Data sources

The statistics in this publication are obtained from several sources, as follows.

• The bulk of mine production data (other than petroleum) is obtained from companies, published company reports and ABARE estimates. Data are supplemented where necessary by information from state mines departments (or their equivalents).
• Petroleum production and sales are based on data obtained from the Resources Division of the Australian Government Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.
• Smelter and refinery production data are provided by companies operating the major smelters and refineries.
• Trade data are obtained from official ABS compiled statistics, supplemented by ABARE estimates where necessary.
• Price information is from published sources.

The assistance of the organisations supplying data is gratefully acknowledged by ABARE.

Note on mine production data

In most instances, data refer to actual mine output. However, in a small number of cases, despatches or sales data are used as proxies for production.

Quantities of minerals produced are reported in terms of the product in which they leave each mine site. This includes various stages of ore dressing, processing and elementary smelting where these are carried out in an associated plant at, or near, the mine. The output is recorded as ore where no treatment is undertaken at the mine, or as a concentrate where ore dressing operations are carried out.

Definitions

Definitions and explanations

Small discrepancies in totals are generally because of the rounding of components.

zero is used to denote nil or a negligible amount
p denotes a preliminary figure
s denotes an ABARE estimate

Australian merchandise exports: are valued on a free on board (fob) basis at the Australian port of export. The costs of freight, insurance and other distributive services beyond the Australian customs border are not included.

Australian merchandise imports: are valued on a customs value for duty (vfd) basis that is identical to a free on board (fob) basis. The customs vfd is the price actually paid at the port of origin, including inland freight and insurance costs incurred in delivering the commodity to the port of origin. The freight and insurance costs of delivering the commodity(s) to the Australian port of destination are excluded.

Accounting of international merchandise trade: the valuation of Australian merchandise exports and imports used in the accounting of international trade in the Australian Balance of Payments and the international trade statistical system are in accordance with the definitions published in the harmonised international standards determined by the International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments Manual (version 5), 1993 and the United Nations, System of National Accounts, 1993.

Common abbreviations and conversions
kg	kilogram	2.20462 lb (pounds)
t	tonne	1000 kilograms
kt	kilotonne	1000 tonnes
Mt	megatonne	1 000 000 tonnes
mtu	metric ton unit	10 kilograms
ct	metric carat
L	litre	1.761 pints
kL	kilolitre	1000 litres
ML	megalitre	1 000 000 litres
Mm3	million cubic metres	1 000 000 cubic metres
bbl	barrel	159 litres
oz	troy ounce	0.031 kilograms
$m	million dollars (Australian)
fob	free on board
for	free on rail
fot	free on truck
cif	cost, insurance and freight