s and 1970s. There was also a major revival in the mining of gold in the 1980s, stimulated by price increases associated with the end of the gold standard in 1971, high inflation throughout the 1970s and new processing technology. Major commodities in Western Australia in order of their 2021–22 sales values: Iron ore mining in Western Australia, in the financial year 2018–19, accounted for 54 percent of
3420-433: The 2016 census, 75.2% of inhabitants spoke only English at home, with the next most common languages being Mandarin (1.9%), Italian (1.2%), Vietnamese (0.8%), Cantonese (0.8%) and Tagalog (0.6%). According to the 2021 census, Christianity is the major religious affiliation in WA, followed by 41.1% of its population. In 1971, Christianity was followed by 85.5% of the population and it has been declining since, while
3510-603: The Department of Industry and Resources (DOIR) on 1 January 2009. The department also produces the annual Western Australian Mineral and Petroleum Statistic Digest and operates the MINDEX website, which is aimed at listing all current and former mining operations in the state. Mining transformed the Western Australian economy. Gold finds in the 1890s brought unprecedented numbers of people and amounts of capital to
3600-488: The Pilbara. Other mining locations in the state include Mitsui & Co. 's Onslow and Useless Loop ( Shark Bay ) mines (33% of production), with minor production from Lake Deborah near Koolyanobbing . While the overall salt production in Western Australia dropped by 4 percent in 2019–2020, to 11.2 million tonnes, the value of the industry increased by 24 percent, to A$ 375 million, due to increased prices. In 2021-22, Western Australia produced 11.6 million tonnes of Salt,
3690-518: The Western Australian coast. The Baudin expedition of 1800–03 included the coast of Western Australia and resulted in the Freycinet Map of 1811 , the first published map featuring the full outline of Australia. The name New Holland remained in popular and semi-official use until at least the mid-1850s; that is, it was in use for about 206 years in comparison to the name Australia which to date has been in use for about 195 years. The origins of
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3780-534: The Western Australian mining and petroleum industry has sharply increased over the last decade, from 85,163 in 2010, directly employing an average of 135,001 people during 2019–20. The largest employers were the iron ore (48.5%) and gold (23.4%) sectors. The industry's regulating authority in Western Australia is the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety , renamed from the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) on 1 July 2017, which in turn replaced
3870-805: The coast around the Margaret River wine-growing area. Going east along the Southern Ocean coast is the Goldfields-Esperance region, including the Esperance mallee and the Coolgardie woodlands inland around town of Coolgardie . Deserts occupy the interior, including the Great Sandy-Tanami desert , Gibson Desert , Great Victoria Desert , and Nullarbor Plain . In 1831 Scottish botanist Robert Brown produced
3960-685: The coast of Western Australia. On 7 March 1831 it was transferred to the control of the Swan River Colony, and named Albany in 1832. In 1829 the Swan River Colony was established on the Swan River by Captain James Stirling . By 1832, the British settler population of the colony had reached around 1,500, and the official name of the colony was changed to Western Australia on 6 February that year. The two separate townsites of
4050-730: The coastal plains, in some cases forming a sharp escarpment (as with the Darling Range/ Darling Scarp near Perth). The extreme age of the landscape has meant that the soils are remarkably infertile and frequently laterised . Even soils derived from granitic bedrock contain an order of magnitude less available phosphorus and only half as much nitrogen as soils in comparable climates in other continents. Soils derived from extensive sandplains or ironstone are even less fertile, nearly devoid of soluble phosphate and deficient in zinc , copper, molybdenum and sometimes potassium and calcium . The infertility of most of
4140-425: The colony developed slowly into the port city of Fremantle and the state's capital, Perth . York was the first inland settlement in Western Australia, situated 97 kilometres (60 mi) east of Perth and settled on 16 September 1831. York was the staging point for early explorers who discovered the rich gold reserves of Kalgoorlie. Population growth was very slow until significant discoveries of gold were made in
4230-629: The commodity in Western Australia. The Savannah Mine restarted production in late 2021, with the main production of copper in the state coming from the Golden Grove mine , the DeGrussa mine and the Jaguar mine as well as, as a by-product, from Nova , a nickel mine, and the Boddington gold mine . Lead mining in Western Australia experienced a boom in 2009, almost doubling its production. This
