Edgar Basto on the future of mining in the Bowen Basin
Edgar Basto, President Minerals Australia, BHP
I
n May 2021, Edgar Basto, BHP President Minerals Australia, participated in a panel session as part of The Australian Competitive Advantage Forum to share his views on BHP’s contribution to the Bowen Basin and the future of mining in the region.
Read more about Edgar’s views in this Q&A from the Brisbane panel session: Give us a brief overview of your assets in the Bowen Basin? BHP has seven metallurgical or ‘coking’ coal mines in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland, which are part of a 50-50 joint venture with Mitsubishi Development, and operate under the banner of the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, or what people may know as BMA.
Photo: Peter Turnbull
28
BBMC Yearbook 2021
Metallurgical coal is an essential ingredient in the production of steel. Steel is one of the most widely used building materials on earth, and we expect it to remain so in the coming decades. Last year for example, BMA
produced around 65 million tonnes of met coal. That’s enough steel to build the Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building) over 1,600 times! Queensland produces the world’s highest quality coal, for which there is strong long-term demand from global steelmakers who want more of it to support their decarbonisation efforts. What are your workforce needs? Are you seeing a skilled labour shortage in Qld? We have 45,000 employees and contractors here in Australia, around 11,000 or so in Queensland. As we look to maximise the opportunities that technology and innovation present to us, we’re working with the communities around our mines to ensure they have the skills that we’ll need in the mines of the future. That’s why we are working with schools, TAFEs and universities in the region with partnerships like Queensland Future Skills to develop those new skills. What does the mine of the future look like? The mine of the future will be safer, more sustainable and more productive. Mining operations overall will be more diverse, and key to the strength of regional communities and economies.
