Australian mineral exports increase in 2005-2006

The final data released by the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics (ABARE) show that the country's export earnings from minerals and the energy sector rose 32 percent to a record A$90.5 billion ($68.2 billion) in 2005-2006. ABARE indicated that the higher export prices of minerals and energy commodities had contributed to the increase. The commodities that recorded the largest increases in export earnings in 2005-2006 were coking coal up 59 percent to A$17.08 billion ($12.9 billion), iron ore and pellets up 54 percent to A$12.51 billion ($9.4 billion) and copper up 79 percent to A$5.23 billion ($3.94 billion).