4320-484: The dominant industries), using income derived to import many other goods and services. The state's second major resource boom was stimulated when, in 1960, the Commonwealth Government lifted the iron ore export embargo that had been in place since 1938. Demand was fuelled by the buoyant Japanese economy and Japanese, American and British investment flowed into the state. While Asia had previously been
4410-530: The early 1970s to supply bauxite for both the Kwinana and Pinjarra refineries. Willowdale mine was established in 1984, near Waroona . It supplies bauxite ore to the Wagerup Alumina Refinery. Worsley Alumina constructed a bauxite mine site and refinery in the early 1980s, with the mine located near Boddington . The bauxite is transported by a 51-kilometre (32 mi) conveyor belt to
4500-406: The early 1970s, after which it levelled off. More than one million hectares (2.5 million acres) of marginal agricultural land was abandoned, and the government turned to mining as the state's main economic priority. The period after 1945 has been characterised by the development of the state's mining sector into a world-scale industry and Western Australia's increasing access to the rest of
4590-569: The edge of the Wheatbelt region to 1,400 millimetres (55 in) in the wettest areas near Northcliffe , but from November to March, evaporation exceeds rainfall, and it is generally very dry. Plants are adapted to this as well as the extreme poverty of all soils. The central two-thirds of the state is arid and sparsely inhabited. The only significant economic activity is mining. Annual rainfall averages less than 300 millimetres (8–10 in), most of which occurs in sporadic torrential falls related to cyclone events in summer. An exception to this
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#17327729376084680-611: The generally shallow soils, the only development has taken place along the Ord River . Snow is rare in the state and typically occurs only in the Stirling Range near Albany , as it is the only mountain range far enough south and sufficiently elevated. More rarely, snow can fall on the nearby Porongurup Range . Snow outside these areas is a major event; it usually occurs in hilly areas of southwestern Australia. The most widespread low-level snow occurred on 26 June 1956 when snow
4770-466: The greatest number of immigrants to this day. Western Australia—particularly Perth—has the highest proportion of British-born of any state: 10.3% in 2011, compared to a national average of 5.1%. This group is heavily concentrated in certain parts, where they account for a quarter of the population. Perth's metropolitan area (including Mandurah ) had an estimated population of 2,043,138 in June 2017 (79% of
4860-612: The international sandalwood oil market. In recent years, tourism has grown in importance, with significant numbers of visitors to the state coming from the UK and Ireland (28%), other European countries (14%) Singapore (16%), Japan (10%) and Malaysia (8%). Revenue from tourism is a strong economic driver in many of the smaller population centres outside of Perth, especially in coastal locations. Mining in Western Australia Mining in Western Australia , together with
4950-433: The journey to Walpole. Albany is a former whaling town and is rich in history. Beyond Walpole, Highway 1 continues as South Western Highway to Perth . Beyond Esperance, Highway 1 continues as Coolgardie–Esperance Highway to Norseman . The highway passes through the following towns from East to West: [REDACTED] Australian Roads portal This Western Australian road or road transport-related article
5040-488: The median individual income was A$ 500 per week in Western Australia (compared to A$ 466 in Australia as a whole). The median family income was A$ 1246 per week (compared to A$ 1171 for Australia). Recent growth has also contributed to significant rises in average property values in 2006, although values plateaued in 2007. Located south of Perth, the heavy industrial area of Kwinana had the nation's largest oil refinery with
5130-426: The meridian 129 degrees east of Greenwich, which defines the border with South Australia and the Northern Territory , and bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west and north. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) designates the body of water south of the continent as part of the Indian Ocean; in Australia it is officially gazetted as the Southern Ocean . The total length of the state's eastern border
5220-513: The north "over 50,000 years ago and possibly as much as 70,000 years ago". Over thousands of years they eventually spread across the whole landmass. These Indigenous Australians were long established throughout Western Australia by the time European explorers began to arrive in the early 17th century. The first Europeans to visit Western Australia were those of the Dutch Dirk Hartog expedition, who on 25 October 1616 landed at what
