The graph illustrates the quantity of employees in the Australian mining industry between 1900 and 1990, measured in thousands.
Overall, there was a peak in 1900, followed by decreasing sharply from 1910 to 1940, then it increased significantly in 1950 before falling again towards the end of the period.
In 1900, approximately 62,000 employees worked in mining. This figure dropped dramatically to about 40,000 in 1910 and continued to fall gradually to around 30,000 by 1940. This show a consistent reduction in the mining industry over the first four decades.However, in 1950, the number of workers rose significantly to just under 50,000, representing the only notable increase in the entire period. After this peak, employment declined again, falling to about 40,000 in 1960 and then it continued to fall slightly to 25,000 in 1970, reaching around 17,000 in 1980 and finishing at approximately 15,000 in 1990.
