July 2009 by The Mining Advocate

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Getting on board the V8 Supercars express THIS EDITION • Legend phosphate operation ready to roll • CQ coal poised for new growth spurt • Opportunity knocks as PNG project gains ground • Meet the Broncos’ Blackwater boys

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NEWS

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

July 2009

2 Green light for growth Macarthur Coal chief executive oﬃcer Nicole Hollows details the company’s expansion plans as construction work begins at the new Middlemount Mine.

3 On the starting block Legend International Holdings is on schedule to begin phosphate production later this year from its project in north-west Queensland. Logistics manager Elle Hilton says the company is very conﬁdent in the venture and outlines the work

V8 Supercars driver Will Davison leading the pack during his recent Darwin race. Moranbah businessman Peter Allardyce hopes to catch up with the driver in Townsville to renew some family links - Page 29.

opportunities rolling out.

5 Lovely Lady Annie

FEATURES

Cape Lambert Iron Ore has snapped up the assets of failed miner CopperCo. Chief executive Tony Sage explains why the acquisition was a good deal and what his company plans to do with the north-west Queensland copper mine it now owns.

11 Coal comeback

6 Townsville Regional Promotion 10 Mackay Regional Promotion 14 Mount Isa Regional Promotion 16 Coal and Gas Update News in brief across the coal and gas industries.

Queensland’s coal export terminals are doing a roaring trade and the project pipeline for mine development

18 Industry Update A comprehensive wrap of exploration and operations in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

in the Bowen Basin looks very healthy. Regional Economic Development Corporation chief executive oﬃcer Narelle Pearse shares her views on the Mackay region’s outlook and the implications of a potential new wave of rapid growth.

35 Blackwater boys Broncos teammates PJ Marsh and Dave Taylor share more than club colours – they both grew up in the coal-rich central highlands region. The pair talk about their roots, their NRL careers and hopes for the future in this edition.

20 Between Shifts 25 Hastings Deering 28 CFMEU 29 Moranbah 30 Britrac 32 Safety 35 NRL 36 Community News

CONTACTS p. (07) 4755 0336 f. (07) 4755 0338

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NEWS

July 2009 |

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Macarthur green light for growth It’s all systems go as the coal company commits $300m to Bowen Basin expansion plans set to double its workforce, writes Belinda Humphries. Macarthur Coal is launching into construction at its Middlemount Mine project as part of a growth strategy expected to see the company double production within ﬁve years. Chief executive oﬃcer Nicole Hollows said contractors were due to start work on the Middlemount coal preparation plant as soon as the mining lease was granted – an outcome she expected by the end of July. Overburden removal would begin early next year and Macarthur expected to be producing coal at the new mine in mid 2010, she said. The company plans to spend about $300 million developing

The bulk sample pit at Macarthur Coal’s new Middlemount Mine.

Nicole Hollows Macarthur Coal chief executive officer

that mine and bringing another of its central Queensland coal projects into production in the next few years - with the

Codrilla project earmarked as the early favourite. Ms Hollows said the two new mines would help lift the company’s production to an annual rate of more than 9 million tonnes of coal compared to an estimated 4.5-4.8 million tonnes rolling out of Macarthur’s Coppabella and Moorvale mines near Nebo in 2008/09. This would involve a doubling of Macarthur’s Bowen Basin workforce – which presently stands at about 500 employees and contract workers. Macarthur Coal recently raised $190 million through an institutional share placement that helped put its growth plans

THE AUSTRALIAN WORKERS' UNION: PUTTING MINERS SAFETY FIRST ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR RIGHTS AND CONDITIONS AT WORK? ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS? ONLY THE AWU - QUEENSLAND STRONGEST UNION - IS COMMITTED TO PROTECTING MINERS' JOBS AND ENTITLEMENTS DURING THESE DIFFICULT FINANCIAL TIMES NOT AN AWU MEMBER YET? THEN JOIN THE AWU TODAY TO FIND OUT HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ENTITLEMENTS NORTH QUEENSLAND AWU MINING OFFICIALS: TOWNSVILLE-COWBOY STOCKHAM 0419 737990 MT ISA-HAG HARRISON 0428192985 FOR FURTHER QUERIES PLEASE CONTACT AWU BRANCH OFFICE TOLL FREE ON 1800671449 OR awu.org.au BY STANDING TOGETHER AS A TEAM AWU MEMBERS CAN ENSURE THAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE PROTECTED Authorised by Bill Ludwig, The Australian Workers' Union of Employees', Queensland.

back on the boil following a major slow-down. “When the global financial crisis hit us in December we deferred all non-committed capital expenditure and cut exploration by 50 per cent as we didn’t have the same tonnage being sold,” Ms Hollows said. Macarthur was now seeing an upturn in the metallurgical coal market and had increased confidence in the ongoing profitability of its operations, she said. “But the bigger issue is our confidence in the mid to longterm...If we defer Middlemount we may lose our opportunity for market share,” Ms Hollows said.