5310-538: The northern coast, and below that the drier Victoria Plains tropical savanna inland, and the semi-desert Pilbara shrublands , Carnarvon xeric shrublands , and Western Australian mulga shrublands to the southwest. Southwards along the coast are the Southwest Australia savanna and the Swan Coastal Plain around Perth, with the jarrah-karri forest and shrublands on the southwest corner of
5400-404: The number of employees fell from a peak 13,307 in 2008 to 7,561 in 2009. A large number of nickel mines in the state were placed in care and maintenance at the end of 2008 because of falling international prices. Nickel mining is the sixth largest commodity sector in Western Australia with a value of A$ 4.946 billion in 2021–22. The 147,190 tonnes sold in that year accounted for 5.5 percent of
5490-528: The only mountain-building since then has been of the Stirling Range with the rifting from Antarctica , the land is extremely eroded and ancient, with no part of the state above 1,249 metres (4,098 ft) AHD (at Mount Meharry in the Hamersley Range of the Pilbara region). Most of the state is a low plateau with an average elevation of about 400 metres (1,200 ft), very low relief, and no surface runoff . This descends relatively sharply to
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#17327729376085580-402: The other colonies in 1901. Western Australia's mining sector is a key driver of the state economy . The late 20th century saw the development of the state's significant iron ore mining industry – the world's largest – as well as primarily offshore petroleum and natural gas resources . Gold mining retains a significant presence and many other mineral commodities are mined, with Perth being
5670-412: The overall value. The third most important commodity in the state was gold, at $ 16 billion, 9.2 percent of the overall value. Alumina , nickel , and base metals ( copper , lead and zinc ) followed in order of importance, each achieving a value in excess of A$ 1 billion. Other major commodities included lithium , mineral sands , salt , coal , cobalt , rare earths , and diamonds . Employment in
5760-443: The percentage of people who identified as having no religious affiliation has increased from 8.7% in 1971 to 42.9% in 2021. A small minority of the population are Muslims (2.5%), Buddhists (2.2%) and Hindus (2.0%). Western Australia's economy is largely driven by extraction and processing of a diverse range of mineral and petroleum commodities. The structure of the economy is closely linked to these natural resources, providing
5850-474: The present state began with the establishment by Lockyer of a convict-supported settlement from New South Wales at King George III Sound . The settlement was formally annexed on 21 January 1827 by Lockyer when he commanded the Union Jack be raised and a feu de joie fired by the troops. The settlement was founded in response to British concerns about the possibility of a French colony being established on
5940-516: The previous year, setting a new record for iron ore sales values. The bulk of Western Australian ore went to China, which imported 82 percent of the 2018–19 production, followed by Japan with 7.9 percent. In the calendar year 2019, the Western Australian Government received A$ 4.9 billion in royalties from the iron ore mining industry in the state, 288% more than a decade ago in 2009. Iron ore mining in Western Australia
6030-494: The previous year, the value almost doubled as market prices for the commodity rose from US$ 44,248 per tonne in 2021 to US$ 81,539 in April 2022. Cobalt in Western Australia is mined as a by-product in the state's nickel mines. In 20–2020 over 90% of all salt produced in Australia came from Western Australia. Of the state's production, 66 percent originated from Rio Tinto 's operations at Dampier , Port Hedland and Lake MacLeod in
6120-426: The production would not be listed individually by the annual relevant mining department's publication but rather be grouped with tin and tantalum. In 2009–10, for example, the combined value of lithium, tin and tantalum production in the state stood at just under A$ 75 million in comparison to the state's mining industry value of A$ 71 billion at the time, with the state's lithium production coming from just one operation,
6210-550: The raising of a loan to construct a pipeline to transport 23 megalitres (5 million imperial gallons) of water per day to the burgeoning population on the goldfields. The pipeline, known as the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme , was completed in 1903. C. Y. O'Connor , Western Australia's first engineer-in-chief, designed and oversaw the construction of the pipeline. It carries water 530 km (330 mi) from Perth to Kalgoorlie , and
