Australia’s mining and resources sector remains the foundation of its international economic engagement. In 2023–24, the sector accounted for roughly 60 per cent of goods export earnings and generated several hundred billion dollars in revenue, sustaining Australia’s trade surplus and government royalties (DFAT, 2024). Foreign direct investment (FDI) in mining and quarrying reached A$407.7 billion in 2024, representing 31.8 per cent of total inbound FDI (DFAT Foreign Investment Statistics, 2024). These trade and investment flows anchor Australia’s role as a leading global supplier of raw materials and critical minerals essential to the clean energy transition.

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