Western Australia’s iron ore industry remains the state’s most valuable sector, contributing significantly to the state’s $106 billion in resources sales in 2011-12.

Mineral exploration expenditure was also show to have increased to an all-time record of $2.1 billion, a jump of 32 per cent from 2010-11 and 150 per cent from five years ago, according to the State Government’s 2011-12 Mineral and Petroleum Statistics Digest.

The annual publication, which provides an in-depth overview of the WA resources industry, showed that WA returned billions in resources sales.

“West Australians also directly benefited from the $5.3 billion paid in royalties to the State Government in 2011-12, which is ultimately used to fund crucial areas such as education, health and infrastructure,” Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore said.

WA, one of the great mineral provinces of the world, hosted 65 operational oil and gas fields, and 975 operating mines, producing more than 50 different minerals in 2011-12.

Pic: Atlas Iron truck in the Pilbara, Western Australia.