6300-587: The refinery at Worsley . Following an A$ 1 billion expansion in 2000, Worsley now export 4.4 million tonnes (9.7 billion pounds) of alumina. Production of alumina and bauxite was a record 15.4 million tonnes (34 billion pounds) in 2018–19. The value of the alumina and bauxite sector increased 25 per cent from $ 6.6 billion in 2017–18 to $ 8.3 billion in 2018–19. The state's largest export markets for alumina are United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, South Africa and Mozambique. In 2021–22, Western Australia produced 4.33 million tonnes of Alumina, ten percent of
6390-473: The same in 1960–61 as in 1948–49. However, the mining boom caused income per capita to more than double by 1973–74. Importantly, while iron ore was (and remains) a significant component of the mining industry, one important aspect of the resources boom in the 1960s that set it apart from the gold rush, was the diversity of commodities being mined. There were major discoveries of nickel, petroleum, bauxite and alumina, which all developed into significant industries in
6480-401: The soils has required heavy application by farmers of fertilisers. These have resulted in damage to invertebrate and bacterial populations. The grazing and use of hoofed mammals and, later, heavy machinery through the years have resulted in compaction of soils and great damage to the fragile soils. Large-scale land clearing for agriculture has damaged habitats for native flora and fauna. As
6570-555: The state and national economy. In the period 2010–2019 wheat production in WA has averaged nearly 10 million tonnes (22 billion pounds), valued at $ 2.816 billion in 2019, accounting for half the nation's total and providing $ 2–3 billion in export income. Other significant farm output includes wool, beef, lamb, barley, canola, lupins, oats and pulses. There is a high level of overseas demand for live animals from WA, driven mainly by southeast Asia's feedlots and Middle Eastern countries, where Islamic dietary laws and
6660-571: The state capital Perth , leaving the remainder of the state sparsely populated. The Trans-Australian Railway and the Eyre Highway traverse the Nullarbor Plain in the state's south-east, providing the principal connection between Western Australia and the population centres in the eastern states . Western Australia's Indigenous peoples have been present for tens of thousands of years. Dutch explorers visited Western Australia from
6750-710: The state declined by 12 percent in 2009. The largest base metals producing mine in Western Australia is the Golden Grove Mine near Yalgoo . The combined sales value of base metals mined in Western Australia in 2021–22 was A$ 2.3. In 2021-22, base metals were mined at three locations in Western Australia, at Golden Grove (29Metals), at the Jaguar mine (Aeris Resources) and at the DeGrussa mine (Sandfire Resources). Western Australian output of copper increased by ten percent in 2009, having grown from just over 34,000 tonnes (75 million pounds) per annum in 2000 to 142,490 tonnes (310 million pounds) by 2009, with
6840-640: The state increased to 2.05 million tonnes, resulting in a record value of A$ 6.8 billion. Lithium mining in Western Australia, in 2021–22, took place at the Greenbushes mine (Talison Lithium Australia), Pilgangoora (Pilbara Minerals), Mount Marion and Wodgina (both Mineral Resources), the Bald Hill mine (Lithco No.2) and at the Mt Cattlin mine (Allkem). Western Australia accounts for 67 per cent of Australia’s alumina production. The Darling Range in
6930-408: The state was steady on the previous year, at 211 tonnes (6.8 million troy ounces), 6.4% of world production, although an improving gold price delivered a 4.6 percent increase in value, from $ 11.4 billion in 2017–18, to a record annual value of $ 11.9 billion. Historically, Lithium mining in Western Australia accounted for only a very small share of the state's mining revenues, to the point were
7020-477: The state while, in the previous period, it had been 1,266 tonnes at a value of A$ 3.787 million. Zinc experienced a drop in production and prices in 2009, output in Western Australia falling by 33 percent and the value of the industry decreasing by 35 percent. Because of the close association in nature of zinc and lead ores, zinc has experienced the same variations in production as lead in recent decades. In 2021-22, Western Australia produced 74,049 tonnes of Zinc at
7110-456: The state's southwest contains considerable deposits of bauxite, which are mined by Alcoa and Worsley Alumina for the production of alumina . Alcoa's first bauxite mine at Jarrahdale was opened in 1963 to service the Kwinana alumina refinery. 168 million tonnes (370 billion pounds) of bauxite was mined from Jarrahdale until its closure in 1998. The Huntly mine was established in
7200-451: The state). Other significant population centres include Bunbury (73,989), Geraldton (37,961), Kalgoorlie-Boulder (30,420), Albany (33,998), Karratha (16,446), Broome (14,501) and Port Hedland (14,285). At the 2016 census, the most commonly nominated ancestries were: 3.1% of the population, or 75,978 people, identified as Indigenous Australians ( Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders ) in 2016. At
