A rebounding WA resources sector has driven the number of people employed in mining across the State to record levels. Statistics announced yesterday by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety for the 2017-18 financial year show more than 112,000 people directly employed in the mining industry.
The statistics also reveal the mineral and petroleum industry reported sales of $114.9 billion, up $10 billion from the previous year.
The amount was the second highest financial year sales value on record, behind only the $123 billion achieved in 2013-14, with a number of commodities reaching record production levels including gold, iron ore, LNG and lithium.
Increased volumes combined with strong gold prices to deliver a 5 per cent increase in the value of the gold sector from $10.8 billion in 2016-17 to $11.4 billion.
Nickel also turned the corner with the value of the sector increasing 26 per cent from $2.1 billion in 2016-17 to $2.6 billion. President of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jessica Biddle said the encouraging statistics reflected current buoyancy in the resources industry across the Goldfields.
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