It is the largest country in the world and occupies about 5% of the planet's land mass or 7.69 million km². It is washed by the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Australia has many natural resources, but the most economically important are minerals that are exported to other countries in the world and bring significant economic benefits.

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Water resources

Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth, with one of the world's highest water consumption levels. mainly represented surface waters in the form of rivers, lakes, reservoirs, dams and reservoirs for rainwater, as well as underground aquifers. As an island continent, Australia is completely dependent on rainfall (rain and snow) for its water supply. Artificial reservoirs are critical to maintaining water supplies on the mainland.

Among the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, Australia has the fourth largest water consumption per capita. The total annual flow of water is about 243 billion m³, and the total volume of groundwater recharge is 49 billion m³, which gives a total inflow of water resources of 292 billion m³. Only 6% of Australia's water flow is in the Murray-Darling Basin, where water use is 50%. The total capacity of large dams in Australia is about 84 billion m³.

In Australia, the use of reclaimed water is widespread (this is treated wastewater that is not potable and is intended to be reused technical application) for irrigating green spaces, golf courses, crops or industrial use.

Forest resources

Australia is diverse and is one of the continent's most important natural resources.

Australia has many forests despite being considered one of the driest continents. The mainland has about 149.3 million hectares of natural forest, which is about 19.3% of Australia's land area. Most of Australia's trees are hardwoods, usually eucalyptus trees. Of these, 3.4% (5.07 million hectares) are classified as primary forest, the most biologically diverse and saturated with carbon.

Australia's natural forests are found in a wide range of geographic landscapes and climates, and contain a wide range of predominantly endemic species (ie species not found elsewhere) that are unique and complex. Forests represent the range of wood and non-wood products that Australians use in Everyday life... They also ensure the purity of water, protect soils, provide opportunities for recreation, tourism, and scientific and educational activities maintain cultural, historical, and aesthetic values.

The continent's timber industry has benefited from the development of tree plantations, which produce 14 times more timber per hectare of land than natural forests. Currently, plantations provide more than two-thirds of Australia's timber. These areas are dominated by fast-growing tree species such as eucalyptus and radiant pine. The main types of forest products are sawn timber, wood-based panels, paper and wood chips.

Mineral resources

Australia ranks among the world's largest producers of minerals. The most important of the continent are bauxite, gold and iron ore. Other mainland minerals include copper, lead, zinc, diamonds and mineral sands. Most of the mineral resources are mined in Western Australia and Queensland. Many of the minerals mined in Australia are exported overseas.

Australia has extensive coal deposits. It is mainly found in the eastern part of the country. 2/3 of Australian coal is exported mainly to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Western Europe. The rest of the coal mined in Australia is burned to generate electricity.

Natural gas is also common in the country. Its reserves are mainly found in Western and Central Australia. Since most of these deposits are remote from urban centers, gas pipelines were built to transport natural gas to cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. Some of the natural gas is exported. For example, natural gas produced in Western Australia is exported directly to Japan in liquid form.

Australia also contains a third of the world's uranium reserves. Uranium is used to produce nuclear energy. However, nuclear power and uranium mining are highly controversial, as people are concerned about the harmful effects on environment due to its radioactive properties.

Land resources

Land use has a significant impact on Australia's natural resources through impacts on water, soil, nutrients, plants and animals. There is also a strong link between changing land-use patterns and economic and social conditions, especially in regional Australia. Land use information shows how products are used, including production (such as crops,
wood, etc.) and measures to protect land, protect biodiversity, and natural resources.

The total area of ​​agricultural land is 53.4%, of which: arable land - 6.2%, permanent crops - 0.1%, permanent pastures - 47.1%.

About 7% of Australia's land resources are designated for conservation. Other protected areas, including indigenous lands, cover more than 13% of the country.

Forestry tends to be limited to regions of Australia with more high level precipitation and occupies almost 19.3% of the continent. Of the earth settlements(mainly urban) occupy about 0.2% of the country's area. Other land uses account for 7.1%.

