The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released its March quarter mineral and petroleum exploration data, revealing a downturn in exploration activity nationwide.
The figures show an 18.4 per cent drop in total exploration from the previous quarter, equating to a $181 million decline. Year on year, this represents an 11.5 per cent fall, or $105 million in reduced exploration spending.
“Those on the ground are doing it tough,” Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) chief executive officer Warren Pearce said. “The barriers to exploration have never been higher and it’s extremely difficult to raise funds for exploration.
“Changes are needed to buck this trend. From land access and environmental approvals to coexistence issues with the renewables sector. These are struggles that were once on the horizon but are now in our face.”
In 2023, national quarterly exploration spend consistently exceeded $1 billion across greenfield and brownfield projects. That figure has now fallen by approximately $800 million in the March 2025 quarter.
New exploration drilling declined 21.9 per cent from the December 2024 quarter, with total metres drilled down 11.6 per cent.
Western Australia, the country’s exploration powerhouse, recorded $530.6 million in spending for the March 2025 quarter, down from a peak of $715 million in September 2023. This marks a 19.5 per cent drop quarter on quarter and a 4 per cent fall year on year, with copper and nickel most affected.
The Northern Territory posted its lowest exploration spend since June 2017, with just $22.5 million recorded. Greenfield activity in the Territory dropped 49 per cent quarter on quarter and 54 per cent year on year, from $36.6 million in December 2023 to just $7.3 million.
Queensland saw exploration expenditure fall to $104.7 million, down from $165.9 million the previous quarter. In South Australia, spending dropped from $79.5 million in December 2023 to $51.7 million in March 2025, a decline of $28 million over 18 months.
New South Wales and Victoria were the exceptions, recording increases of 6.1 per cent and 18.1 per cent respectively. Victoria’s growth was driven by higher spending on gold and mineral sands.
Tasmania remained stable, up 2 per cent for the quarter to $10 million, but has risen 33 per cent year on year, going against the national trend.
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