In the early 1980s, Australian gold production was less than 20 tonnes per year, but by 1997, annual output had reached more than 300 tonnes, making Australia the world’s third largest gold producing country after South Africa and the United States.
The modern Australian gold boom has now been chronicled in "The Great Gold Renaissance – The Untold Story of the Modern Australian Gold Boom 1982-2002".
Written by Sandra Close, and published by consulting group Surbiton Associates, the book includes more than 400 companies and 200 people.
Dr Close is an industry insider who has spent her entire career in the mining and related industries.
A former exploration geologist in the 1960s, she moved into resource banking in the 1970s and later worked in corporate management in a large multi-national resources group.
She set up Surbiton Associates in the 1990s.