Biological resources

Livestock breeding

Livestock is one of the leading industries Agriculture Australia. In terms of the number of sheep, the country ranks first in the world, and in some years gives more than 1/4 of the world's wool production. In the country, cattle are also raised, and by-products include meat, milk, butter, cheese, etc. exported to other countries and generates a total income of more than 700 million US dollars a year, with Indonesia being the largest consumer of meat.

Plant growing

Australia is one of the world's largest grain producers and exporters. The most important cultivated crop is wheat, the sown area of ​​which exceeds 11 million hectares. Other Australian crops include barley, corn, sorghum, triticale, peanuts, sunflowers, safflower, canola, canola, soybeans, etc.

Sugarcane, bananas, pineapples (mainly the state of Queensland), citrus fruits (the states of South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales), etc. are also grown on the territory of the country.

Flora and fauna

The flora and fauna of Australia are the plants and animals that live on its territory. The flora and fauna of Australia is unique and differs significantly from the wildlife of other continents.

About 80% of Australian plant species are found only on this continent. Native plants include: eucalyptus, casuarina, acacia, spinfex grass and flowering plants including bankxia and anigosantos, etc.

Australia has many unique animals. Of the local Australian animal species: 71% of mammals and birds, 88% of reptile species and 94% of amphibian species are endemic. About 10% of the biodiversity of our planet is located here.

The Commonwealth of Australia is the only state that covers an entire continent. Has this affected Australia's natural resources? We will talk in detail about the wealth of the country and their use later in the article.

Geography

The country is located on the continent of the same name, which is completely located in the Southern Hemisphere. In addition to the mainland, Australia also includes some islands, including Tasmania. The shores of the state are washed by the Pacific and Indian oceans and their seas.

In terms of area, the country ranks sixth in the world, but as a mainland, Australia is the smallest. Together with numerous archipelagos and islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it forms part of the world Australia and Oceania.

The state is located in the subequatorial, tropical and subtropical zones, part of it is located in the temperate zone. Due to the considerable distance from the rest of the continents, the formation of Australia's climate is highly dependent on ocean currents. The territory of the continent is predominantly flat, the mountains are located only in the east. Deserts occupy about 20% of the total space.

Australia: natural resources and conditions

Geographic remoteness and harsh conditions contributed to the formation of a unique nature. The desert central regions of the mainland are represented by arid steppes, which are covered with low bushes. Prolonged droughts here alternate with lingering downpours.

The harsh conditions have encouraged local animals and plants to adapt to retain moisture and cope with high temperatures. Australia is home to many marsupials, and the plants have powerful underground roots.

In the western and northern regions, conditions are milder. The moisture from the monsoons contributes to the formation of dense rainforests and savannas. The latter serve as excellent pastures for cattle and sheep.

The marine natural resources of Australia and Oceania are not lagging behind. In the Coral Sea, there is the famous Great Barrier Reef with an area of ​​345 thousand square kilometers. The reef is home to more than 1000 species of fish, sea turtles, crustaceans. This attracts sharks, dolphins, birds here.

Water resources

The driest continent is Australia. Natural resources in the form of rivers and lakes are presented here in very small numbers. More than 60% of the continent is without drainage. (length - 2375 kilometers) together with the tributaries Golburn, Darling and Marrumbidgee is considered the largest.

Most rivers are fed by rain, they are usually small and small in size. In dry periods, even Murray dries up, forming separate stagnant reservoirs. Nevertheless, dams, dams and reservoirs have been built on all its tributaries and branches.

Australian lakes are small basins with layers of salt at the bottom. They, like rivers, are filled with rainwater, tend to dry out and have no runoff. Therefore, the level of lakes on the mainland is constantly fluctuating. The largest lakes are Eyre, Gregory, Gardner.

Mineral resources

Australia is far from the last place in the world in terms of mineral resources. Natural resources of this type are actively mined in the country. Natural gas and oil are mined in the area of ​​the shelves and coastal islands, and coal in the east. The country is also rich in non-ferrous metal ores and non-metallic minerals (eg sand, asbestos, mica, clay, limestone).