The Middlemount mine - 70 per cent owned by Macarthur in joint venture with Noble Group - is expected to employ about 100 people in its early operations and up to 300 in full production. Ms Hollows said Macarthur was starting to increase production at its existing mines after a slump in sales caused the company to cut production by 25 per cent in December. She said an excavator stood up in December had recently resumed work at Coppabella and 20 of those people made redundant at the time had returned to work as contract labour. • Record shipments - Page 11.

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

NEWS

Legend gets ready to roll The company behind a major phosphate project says the pieces are falling into place to allow a start in production later this year. Transport, mining and civil works tenders are starting to flow as Legend International Holdings prepares to kick off production at its north-west Queensland phosphate tenements. The company is very confident in the project - which is scheduled to begin as a 1-1.5 million-tonnes-per-annum operation and ramp up to five million tonnes within three years, according to logistics manager Elle Hilton. It is expected to generate 1000 jobs in the construction phase and to employ about 500 people, directly and indirectly, after production begins. “Essentially the approvals processes are running well - they’re all timed right for us to start production at the end of the year,” Ms Hilton said. “We’re starting to look at trial mining and mine contracts. “We have everything we need – a strong cash position, an outstanding resource and the right team to get production happening on schedule. “In terms of the overall project Legend is very confident.” Ms Hilton said this confidence stemmed from the project’s two outstanding strengths – the first being its excellent resource base, with good supplies of high-grade, near-surface ore. “Our expectation is that our current exploration and investigations will confirm over 1 billion tonnes of phosphate rock in reserve – so we’re never going to have a problem with supply,” she said. “The other very good thing is we have an excellent customer and strong partner in IFFCO (the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative), who signed an off take agreement with Legend.” Legend plans to develop the project in three stages: • Stage 1 - To focus on drilling nearsurface, high-grade phosphate ore to delineate tonnage of direct shippinggrade material to export from the D-Tree deposit by late 2009. • Stage 2 – To ramp up phosphate rock exports to 5 million tonnes by 2012 with ore sourced from a combination of Legend deposits. • Stage 3 – To produce value-added phosphate fertiliser products. Ms Hilton is tasked with organising an efficient transport stream for the project – from the ore deposits outside Mount Isa through to the Port of Townsville and on to India, where Legend International has an agreement to supply IFFCO’s Paradip plant. Ms Hilton said a tender for the transportation of direct shipping-grade ore between the mine and Townsville port over the next two years was issued on May 31, with the deal to be sealed in July. “The requirement is to cart up to 1 million tonnes (per annum) from D Tree tenement to the Port of Townsville,” she said.

Legend’s Elle Hilton provides a project update at a Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce networking function. Photo: Roslyn Budd

“That will most likely be a combination of road cartage and rail haulage. “Just on the preliminary figures that would involve between five and 10 multicombination trucks per day. “We’re working closely with suppliers to maximise payloads on rail to ensure we take full advantage of the limited capacity available.” Ms Hilton said the company was working on a tender for mining contract services including haul road design and construction, provision of a mine camp, mining equipment, labour and power generation. Legend recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Northern Stevedoring Services (NSS) in Townsville for provision of port services. Meanwhile, Legend and the Port of Townsville are jointly funding a design study for a new Berth 12 facility to cater for the expected ramp up to 5 million tonnes of phosphate exports by 2012. Ms Hilton believed Legend’s project had highlighted the long-known infrastructure constraints that could be said to be holding back industry in North and north-west Queensland. “We are very hopeful that our project will be a catalyst for some of the very important infrastructure that’s lacking in the area - whether transport, energy or water,” she said. Legend is involved in ongoing discussions with Queensland Rail over available capacity between Mount Isa and Townsville. While the possibility of the company exporting through Darwin via a potential Mount Isa-Tennant Creek rail link has been raised, Ms Hilton said that was not Legend’s preferred option and it was not a realistic option at this stage. Legend previously conducted a study with GHD to investigate the option of using a slurry pipeline to transport beneficiated product to the Port of Karumba, but abandoned that avenue due to high costs and port logistics.

NEWS

July 2009 |

Palmer steps in The intervention of a mining magnate means North Queensland’s Yabulu nickel refinery will remain running after a period of uncertainty. The sale of BHP Billiton’s Yabulu nickel refinery as a going concern has been hailed as a significant boost in confidence for Queensland’s minerals processing industries and the broader economy. Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche said the purchase of the Townsville refinery by companies wholly owned by billionaire businessman Clive Palmer was a welcome show of confidence in the long-term future of minerals processing in North Queensland. “Refineries require a deep pool of local technical expertise and skills to keep them humming, so the continuing operation of Yabulu means that Queensland will retain those vital technical skills,” Mr Roche said. “Amid the uncertainty of the global economic recession, Mr

Palmer’s commitment is a real confidence boost for the city of Townsville and Queensland.” While the terms of the refinery sale - expected to be finalised by July 31- are confidential, Mr Palmer has been reported as saying the price was less than the plant’s $2 billion replacement cost. The mining magnate did not respond to The Mining Advocate’s approaches for more information in time for publication. BHP Billiton stainless steel materials president Jimmy Wilson said the result was an outstanding outcome for all parties and reflected a deep commitment of both Professor Palmer and the Queensland Government to the continued operation of the refinery. “We are pleased that BHP Billiton and Mr Palmer have

BHP Billiton has found a buyer for the Yabulu nickel refinery.

