PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Mineral exploration expenditure in Australia fell by 4.5% in the March quarter to around A$735.1-million, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has shown.

Brownfield exploration spend fell by 6.6%, or A$34.7-million, the ABS noted, while greenfield exploration spend fell by 0.1%, or A$0.2-million.

Gold exploration expenditure recorded the largest fall, down 6.4%, or A$24.5-milllion, while petroleum exploration spend rose by 7.3%, or A$19.4-million, to A$283.4-million.

Metres drilled for greenfield exploration slipped by 16.6% while brownfield grew by 1.7%. The largest increase of minerals sought came from expenditure on copper up 32%, or A$25-million, to A$103.1-million, followed by selected base metals up 5%, or A$7-million, to A$162-million.

“Total Australian mineral exploration expenditure fell in the first quarter of 2021, for the first time in 12 months. On the back of a year of strong growth, despite Covid-19 challenges, the significant resourcing constraints experienced across the sector show that we are still in a period of heightened demand, highlighting the need for strengthened greenfield exploration,” said the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) CEO Warren Pearce.

“Nationally, mineral exploration expenditure for the March 2021 quarter was 20.4%, or A$124.5-million, higher than March 2020, when industry first felt the early impacts of Covid-19.”

“Australia needs greater greenfield mineral exploration. The figures today show that greenfield exploration has remained steady this quarter, indicating that discovering new mines is a priority for industry. We would expect to see this number rise again later in the year following the announcement of the continuation of the Junior Minerals Exploration Incentive programme, which will encourage exploration,” said Pearce.

This quarter, total expenditure grew in Victoria by 21%, South Australia by 6%, and Tasmania by 34%. Western Australian exploration remained steady at A$479.7-million.

However, total expenditure fell in other jurisdictions, with New South Wales decreasing by 2%, Queensland by 21%, and Northern Territory by 19%.

The expenditure increases in Victoria can be largely attributed to increases in gold exploration, while copper rose in South Australia. Western Australia’s A$15.7-million decrease in brownfield exploration was offset by a A$15-million increase in greenfield exploration. Western Australia represents 65.3% of total Australian mineral exploration expenditure activity.

“Continued investment in Australian mineral exploration is needed to find the mines of the future and unlock the jobs and growth still waiting to be discovered,” said Pearce.