Australia, whose natural resources are mainly of a mineral nature, leads in the amount of mined zirconium and bauxite. It is one of the first in the world in terms of uranium, manganese and coal reserves. In the western part and on the island of Tasmania, there are polymetallic, zinc, silver, lead and copper mines.

Gold deposits are scattered almost throughout the continent, the largest reserves are in the southwestern part. Australia is rich in precious stones, including diamonds and opals. About 90% of the world's opal supply is located here. The largest stone was found in 1989; it weighed over 20,000 carats.

Forest resources

Australia's animal and plant natural resources are unique. Most of the species are endemic, that is, they are present only on this continent. Among them, the most famous are eucalyptus trees, of which there are about 500 species. However, this is not all that Australia can boast of.

The natural resources of the country are represented by subtropical forests. True, they occupy only 2% of the territory and are located in river valleys. Due to the arid climate in flora drought-resistant species prevail: succulents, acacias, some cereals. In the more humid northwestern part, giant eucalyptus trees, palms, bamboos, and ficuses grow.

There are about two hundred thousand representatives of the animal world in Australia, 80% of which are endemic. Typical inhabitants are kangaroo, emu, Tasmanian devil, platypus, dingo dog, flying fox, echidna, gecko, koala, kuzu and others. The continent and nearby islands are inhabited by many species of birds (lyrebirds, black swans, birds of paradise, cockatoo), reptiles and reptiles (narrow-necked crocodile, black, frilled, tiger snake).

Australia: natural resources and their uses

Despite the harsh conditions, Australia has significant resources. Mineral resources are of the greatest economic value. The country ranks first in the world in terms of production, third in terms of bauxite production and sixth in terms of coal production.

The country has great agro-climatic potential. In Australia, potatoes, carrots, pineapples, chestnuts, bananas, mangoes, apples, sugarcane, cereals and legumes are grown. Opium and poppy are grown for medicinal purposes. Sheep breeding is actively developing for the production of wool, cattle are bred for the export of milk and meat.

Australia is the driest continent on Earth. It is all located in the southern hemisphere. This defines the natural conditions and resources of Australia.

Natural conditions and Australia's resources: climate

For the reason stated above, the seasons in Australia are opposite to the seasons in the Northern Hemisphere: hot from November to January and cool from June to August.

The climate in Australia differs sharply in different parts of it. Her Northern part- humid and hot is replaced by semi-desert areas, and the coasts (southeast and south) belong to the subtropical zone, so the climate here is warm and pleasant.

Natural conditions and resources of Australia: relief

The relief in Australia is mostly flat. From Cape York Peninsula stretches in the east of the country to the Bass Strait of the Great Dividing Range, and it continues on the island of Tasmania. The most high point Australia is Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m).

In the west of the country, you will find four deserts: the Great Victoria Desert, the Simpso Desert, the Gibson Desert, and the Great Sandy Desert.

Australia attracts tourists from all over the world with its exoticism, uniqueness of flora and fauna, comfortable climate, endless beaches, cloudless skies and bright sun.

Natural conditions and resources: rivers

There are few large rivers on the Australian mainland, except for the island of Tasmania. The main river in Australia is the Murray with its tributaries Goulburn, Marrumbidgee and Darling.

At the beginning of summer, these rivers are the most full-flowing, because v mountains goes melting snow. They become very shallow in the hot season. Even Darling, which is the longest in Australia, is lost in sand drought. Dam was built on almost all tributaries of the Murray, and reservoirs used for irrigation were created near them.

Natural conditions and resources: lakes

Australia's lakes are predominantly waterless basins. Rarely, after being filled with water, they become muddy, salty and shallow bodies of water.

The largest lakes in Australia are Lake Eyre, Gardner, Garnpang, Amadius, Torrance, Mackay, Gordon. But here you can find unique, simply amazing lakes.

