AIMR 2025 Australia's Identified Mineral Resources 2025
Australia’s resources sector is essential to global supply chain security.
Mineral resource exports were 11% of Australia’s GDP in 2024.
Critical minerals and strategic materials are essential for advanced technology and manufacturing.
Australia hosts world-class mineral resources and is a leading producer of many commodities.
Critical minerals and strategic materials support the nation’s energy security.
Government geoscience helps explorers understand Australia’s geology.
Australian mineral commodities underpin energy networks, electronic devices and communication systems.
Australia’s resources sector supports the nation’s sovereign capability.
Minister's Foreword
The 2025 edition of Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources (AIMR) underscores Australia’s role as a reliable supplier of mineral resources. With our diverse geology, abundant mineral resources and a world-class mining industry, Australia is leading the way in resources exploration and production.
Robust critical mineral supply chains are essential for technological innovation, modern defence, clean manufacturing and our economic security. Australian mineral resources, such as lithium and rare earths, are essential components for batteries, solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles as we advance towards a net zero future.
AIMR 2025 shows that recent investment in exploration for critical minerals has boosted Australia’s supply potential and capacity to establish secure sustainable supply chains with our strategic partners.
Investment in mineral exploration for metals, including critical minerals, remained strong at $668 million in 2024. In total, 11 critical minerals saw a significant increase in Economic Demonstrated Resources (EDR), including fluorine, high-purity alumina, rare earth elements and antimony. Despite lower prices for some commodities, mineral resource exports in 2024 were valued at $308 billion, or 11% of Australia's GDP.
Highlights for our mineral resources sector in 2024 include:
- Major commodities remained the largest source of income, with mineral resource exports led by iron ore (41%), coal (28%) and gold (12%);
- Australia continues to hold the number one world ranking for resources of gold, iron ore, lead, rutile, uranium, vanadium, zinc, zircon and added ilmenite;
- Increased production of the critical minerals used to make hard steels, with tungsten up by more than 90% and molybdenum up by 59%;
- Increased production of the minerals used in electronics and alloys with tantalum up by 26% and tin up by 14%; and
- Increased production of lithium (up by 14%), platinum group elements (up by 12%) and rare earth elements (up by 7%).
The resources sector is key to sovereign capability and building a competitive Australia.
That’s why the Australian Government is providing multi-generational investment in foundational geoscience. The 35-year Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative – led by Geoscience Australia – will accelerate the discovery of critical minerals, strategic materials and other resources necessary for a cleaner, more prosperous future.
Understanding our continent’s minerals endowment will boost our mining sector, providing jobs and economic opportunities for regional communities. And with more than 60 percent of resources projects occurring on land with Native Title or determination, it also offers unique opportunities for First Nations Australians.
Since 1976, AIMR has helped guide explorers and miners to expand our substantial inventory of mineral resources and support Australia’s economic wellbeing.
I commend Geoscience Australia on AIMR 2025. This publication continues to demonstrate the value of government investment in precompetitive geoscience, as well as Australia’s role as a stable and reliable supplier of minerals to the world.
The Hon Madeleine King MP
Minister for Resources & Minister for Northern Australia.
Member for Brand
Contact Details
mineral.promotions@ga.gov.au
Department of Industry, Science and Resources
Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia: The Hon Madeleine King MP
Secretary: Ms Meghan Quinn PSM
Geoscience Australia
Chief Executive Officer: Ms Melissa Harris PSM
Geoscience Australia values the lands, water and sky as we work to deepen a shared understanding of Country and Earth. We respect First Nations peoples and their enduring connection, contribution and obligations to Country. Reflecting on our shared history, we are committed to listen and learn.
© Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia) 2026.
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ISSN: 1447-8498 (Online)
ISSN: 1327-1466 (Print)
ISBN: 978-1-923084-92-6 (PDF)
ISBN: 978-1-923084-93-3 (Print)
eCat ID: 150676
GA ISR11955
Cover: 3D render of a modern circuit board. Semiconductors underpin modern electronics like smartphones, computers, military systems, cars, medical equipment and telecommunications. Critical minerals such as silicon, antimony, gallium, germanium, indium and arsenic are widely used as semiconductor material in electronic devices.
Inside cover: Close up of gold mineralisation in a quartz vein. Gold mineralisation is often associated with critical minerals and strategic materials, for example with antimony at the Costerfield Mine in Victoria, with cobalt at Beta Hunt in Western Australia and with copper at the Cadia Mine in New South Wales. Critical minerals and strategic materials are vital for the manufacture of advanced technologies in all sectors of the modern world, including energy, communications and defence, but it is often gold that underpins the economic viability of mine production, enabling associated critical minerals and strategic materials to be produced as by- and co-products.
Bibliographical reference: Hughes, A., Britt, A., Pheeney, J., Kucka, C., Morfiadakis, A., Munns, C., Senior, A., Cross, A. and Thorne, J. 2026. Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources 2025. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/150676