Australia's exports of iron ore and coal rose to record levels in the December quarter buoyed by strong demand from Japan, Korea and China.

Iron ore export volumes for the quarter were more than 98 million tonnes and coal exports exceeded 74 million tonnes, says ABARE's Australian mineral statistics December quarter 2009 report.

ABARE deputy executive director Paul Morris said the record volumes "were underpinned by demand from steel mills and power stations in Japan, Korea and China".

Despite a nine per cent rise in the Australian dollar, Australia's energy and mineral resources export earnings increased by one per cent to $31 billion in the December quarter 2009, ABARE said in a statement.

The index of export prices of Australian energy and mineral resources declined by five per cent in the December quarter.

The energy export price index fell nine per cent and prices for metals and other minerals dropped by one per cent.

Higher world prices for metals and other minerals such as aluminium, copper, gold and zinc largely offset the effect of the higher Australian dollar in the quarter.

The commodities that recorded significant increases in export earnings included silver up 31 per cent at $67 million and bauxite up 50 per cent at $45 million.

ABARE said diamonds were up 51 per cent at $89 million, manganese ores and concentrates up 33 per cent at $315 million, gold up 13 per cent at $3 billion and iron and steel up 12 per cent at $225 million.

Those which recorded big declines in export earnings included uranium oxide down 37 per cent at $182 million, metallurgical coal down seven per cent at $5.3 billion, thermal coal down nine per cent at $2.9 billion and iron ore down five per cent at $6.8 billion.

Source: AAP