ocr: Australia has one of the world's most imp ortant mining industries. It is a world leader in exports of coal,iron ore, gold, bauxite and copper. Minerals account for 9.4% of. Australia's GDP and53%ofalli its merchandise export earnings. Since the first discoveries of coal in 1798, mineral production in Australia has risen every year. From 1982 to 1992 it doubled. Even further growthis expected - 111 the late 1990s. Eighty major new mining projects are already planned, worth some $33 billion. Minerals' share of the total economy will continue to gTOW into the next century. The industry has benef ...