For example, Lake Hillier, which is bright pink, is located on Middle Island. Even if you take water from the lake into something, its color will not change. There are no algae in the lake, and scientists have never given an explanation for what exactly gives the lake such a pink color.

Or there is the glowing lake Gippsland. It is a complex of marshes and lakes located in the state of Victoria. Here, in 2008, a high concentration of the microorganisms Noctiluca scintillans or Nightlight was observed.

Such a rare phenomenon was observed by photographer Phil Hart and locals... "Night light" glows when it reacts to stimuli, so the photographer threw stones into the water and teased them in every possible way in order to remove the glow, and at the same time an extraordinary picture of the sky. However, the pictures turned out to be just wonderful.

Natural conditions and resources: forests

In Australia, forests cover only 2% of the total area of ​​the mainland. But the tropical rainforests located along the shores of the Coral Sea are unusual for Europeans and very picturesque.

Subantarctic and subtropical forests with huge ferns and eucalyptus trees are found in the east and south of the continent. In the west, there are "hard-leaved" evergreen savanna forests. Here you can find eucalyptus trees whose leaves are turned in such a way that they do not give shade.

In Australia, you can find about 500 different types of eucalyptus, for example, blue eucalyptus in the Blue Mountains in the Valley of Thunder.

The largest subtropical forests in terms of area in the world are the Rainforests, which have survived almost unchanged since the time of Gondwana. Here you can see plants that have been growing since the days of the dinosaurs.

It was once located here big volcano, which provided these lands with good soil. On the this moment the volcano was destroyed by erosion, but magnificent high waterfalls appeared. So you will definitely find something to admire in the Gondwana forests.

The rainforest between New Wales and Queensland is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now this area includes 50 reserves.

Mineral resources

This is the main thing natural wealth Australia. Australia ranks first in the world in terms of zirconium and bauxite reserves and second in uranium reserves.

Australia is one of the largest coal producers in the world. There are platinum deposits in Tasmania. Gold deposits are located mainly in the southwest of Australia, near the cities of Northman, Coolgardi, Wiluna, Queensland. And there are small deposits of this valuable metal in almost all states of the continent. There are diamonds, antimony, bismuth and nickel in NSW.

The state of South Australia is distinguished by the fact that opals are mined here, and even an entire underground city of Coober Pedy or Coober Pedy was built. The mining town is located at the bottom of a dried up ancient sea. Its inhabitants mine opals and live underground to hide from the unbearable heat. They say here: "If you need a new home, dig it yourself!" Underground city has shops and even an underground temple.

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Economic and geographical position of Australia

Remark 1

The Commonwealth of Australia is the official name of the state. The country occupies the whole mainland Australia. It has no land neighbors, only maritime borders.

All neighbors are island countries - New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea... Australia is located far from the developed countries of Europe and America, that is, from sales markets and raw materials.

In the Asia-Pacific region, it plays an important role.

This continent-state is washed by the waters of two oceans - the east coast is washed by Pacific Ocean and the west coast is Indian. The country lies entirely in the southern hemisphere in relation to the equator and in the eastern hemisphere in relation to the prime meridian.

This is a remote state from all, located at a distance of 20 thousand km from Europe and 3.5 thousand km from the countries of Southeast Asia.

Australia belongs to the highly developed countries of the world, and to the north of it are the newly industrialized countries. The country's remoteness from other territories is a favorable feature of the political geographic location because there are no hotbeds of military conflicts near its borders, and no one has territorial claims. The wars of the 20th century hardly touched her.

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All types of transport are developing on the territory of the country. Internal communications in the country are carried out by rail and road.

The eastern and southeastern regions of Australia have a well-developed rail network. The interior and northwestern regions have almost no railways.

Foreign trade relations with other countries are carried out by sea transport. Australian goods are shipped on huge ocean liners.

Air transport also plays an important role. Small aircraft have been greatly developed for regular intercom communications.

