2011-08 Reserve Bank of Australia RESEARCH DISCUSSION PAPER Th e Mining Industry: From Bust to Boom Ellis Connolly and David Orsmond RDP 2011-08 Reserve Bank of Australia Economic Research Department THE MINING INDUSTRY: FROM BUST TO BOOM Ellis Connolly and David Orsmond Research Discussion Paper 2011-08 December 2011 Economic Analysis Department Reserve Bank of Australia This paper was first presented at the Reserve Bank of Australia Conference on ‘The Australian Economy in the 2000s’ at the H.C. Coombs Centre for Financial Studies, Kirribilli, on 15–16 August 2011. We would like to thank our colleagues at the RBA and participants at the Conference for their helpful comments. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Responsibility for any remaining errors rests with us. Authors: connollye and orsmondd at domain rba.gov.au Media Office:
[email protected] Abstract The Australian mining industry experienced a remarkable turnaround during the 2000s. The rapid growth of emerging economies in Asia drove a surge in demand for commodities, particularly those used in steel and energy generation. With global supply unable to respond quickly, prices surged to historically high levels. In response, mining investment in Australia rose to record levels as a share of the economy by the end of the decade. The rise in commodity prices has boosted activity and incomes and encouraged the factors of production to shift towards the mining industry. The boom has also been associated with a large increase in the real exchange rate, affecting trade-exposed industries.