“The decline was partly due to the effects of COVID-19 which restricted some operations, particularly in Western Australia, the nation’s largest gold-producing state and also due to considerable wet weather in several regions.”
It was noted “… that the gold sector had done a remarkable job to keep up production but that now the impact of the virus has become widespread.”
It was also noted that “… Western Australia’s borders reopened on 3 March, having been closed for 697 days.”
“Reduced output was not surprising given the circumstances… Additionally there were the usual crop of mining haulage and mechanical problems that the sector has to contend with every quarter.”