The Australian mining industry is at an interesting stage in its development. Of the large number of mining companies in
Australia, some are still solely domestic in their focus. others have made their first tentative forays offshore, and others
are global players of significance in the world industry. It is not long ago that the entire industry was almost exclusively domestic in its focus. Very few companies before the
early 1980s had ventured offshore, and those that did so were considered quite risque. The initial moves were made
mainly by large companies who could afford to lose the funds expended in getting started in a range of offshore locations.