Western Australia

Moderate Risk

Australia · State · Last assessed Apr 2026

Composite Score 21/25

Higher = lower risk. 22–25 LOW · 18–21 MODERATE · 13–17 ELEVATED · 8–12 HIGH · 5–7 EXTREME.

Permitting Timeline & Predictability

4/5

DMIRS process well-resourced and predictable.

Fiscal Regime Stability

4/5

Royalty regime stable; minor adjustments rather than structural changes.

Political & Security Risk

5/5

Stable; mining is core to state economy and politics.

Infrastructure & Power

4/5

Excellent in the Pilbara and Kalgoorlie-Boulder; remote in northern Goldfields.

Indigenous, Community & ESG

4/5

Native Title processes are well-established but the 2020 Juukan Gorge incident has tightened expectations.

Assessment Summary

Western Australia is the global heartland of listed junior mining capital alongside Vancouver and Toronto. The Pilbara, Eastern Goldfields, and Yilgarn craton host iron ore, gold, lithium, and base-metal endowment at scale. State permitting is professional and predictable, fiscal terms are stable, and the political environment treats mining as core economic policy.

Native Title and Aboriginal Heritage Act processes are well-defined and add planning time but rarely block well-run projects. The 2020 Juukan Gorge incident and the subsequent legislative tightening have raised heritage standards across the state.

Other Australia Jurisdictions

New South Wales Moderate Risk
Northern Territory Moderate Risk
Queensland Moderate Risk

Jurisdiction risk is one input — geology, capital structure, and management still matter. See the Verdict Framework for full company scorecards.