According to the Resources 2030 Taskforce of the Ministry for Resources and Northern Australia, domestic natural resources sector can remain globally competitive and sustainable over the decades to come. In 2016–2017, thermal coal, natural gas, and crude oil were among Australia’s top 10 exports. Besides, the country is also the world's second largest or rare-earth elements after China (used to make hybrid vehicles, wind turbines, fuel cells and batteries). Domestic resource and energy exports are forecast to benefit from a weaker Australian dollar and climbing price for commodities such as natural gas, and thermal coal exports are expected to increase by 15% over the 2018-2030 period
Australia is the world's leading lithium producer (17% of the global production), the feedstock for batteries driving new energy solutions such as electric fuel cells and electric cars. Exports of spodumene, the raw material for lithium, are expected to ramp up to around US$1.1bn by 2020, from US$780m in 2017. The government also forecasts that global lithium consumption is projected to grow by more than 300% to 2027 and expects to capitalise on this growing demand. Five plant projects are planned or under construction in Western Australia and will turn spodumene into intermediate products for the lithium industry such as lithium carbonate or hydroxide.