The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) has raised concerns over declining exploration levels in the industry, with new quarterly data indicating a 18.4 percent deposits drop.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Mineral and Exploration report for the March 2025 quarter highlights the reduction in exploration activity which is estimated to be worth $181 million in dollar value.
AMEC members are now pushing for measures to reverse the decline.
Speaking on behalf of AMEC, Chief Executive Officer Warren Pearce said the data reflects the association’s long standing view.
“Those on the ground are doing it tough,” he said.
“The barriers to exploration have never been higher and it’s extremely difficult to raise funds for exploration.
“As an industry we keep being told how important we are to the economic security of our country, but we’re not seeing that support on the ground where it matters.”
Pearce reiterated that “changes are needed to buck this trend”.
“From land access and environmental approvals to coexistence issues with the renewables sector,” he said.
“These are struggles that were once on the horizon but are now in our face.”
According to the ABS data, among all the states, Western Australia experienced the biggest decline, with expenditure across all commodities down.
Total exploration expenditure for the March 2025 quarter sits at $530.6 million, down from the highs of September 2023 quarter of $715 million.
However, quarterly expenditure increases for total exploration were noted in New South Wales, up 6.1 percent and Victoria, up 18.1 percent total expenditure, with the latter recording stronger gold and minerals sands expenditure during the quarter.
Tasmania remained relatively flat with a 2 per cent rise for the quarter to $10 million, although up strongly year on year and jumping 33 per cent, to buck the national trend on an annual basis.
