Valuable minerals which form in large amounts in one area are called deposits. If a deposit is rich enough in minerals to make it worthwhile to mine, it is then called an ore body. Minerals are mined in every state of Australia, however only 0.26% of Australia's land mass is used for this purpose. Metals such as aluminum, copper, gold, iron, lead, managenese, nickel, silver, tin, titanium and zinc are all formed from minerals.

Coal is mined extensively in eastern Australia and many products are made from Australian petroleum, including oil, gas, petrol and diesel. Uranium is an energy source also mined in Australia. It is exported to other countries where it is used for nuclear fuel. Australia produces most of the world's precious opals and is a major supplier of diamonds and sapphaires.

Australia also supplies building and industrial materials which are used for a wide variety of purposes. These include: basalt, clay, corundum, diamonds, diatomite, garnet, granite, gravel, gypsum, limestone, magnetite, marble, mica, salt, sand, sandstone, scoria, slate, talc and many more.

Special exploration teams are always searching for potential mining sites to meet the human demand for minerals.Teams include geophysicists, geologists and geochemists. They are looking for clues as to what minerals might be located below the Earth’s surface. This is done with the help of satellite pictures, aerial photographs and geological maps.

Government departments and communities are consulted before permission is granted to explore.

Geophysicists collect more information using ultra-modern equipment on the ground and in aircraft to measure the makeup of rocks found both on and under the surface. They look for differences in the density of rocks, whether they have  magnetic capabilities and whether they conduct electricity. The level of natural radioactivity, the temperature and the speed with which sound can travel through rocks are also measured.

With the permission of the land owner, geologists conduct a field survey and samples are collected by hand from the area and tested. Geochemists discover what lies underground by analysing the mineral content of the water and soil that is present in the area.

Diamond bit drills fitted to the back of a truck drill narrow holes up to 1.5 kilometres below the Earth’s surface. Core samples of rock from these holes are collected for more detailed testing. Further drilling and tests attempt to establish the shape and size of the mineral deposit.

Exploration teams must carefully manage the natural environment. They replant any vegetation they disturb during exploration and cover drill holes to make them safe and to prevent small animals from falling into them.

A large number of tests and feasibility studies are conducted on an area, sometimes for up to 15 years, before millions of dollars are committed by a mining company to establish a mine. The company must be convinced that the costs including exploration, development of the mine, environmental management and royalties to be paid will be covered, if mining is to proceed. Very few identified mineral deposits ever become mines, in fact, only about one in every 1,000 is established.