Ores and metals exports in Australia
Australia: Ores and metals exports was 34.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ores and metals exports in Australia, 1963–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
Australia recorded 34.6% for ores and metals exports in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ores and metals exports in Australia peaked at 42.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 6.1%, in 1963.
Australia ranks 12th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Ores and metals exports in Australia, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 6.1% | — |
| 1964 | 7.7% | +27.3% |
| 1965 | 9.5% | +23.8% |
| 1966 | 10.2% | +7.2% |
| 1967 | 11.5% | +12.3% |
| 1968 | 15.6% | +35.7% |
| 1969 | 17.9% | +14.6% |
| 1970 | 22.6% | +26.4% |
| 1971 | 21.6% | -4.2% |
| 1972 | 19.0% | -12.1% |
| 1973 | 17.3% | -8.8% |
| 1974 | 20.5% | +18.3% |
| 1975 | 22.4% | +9.4% |
| 1976 | 19.7% | -12.1% |
| 1977 | 20.2% | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 15.4% | -23.9% |
| 1979 | 15.2% | -1.2% |
| 1980 | 17.5% | +14.7% |
| 1981 | 17.5% | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 19.4% | +10.7% |
| 1983 | 20.2% | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 18.7% | -7.1% |
| 1985 | 18.1% | -3.2% |
| 1986 | 18.2% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 17.8% | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 23.9% | +34.2% |
| 1989 | 26.1% | +9.2% |
| 1990 | 25.3% | -2.8% |
| 1991 | 23.5% | -7.1% |
| 1992 | 21.3% | -9.6% |
| 1993 | 20.0% | -5.8% |
| 1994 | 17.8% | -11.2% |
| 1995 | 20.3% | +14.0% |
| 1996 | 18.8% | -7.2% |
| 1997 | 18.7% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 20.1% | +7.4% |
| 1999 | 20.9% | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 19.6% | -6.1% |
| 2001 | 19.3% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 18.2% | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 18.6% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 19.8% | +6.7% |
| 2005 | 23.0% | +16.1% |
| 2006 | 27.4% | +18.9% |
| 2007 | 29.1% | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 27.8% | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 27.7% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 34.0% | +22.6% |
| 2011 | 36.6% | +7.9% |
| 2012 | 34.1% | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 38.2% | +12.0% |
| 2014 | 37.0% | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 32.2% | -13.1% |
| 2016 | 31.5% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 31.4% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 29.7% | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 34.5% | +16.0% |
| 2020 | 40.7% | +18.0% |
| 2021 | 42.8% | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 30.2% | -29.6% |
| 2023 | 35.3% | +17.0% |
| 2024 | 34.2% | -3.3% |
| 2025 | 34.6% | +1.4% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 34.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.7%, 12.9× the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Australia's 34.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.4%, 14.7× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.2% | 6.1% | 17.9% | 7 |
| 1970s | 19.4% | 15.2% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.7% | 17.5% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.7% | 17.8% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.1% | 18.2% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.9% | 29.7% | 38.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.3% | 30.2% | 42.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 9 New Caledonia 37.8% compare
- 10 Jamaica 37.6% compare
- 11 Iceland 36.2% compare
- 13 Zimbabwe 33.8% compare
- 14 Mauritania 33.7% compare
- 15 Madagascar 32.9% compare
More energy & mining data for Australia
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.4235 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 11.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 1.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ores and metals exports in Australia?
- Ores and metals exports in Australia was 34.6% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest ores and metals exports recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 42.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest ores and metals exports recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.1% in 1963.
- How does Australia rank for ores and metals exports?
- Australia ranks 12th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ores and metals exports rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Ores and metals exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ores and metals comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 27 (crude fertilizer, minerals nes); 28 (metalliferous ores, scrap); and 68 (non-ferrous metals). Exports of services are services provided by residents to non-residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.