7290-510: The state. Gold mining declined after 1904, and Western Australia went through a painful period of structural adjustment over the course of the following three decades during which time two world wars, an international depression and a major drought complicated the state's economic development. Mining began to take off again in the 1930s, however at the time the state governments' focus was on agricultural expansion and manufacturing initiatives. The primary sector would experience strong growth until
7380-550: The time transportation ceased in 1868, convicts outnumbered free settlers 9,700 to 7,300. In the 1890s, interstate immigration, resulting from a mining boom in the Goldfields region , resulted in a sharp population increase. Western Australia did not receive significant flows of immigrants from Britain, Ireland or elsewhere in the British Empire until the early 20th century. At that time, its local projects—such as
7470-476: The total value of the state's resources exports, with a value of A$ 78.2 billion. The overall value of the mineral and petroleum industry in Western Australia was A$ 145 billion in 2018–19. Production of iron ore in Western Australia in 2018–19 was 794 million tonnes (1.8 trillion pounds), down on the previous year's 839 million tonnes (1.8 trillion pounds) of ore, however due to improved iron ore prices, sales of $ 78.2 billion were up 26 per cent on
7560-632: The value of the Western Australian coal industry has remained reasonably constant, too, with a slight increase in sales to A$ 319 million in 2019. In 2021-22, Western Australia produced 5.19 million tonnes of coal, a record low, at a value of A$ 325 million, seeing an increase despite the reduced production. Coal mining in Western Australia was carried out at the Premier mine ( Yancoal ) and the Griffin mine (Griffin Coal Mining Company), but
7650-697: The world production and a decline from the 16.22 million produced in the previous period. Production value of the 4.33 million tonnes was A$ 6.7 billion, an increase because of the higher overall prices. Production in Western Australia occurred at the Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals Huntly and Willowdale mines and at the South32 Boddington mine. The discovery in Kambalda, Western Australia in 1966, Mount Windarra in 1969 and Agnew in 1971 coinciding with rising world nickel prices and
7740-689: The world's nickel production and 100 percent of all nickel produced in Australia. The 2021–22 value of nickel sales was the highest in 15 years, while the amount produced was the lowest in 20 years. From 1997 to 2022, Western Australia was the only state or territory in Australia to produce nickel, until nickel concentrate production restarted at the Avebury nickel project in Tasmania in October 2022. In 2021–22, nickel mining in Western Australia employed 8,294 people. The value of base metals production in
7830-441: The world. Communication and transport advances brought Western Australia much closer to the rest of the world, providing opportunities for local producers to access markets in other countries much more easily. On the other hand, overseas producers could access the Western Australian market relatively more readily. The outcome has been a highly specialised and trade-dependent Western Australian economy (with mining and mineral processing
7920-636: Was caused by the reopening of the Magellan mine, near Wiluna. Overall, the state's lead production in the last 20 years has been varied, reaching a peak of 91,380 tonnes (200 million pounds) in 2001, falling to 1,170 tonnes (2.6 million pounds) in 2004 because of the closure of the Lennard Shelf mine, before reaching another peak in 2006 and a low in 2008. In 2021-22, the Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety registered no production for lead in
8010-653: Was reported in the Perth Hills , as far north as Wongan Hills and as far east as Salmon Gums . However, even in the Stirling Range, snowfalls rarely exceed 5 cm (2 in) and rarely settle for more than one day. The highest observed temperature of 50.7 °C (123.3 °F) was recorded in Onslow on 13 January 2022. The lowest temperature recorded was −7.2 °C (19.0 °F) at Eyre Bird Observatory on 17 August 2008. The south geomagnetic pole
8100-508: Was the fourth largest producer of rare earths in the world, producing 30,000 tonnes, an increase compared to the previous period. Rare earths sales from the state achieved a value of A$ 779 million. Rare earths mining in Western Australia takes place at the Mount Weld mine , operated by Lynas . In 2021–22, Western Australia produced 5,314 tonnes of cobalt with a value of A$ 522 million. While production remained steady in comparison to
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