I must say that automobile and railways are located mainly on the east coast of the mainland, because there are large cities of the country and leading industries. Large ports of Australia are located on the east coast - Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane.

Sparsely populated Western part the country is represented by deserts.

Pipeline transport is also developing. From the places of hydrocarbon production - Mumba, Jackson, Roma, Mooney, pipelines go to the eastern ports of the country.

Foreign trade plays a significant role in the Australian economy. The main source of foreign exchange is the export of goods.

The main export item is, this is about half of it, agricultural products, ¼ part falls on the products of the mining industry.

Export goods are meat, wheat, iron ore, butter, cheese, wool, coal, some types of machinery and equipment.

Imports are dominated by machinery and capital equipment, consumer and food products, oil, oil products.

Its trading partners are Germany, USA, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Great Britain.

Trade relations are developing with the countries of Oceania and Southeast Asia. Active work is underway to establish a free trade regime with China.

After Japan, China is the second foreign trade partner.

Remark 2

Thus, the economic and geographical position of a highly developed country in the southern hemisphere is generally favorable, which, on the one hand, is explained by open exit into two oceans, the absence of land neighbors, which means that there are no territorial claims and conflict situations, there are no hotbeds of tension. The wealth of natural resources makes it possible to develop their own economy and export to other countries both finished products and part of natural resources. On the other hand, Australia is located away from international sea trade routes, and this creates certain difficulties in its foreign trade relations.

Natural conditions of Australia

At the base of Australia lies the Australian Plate, which was formed more than 1600 million years ago, so there are practically no mountain systems in the country, and the weathering processes during this time turned the surface into plains.

Only on the east coast of the country is the Great Dividing Range - this is the only mountain range in Australia. The Great Dividing Range is an old destroyed mountain, the summit of which, the town of Kostsyushko, is 2228 m above sea level.

Volcanoes are completely absent here, and earthquakes are very rare, which is explained by the remoteness of the plate on which the country is located, from the collision boundaries.

In the center of the country in the area of ​​Lake Eyre, there is the Central Lowland, the height of which is no more than 100 m. In the area of ​​the same lake lies the lowest point of the continent - about 12 m below sea level.

In the west of Australia, the Western Australian Highlands formed with elevated edges and a height of 400-450 m. The Hamersley Ridge with flat peaks and a height of 1226 m is located in the same part of the country.

In the north lies the Kimberley massif with a height of 936 m. The southwestern part is occupied by the Darling Ridge, 582 m above sea level.

Climatic conditions largely depend on the characteristics of the geographical location of the territory, which is located on both sides of the Southern Tropic.

The climate is greatly influenced by the terrain, the circulation of the atmosphere, the slight indentedness of the shores, ocean currents and a large extent from west to east.

Most of the country is influenced by the trade winds, but their influence is different in different parts.

1. subequatorial belt;
2. tropical belt;
3. subtropical belt;
4. moderate belt.

The north and northeast of the mainland lies in a subequatorial climate. Large amounts of precipitation fall mainly in the summer. The winter is dry, the air temperature throughout the year is +23, +24 degrees.

The tropical zone occupies 40% of the country. The climate here is tropical hot and tropical humid. It covers the deserts and semi-deserts of the central and western part of the mainland. This is the hottest part of Australia, the summer temperature is not lower than +35 degrees, and the winter temperature is + 20 ... + 25 degrees. Humid tropical forests stretch in a narrow strip in the east. Southeast winds from the Pacific Ocean bring moisture.

The subtropical climate is also divided into continental subtropical, it is arid and occupies the central and southern part of the country, subtropical humid in the southeast, precipitation falls here evenly, in the east - the Mediterranean climate.

The southern and central part of the island of Tasmania is located in the temperate zone. Summer here is cool with a temperature of + 8 ... + 10 degrees, and winters are warm + 14 ... + 17 degrees. Sometimes it snows, but it melts quickly.

Natural resources of Australia

Nature has not deprived the continent of its mineral resources, they are rich and diverse.

