APLA has a current membership of over five hundred but also provides an active voice for some 6000 people who would regard themselves as either full-time or committed part-time prospectors within W.A.

Recent figures show that some 4-6 tonnes of gold are produced by non-corporate miners every year in Australia (worth $150 - 230 million), an amount equal to that of some of Australia largest mines. APLA provides an active voice to try and ensure that this level of production by free enterprise, non-incorporated private operators can continue and that Australia’s rich prospecting heritage is not only preserved, but is more widely promoted, recognised and appreciated.

APLA aggressively represents the concerns and interests of the individual and non-corporate prospector in W.A., lobbying and making active representations to local, State and Federal authorities in relation to mining and prospecting issues. The organisation attempts to strengthen the mining regulations, to encourage ground turnover and active exploration, and to promote prospecting both as a recreational activity as well as a profession. APLA interacts regularly with other industry groups such as the Chamber of Minerals and Energy (CME), AMEC, AusIMM, and other State prospecting organisations throughout Australia such as the PMAV (Victoria), the North Queensland Prospectors and Miners Association, and the Northern Territory Prospectors and Detectorists Association to further the interests of mineral exploration and mining Australia wide. To this end APLA represents prospectors on the DMP’s Mining Industry Liaison Committee (MILC) which is actively involved in formulating changes to the W.A. Mining Act, and providing prospector input to the management of that and other State Government Departments. APLA is also involved in making the voice of prospectors heard on several Australia-wide and State mining related committees and associations.

A recent emphasis has been in representing prospectors in discussions and meetings in relation to Native Title Act, (particularly over the last decade). This has involved extensive interaction with the Federal Attorney General’s Department, the Native Title Tribunal, and regular dealings with various native title claimant groups in negotiating native title issues and providing native title clearances before the granting of tenements. APLA successfully lobbied for and has received substantial Federal funding over several years to support a virtual fulltime Native Title Officer to service Western Australian Prospectors in negotiating there way through the provisions of the Native Title Act, dealing with Aboriginal claimant groups and negotiating Native Title clearances.

In its dealing with Governments APLA makes regular written representation supporting and defending members interest to various Federal, State and local government bureaucracies such as the Australian Tax Office, the W.A. Mines Department, the Western Australian Geological Survey, DOLA, DEC/CALM, and lobbying Federal and State politicians in relation to prospecting issues.

The Association also provides important social support, technical advice, educational programs and facilities to its membership in W.A. and a significant membership residing in Victoria who seasonally venture to W.A. The local associations hold regular meetings of members and organise a range of social, educational, technical workshops, mine visits and field events. Regular meetings, telephone link-ups between the member organisations, a quarterly journal "The Datum Post", and an annual State Conference provide ample opportunity for members to raise issues and flag concerns, be they at the local, State or Federal level.

APLA is also active in promoting and preserving prospecting as an historically significant part of Australia history, identity and cultural and mining heritage; as well as a healthy, outdoor, fun recreational activity that all the family can enjoy. To this end APLA is well recognised as being an active supporter and participant in community, historical, social, charity and cultural events, particularly in Perth, Kalgoorlie and the goldfields region generally.