Job figures show mining slump hurts WA

The mining sector downturn is hitting hard in Western Australia, the latest unemployment figures show.

WA's jobless rate has jumped to 5.8 per cent, up from 5.1 per cent in May.

CommSec's Savanth Sebastian said new jobs in the health care, professional services and education sectors had been overshadowed by the resources slump.

"WA is feeling the brunt of the job losses in mining and probably dampening some of the few positives that are coming out of the other industries, which are actually adding jobs," Mr Sebastian told AAP.

He said the state had created 9900 new jobs since January, but that wasn't enough.

"It doesn't really bode well," Mr Sebastian said.

"As a country as a whole, we need to create something like 15,000 jobs a month just to keep the unemployment rate stable.

"We're doing OK and there is jobs growth taking place, but not enough to stem the tide of new employees that are entering the workforce - that's what's resulting in the lift in unemployment."

WA's finances continue to take a battering, with iron ore prices in China plunging more by than 10 per cent to $US44.59 a tonne on Wednesday night, their lowest level since 2009.