New discoveries of mineral deposits have put the country in one of the first places in terms of their reserves and production.

The region of the Hamersley ridge contains the largest reserves of iron ore. Zinc with an admixture of copper and silver in the Broken Hill deposit in the western desert part.

There are deposits of polymetals and copper on the island of Tasmania. Gold associated with the Precambrian basement lies in the southwest of the mainland, and its small deposits are found throughout the territory.

In terms of uranium reserves, the country ranks 2nd in the world and 1st in terms of zirconium and bauxite deposits.

The main deposits of coal are located in the east.

There are large oil and gas fields in the subsoil and on the shelf.

Platinum, silver, nickel, opal, antimony and diamonds are mined in fairly large volumes.

The country fully provides its industry with mineral resources, with the exception of oil.

There is little surface water in the country. In the dry season, both rivers and lakes dry up, even such a large river as Darling becomes shallow.

More than half of 774 thousand hectares of total land resources can be used for the needs of agriculture and construction. The sown area occupies only 6% of the entire territory.

Forests cover 2% of the country's area. Subtropical forests and savanna forests meet here.

What natural resources does Australia stand out for? and got the best answer

Answer from Olya Semenova [expert]
The main natural wealth of the country is mineral resources... Australia's natural resource potential is 20 times higher than the global average. The country ranks 1st in the world in bauxite reserves (1/3 of the world's reserves and 40% of production), zirconium, 1st in the world in uranium reserves (1/3 of the world) and 3rd (after Kazakhstan and Canada ) for its production (8022 tons in 2009). The country ranks 6th in the world in terms of coal reserves. It has significant reserves of manganese, gold and diamonds. In the south of the country (Brownlow field), as well as off the northeastern and northwestern coasts in the shelf zone, there are minor deposits of oil and natural gas.
The largest deposits of iron ore in Australia, which began to be developed in the 60s of the XX century, are located in the area of ​​the Hamersley Ridge in the northwest of the country (deposits of Mount Newman, Mount Goldsworth, etc.). Iron ore is also found on the Kulan and Kokatu Islands in King's Bay (in the northwest), in the state of South Australia in the Middleback Ridge (Iron Nob, etc.) and in Tasmania - the Savage River deposit (in the Savage valley).
Large deposits of polymetals (lead, zinc with an admixture of silver and copper) are located in the western desert part of New South Wales - the Broken Hill deposit. An important center for the extraction of non-ferrous metals has developed near the Mount Isa deposit (in the state of Queensland). There are also deposits of non-ferrous metals in Tasmania (Reed-Rosebury and Mount Lyell), copper - in Tennant Creek (Northern Territory) and elsewhere.
Big Peet (Big Pit), Kalgoorlie Gold Mine
The main reserves of gold are concentrated in the projections of the Precambrian basement and in the southwest of the mainland (Western Australia), in the area of ​​the cities of Kalgoorlie and Coolgardy, Norsman and Wiluna, as well as in Queensland. Smaller deposits are found in almost all states.
Bauxites occur in the Cape York Peninsulas (Weipa deposit) and Arnhemland (Goov deposit), as well as in the southwest, in the Darling Ridge (Jarradeil deposit).
Manganese-bearing ores are found on Groote Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria and in the northwest of the country in the Pilbara region.
Uranium deposits have been found in various parts of the mainland: in the north (Arnhemland Peninsula) - near the South and East Alligator rivers, in the state of South Australia - near Lake From, in the state of Queensland - the Mary-Kathleen deposit and in the western part of the country - the Yillirri deposit.
The main deposits of coal are located in the eastern part of the mainland. The largest deposits of both coking and non-coking coal are developed near Newcastle and Lithgow, NSW, and Collinsville, Blair Atol, Bluff, Baralaba and Moura Kiang in Queensland.
Geological surveys have established that large deposits of oil and natural gas are located in the bowels of the Australian continent and on the shelf off its coast. Oil is found and produced in Queensland (Mooney, Alton and Bennett fields), Barrow Island off the northwestern coast of the mainland, and also on the continental shelf off the southern coast of Victoria (Kingfish field). Deposits of gas (the largest field Ranken) and oil were also found on the shelf off the northwestern coast of the continent.
In Australia, there are large deposits of chromium in the state of Queensland, as well as in Gingin, Dongara, Mandarra (Western Australia), Marlin (Victoria).
Of non-metallic minerals, there are clays, sands, limestones, asbestos, and mica of various quality and industrial use.

