Mining earnings boosted business growth in 2017-18, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Strong industry growth was reflected in an increase of 26.0% ($21.7b) in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the year.

Queensland’s growth in sales and service income was also driven by the mining industry, accruing a 19.5% ($639.7b) share across the country.

The mining industry delivered the largest source of wages and salaries in Western Australia ($9.7 billion).

Overall sales and services income from the mining industry soared 16% to $237.5b in 2017-18 across Australia.

The ABS figures assess the performance of Australian industries with an estimates report compiled from the annual Economic Activity Survey.

In other ABS figures, the latest data reports total mineral exploration expenditure as having rose 3.9% ($21.7m) to $581.7m in the March quarter 2019. The largest contributor to the rise this quarter was Western Australia (up 8.7%, $29.0m).

Metres drilled spiked 9.8% for the quarter.

Total petroleum exploration expenditure fell 27.1% (-$89.7m) to $241.2m in the March quarter 2019. Exploration expenditure on production leases fell 73.1% (-$94.6m) and exploration expenditure on all other areas rose 2.4% ($4.9m).

The largest contributor to the decrease in the trend estimate was Western Australia (down 20.1%, -$33.5m) and the largest contributor to the fall in the seasonally adjusted estimate was Western Australia (down 44.3%, -$83.5).