Mining has its origins at the very foundation of NSW. The first settlers began mining stone and clay to build Sydney Town. The first coal mine was opened in the Hunter Valley in 1799 near Newcastle. The discovery of gold near Bathurst in 1851 provided an important stimulus to the growing colony.
Today mining remains an important contributor to the wealth of NSW and its people. The size of the mining industry in 2004-05 was $8.7 billion, equivalent to the state’s entire farm sector including wool, crops and livestock. It is still the State’s largest single merchandise exporter, worth more than $4 billion in minerals exported and another $3.7 billion in metals derived from mining.
Mining in NSW generates around 15,000 jobs in the state; and if flow-on effects are included, another 60,000 jobs nationally. A number of regional towns and communities depend on mining and allied industries.
Many key industries are dependent on mining for their existence, including power generation, steel, cement, and building materials.