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As of 2023, coal dominated Australia's reserves at 164.8 billion short tons recoverable. It also held 2.446 billion barrels of oil and 114.00 trillion cubic feet of gas. Over the last decade, coal reserves grew significantly (+41%). EIA stopped publishing oil and gas proved reserves in 2023; the figures above use the latest archived release, while coal continues to update through 2023. Beyond fossil fuels, Australia is the world's largest producer of Iron Ore and Lithium and a top-five producer of Bauxite, part of a critical-minerals base spanning 11 commodities tracked by USGS. It also holds the world's largest reserves of Gold and Zinc.
Oil reserves (2021)
2.45 B bbl
Natural gas reserves (2021)
114.00 TCF
Coal reserves (2023)
164.8 B ST
Manganese reserves (2025)
#1580.0 Mt
Gold reserves (2025)
#113.0 kt
Iron Ore reserves (2025)
#159.0 Gt
Australia's reserve base was dominated by coal, the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel by energy content. Reserve estimates had been revised upward over the past decade, reflecting new discoveries or improved recovery technology.
Australia produces Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, plus 7 more among USGS-tracked critical minerals.
USGS marks 2025 production figures and all reserve estimates as estimated; some earlier production years are USGS estimates as well. Each commodity below charts its own mine-production history, with the 2025 reserve shown beneath its chart.