Mining in the Northern Territory

Mining in the Northern Territory accounts for 16.4% of the gross domestic product, inclusive of both the minerals and petroleum industries. In 2015, it was valued at A$3,436 million. It accounts for 4.3% of the Northern Territory workforce. 63 businesses are currently engaged in the sector.

History
Prior to European Settlement Indigenous groups mined ochre and other materials for ceremonial activities. With the arrival of the Overland Telegraph Line in the 1860s-70's gold was discovered in small quantities at a number of locations when the Northern Territory was being administered by South Australia.

The first large find of gold in the region was made at Pine Creek, about 250kms south of Darwin in 1872. Its discovery led to an influx of prospectors to the region, including a large number of Chinese migrants. Soon Chinese migrants outnumbered 'white' miners, those of European backgrounds, and tensions arose with many white miners being angered that Chinese workers were 'undercutting the existing labour force. This tension ultimately led to the creation of South Australia's Chinese Restriction Act 1868 which brought in tonnage restrictions and a poll tax on each Chinese arrival and dramatically reduced the number of arrivals to the region.

The next major gold discovery was made at Arltunga, 110kms east of Alice Springs, in 1897 where a battery and cyanide plant were established to process the ore.

Other mineral discoveries, besides gold, were also made during this period including copper at Pine Creek in 1872 and the Daly River region in 1882. Mica was discovered at Hart Range from 1892 and wolfram at Hatches Creek (between Alice Springs and Tennant Creek).

Despite these discoveries there were few early mining successes during this early era, in large part, because conditions on the goldfields and mines were harsh and often the mines were located long distances from the larger settlements, harsh weather conditions, high prices for goods and services and fluctuating metal prices.

Manganese
Manganese mining in the Northern Territory in the financial year 2013-14, was worth A$1,024 million.

Petroleum
Petroleum, like mining, falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Mines and Energy. It was worth $214 million in 2014. The NT onshore area is over 1.35 million km2. There were 54 active exploration permits, three retention and five productions licences. Hydrocarbons have been produced since the 1980s.

Onshore gas was produced at the Mereenie and Palm Valley gas fields in the Amadeus Basin, west of Alice Springs. The Dingo Field began producing gas in November 2015.

Gold
Gold mining in the Northern Territory was worth A$770 million in 2014.

Uranium
Uranium mining in the Northern Territory in the financial year 2013-14, was worth A$136 million.

Geothermal
There are no granted geothermal permits in the NT at the time of producing this report. The last permit was surrendered in 2014.