Answer from RU[guru]
Type in the words "Australia's natural resources" in a search engine - that's all: absorb the information.

Answer from Etepan Stepanov[guru]
useful-sheep-harmful-rabbits (by people and imported) and natural from wiki The main natural wealth of the country is mineral resources. Australia's natural resource potential is 20 times higher than the global average. The country ranks 1st in the world in bauxite reserves (1/3 of the world's reserves and 40% of production), zirconium, 1st in the world in uranium reserves (1/3 of the world) and 3rd (after Kazakhstan and Canada ) for its production (8022 tons in 2009). The country ranks 6th in the world in terms of coal reserves. It has significant reserves of manganese, gold and diamonds. In the south of the country (Brownlow field), as well as off the northeastern and northwestern coasts in the shelf zone, there are minor deposits of oil and natural gas. The largest deposits of iron ore in Australia, which began to be developed in the 60s of the XX century, are located in the area of ​​the Hamersley Ridge in the northwest of the country (deposits of Mount Newman, Mount Goldsworth, etc.). Iron ore is also found on the Kulan and Kokatu Islands in King's Bay (in the northwest), in the state of South Australia in the Middleback Ridge (Iron Nob, etc.) and in Tasmania - the Savage River deposit (in the Savage valley). Large deposits of polymetals (lead, zinc with an admixture of silver and copper) are located in the western desert part of New South Wales - the Broken Hill deposit. An important center for the extraction of non-ferrous metals has developed near the Mount Isa deposit (in the state of Queensland). There are also deposits of non-ferrous metals in Tasmania (Reed-Rosebury and Mount Lyell), copper - in Tennant Creek (Northern Territory) and elsewhere. "Big Peet" ("Big Pit"), a gold mine near Kalgoorlie The main reserves of gold are concentrated in the protrusions of the Precambrian basement and in the south-west of the mainland (Western Australia), in the area of ​​the cities of Kalgoorlie and Coolgardy, Northman and Wiluna, as well as in Queensland. Smaller deposits are found in almost all states. Bauxites occur in the Cape York Peninsulas (Weipa deposit) and Arnhemland (Goov deposit), as well as in the southwest, in the Darling Ridge (Jarradeil deposit). Manganese-bearing ores are found on Groote Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria and in the northwest of the country in the Pilbara region. Uranium deposits have been found in various parts of the mainland: in the north (Arnhemland Peninsula) - near the South and East Alligator rivers, in the state of South Australia - near Lake From, in the state of Queensland - the Mary-Kathleen deposit and in the western part of the country - the Yillirri deposit. The main deposits of coal are located in the eastern part of the mainland. The largest deposits of both coking and non-coking coal are developed near Newcastle and Lithgow, NSW, and Collinsville, Blair Atol, Bluff, Baralaba and Moura Kiang in Queensland. Geological surveys have established that large deposits of oil and natural gas are located in the bowels of the Australian continent and on the shelf off its coast. Oil is found and produced in Queensland (Mooney, Alton and Bennett fields), Barrow Island off the northwestern coast of the mainland, and also on the continental shelf off the southern coast of Victoria (Kingfish field). Deposits of gas (the largest field Ranken) and oil have also been found on the shelf off the northwestern coast of the continent. In Australia, there are large deposits of chromium in the state of Queensland, as well as in Gingin, Dongara, Mandarra (Western Australia), Marlin (Victoria). Of non-metallic minerals, there are clays, sands, limestones, asbestos, and mica of various quality and industrial use.