Fact Focus 48 - Importance of Mining to the Australian Economy
Ecoal, June 2010, Vol. 71
Employment Growth in Australia - Coal and Metal Ore Mining and the Rest of the Economy, 2008-09
Employment growth in the mining sector during 2008-09 was far more rapid than in the rest of the economy.
The number of Australians who are directly employed by the resources industry total more than 170,000 - which is in addition to many workers who are supported by the industry, but do not work for the industry itself. It is generally regarded that for every one job the resources industry provides another four jobs are created. For example, the shops where resource employees shop, the petrol stations they fill their cars up, the restaurants they eat at etc.
Source: Minerals Council of Australia 2010
