Mining is one of the biggest industries in Australia and a major contributor to the country's economy. There is a large number of mining businesses present in the country, many are large multinational mining companies and also a lot of small mining and mineral exploration companies.

Australia is one of the largest exporters of diamonds, gold, uranium, and aluminum, among other minerals. Despite the huge contribution and export importance of mining, the mining sector employs only a small portion of the population. Approximately 100,000 Australians are miners and represent a very small percentage of the total labour force.

Mining in Australia is technologically advanced because of first-world safety regulations and the importance placed on mining by successive governments. Many mining companies around the world make use of technology developed in Australia that specialises in geology and mine planning.

There are a number of Australian mining associations that include the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Australian Institute of Petroleum, Australian Coal Association, Association of Mining and Exploration Companies Inc., Australian Mineral Economics, Australian Mineral foundation, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and many more. The government department that is responsible for maintaining the safety and highest standards in the industry is the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).

Agriculture in Australia

Australia is a major agricultural producer and exporter in the world and earns hundreds of billions of dollars a year. More than 60% of the country's landmass is owned by farmers for agricultural uses with irrigation and dry-land farming. The viability of agriculture in South Australia is determined generally by whether the land is within Goyders Line. There are three main zones which include: the high rainfall zone of Tasmania and a narrow coastal zone; wheat, sheep zone; and the pastoral zone. Because of Australia's irregular rainfall, irrigation plays a vital role in many parts of the country.

The major agricultural products of Australia for both export and domestic consumption include: cattle and calves, wheat, milk, fruit and nuts, vegetables, wool, barley, poultry, lambs, and sugar cane.

Horticulture also plays a vital role as Australia produces vegetables and fruits for the entire population. It has a small export industry, however, since Australians prefer local produce over imports from other countries.

The wine industry in Australia is one of the largest in the world as the country possess numerous wine regions with key wine varieties that include chardonnay, shiraz, and cabernet sauvignon.

The livestock industry is the largest agricultural enterprise in Australia. The country exports large quantities of livestock and has benefited much from research against livestock diseases. Dairy products, on the other hand, are Australias fourth most valuable agricultural product and are heavily dependent on expanding export markets.

ABARES is also responsible for the development of agriculture in Australia.