Minerals of Australia

Its name was given to this continent from the Latin language. In it the word "southern" is consonant with the name of Australia. And this is not accidental, because it is completely in the southern part of the globe. According to the total area occupied (and this is about 7.6 million square kilometers), Australia is rightly considered the smallest continent on our planet. For this reason, some scholars tend to reckon it to the mainland islands. Most of the coasts are washed by the salty waters of the Indian Ocean and only from one, the eastern side - by the Pacific Ocean.

The mainland is at a great distance from other regions of the world, therefore most of the trade routes pass from it to the side. The coasts are not rich in deep bays, the most convenient of which are located in the southeast. There is the main port area of the Australian continent. The waters that wash Australia, warm even in the winter season - not below +20 degrees Celsius. This creates a favorable environment for the existence of corals, of which the coast of the continent is growing a great many. It is for this reason along the coast of Australia stretches the famous Great Reef, reaching a length of more than two thousand kilometers.

Due to its geographical location, Australia is an isolated continent. This in many respects influenced its development both in terms of culture and species diversity of animals and plants.

Relief and minerals of Australia

In the past, the continent was not separated from the mainland as now, Australia was an integral part of Gondwana. But towards the end of the Mesozoic era, it separated and began to gradually move away until it reached its present position. Now the foundation of the Australian continent is the pre-Kneebrian platform, the foundation of which has a crystalline structure. In some parts of the continent, it comes to the surface, forming shields, especially in the northern, western and central regions. But most of the platform is hidden beneath the thickness of sedimentary rocks, equally marine and continental origin.

The brightest elements of the relief of the Australian continent can be named the following: Central lowland, whose height does not exceed one hundred meters above sea level; The East Australian Mountains, which are basically the Great Dividing Range (up to a thousand kilometers in height) and the West Australian Plateau. It is also the only continent of the globe where there are no iced mountains, and there are no active volcanoes. Although in the past there was a stormy tectonic activity. This is evidenced by the vast hollows and cones from the once erupted volcanoes of antiquity.

The minerals of Australia are rich in variety. Geological discoveries, made in just the last ten years, managed to put it on the first places for the extraction of iron ore, bauxite and lead-zinc ores. The ore minerals of Australia on the map are displayed in the Hamersley area. Deposits at this ridge have been developed for more than half a century and do not threaten to be exhausted in the foreseeable future. Iron ore is also mined on the largest island of the continent - Tasmania, and on smaller islands in the northwestern region.

The polymetallic minerals of Australia, which include primarily zinc and lead with copper and silver impurities, are located in the desert regions of South Wales. Another important center for the extraction of polymetals is Queensland and the already named island of Tasmania. Small deposits are scattered throughout the continent, but such active mining is not carried out everywhere, as in these key points. In addition, in Australia there are considerable gold reserves. The largest are in the areas of the basement, the small ones can be found in almost any state of the country.

The state of South Wales is also famous for its vast deposits of coal. Although this mineral is everywhere in the eastern part of the continent, the main development falls on the cities of Wales. In addition to the above, not so long ago, significant deposits of gas and oil were discovered, located deep in the bowels of the Australian mainland. Some of them have been successfully developed recently. The country also actively produces chrome, clay, sand and limestone.