Clive Palmer reached this agreement, which provides greater certainty to the workforce and the surrounding community,” he said. Australian Workers Union northern district secretary and

Queensland vice president Rod “Cowboy” Stockham said there was a sense of relief among reﬁnery workers that the plant was safe from closure. However, he said it was early days yet, with little known at this stage on the future structure of the operation. Mr Palmer is also involved in the planned China First thermal coal project west of Emerald. As chairman of Waratah Coal he recently announced that the group would proceed with development of what he described as Australia’s largest thermal coal mine after entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Metallurgical Corporation of China. The venture will include 490km of standard gauge,

The Mining Advocate

heavy haul railway line and a 40 million-tonne-per-annum, twoberth export terminal at Abbot Point near Bowen. Waratah Coal says the China First project will create about 6000 direct jobs during construction and 1500 during operation. The impact on the Australian economy overall is estimated at an additional 45,000 jobs. Waratah Coal chief executive oﬃcer Peter Lynch applauded Mr Palmer’s pursuit of the China First project, saying the company had moved from strength to strength, despite gloomy economic predictions. “This is one of the biggest entrepreneurial deals in the history of Australia,” he said. “Within just six months a relatively small company like Waratah Coal, who previously had a modest capital base, has acquired funding and has sales in place for a project that has a net present value of more than $US8 billion ($AU10 billion). “Mr Palmer acquired Waratah Coal late last year and we’ve had no redundancies. In fact, we’ve moved forward in a positive manner and (the China First) announcement, along with the sheer scale of this development, demonstrates that in amongst the doom and gloom of the global ﬁnancial crisis there are still great opportunities.”

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NEWS

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Lady Annie ‘a fantastic asset’ New owner Cape Lambert Iron Ore reveals its strategy to add value to the former CopperCo site in north-west Queensland. Perth businessman Tony Sage believes he knows a good deal when he sees it. For the chief executive of Cape Lambert Iron Ore, his company has achieved just that with its purchase of failed miner CopperCo’s assets – including the Lady Annie operation, 120km north of Mount Isa. Cape Lambert, which officially took the reins of the former CopperCo business on June 30, has already been fielding offers for that mine from Chinese and Australian players. “It’s an absolutely fantastic asset,” Mr Sage said of the operation. Mr Sage said CopperCo had peaked at a market value of about $800 million last year – before the global financial crisis struck – and he believes the Lady Annie operation alone must be worth about $250 million at current copper prices. Cape Lambert paid $85 million for that asset as part

of its CopperCo acquisition agreement with receivers Deloitte, which Mr Sage said had been completed at a total cost of about $130 million. Its initial strategy for Lady Annie is to add value by extending its mine life from ﬁve years to seven or eight through exploration. “There is plenty of copper – all it needs is an extended drilling program to come up with another resource calculation,” Mr Sage said. “We know exactly where to drill - we know the ground as well as anyone by now.” The company has a proven track record in adding value to projects in this way, having drilled 35,000m to produce a 2 billion-tonne mineral resource at its namesake iron ore project in Western Australia before its $400 million sale last year to a subsidiary of the China Metallurgical Group Corporation.

Tony Sage Cape Lambert Iron Ore chief executive

While the company would consider cash oﬀers for Lady Annie, Mr Sage said its intention at this stage was to add value through exploration. Flooding in the mine’s pit is expected to continue to prevent mining there until about

September, when Cape Lambert may consider contract mining the site. Processing of ore on the operation’s leach pads is ongoing, with stockpiles expected to last until August. Mr Sage said about 30 staff remained employed at the operation at the time of the handover and small number of Cape Lambert staff had joined them to oversee and investigate the operation. He said the terms of Cape Lambert’s purchase agreement meant CopperCo’s receivers must take responsibility for any environmental liabilities arising from the February flood events at the mine. In addition to Lady Annie, the CopperCo assets include a 25 per cent stake in the Lady Loretta copper project northwest of Mount Isa, a 100 per cent interest in the Sappes gold project in Greece and shareholdings in various listed resources companies, including Platmin Limited. CopperCo went into voluntary administration late last year when a financing transaction fell

through and its bankers moved shortly after to appoint receivers and managers. So keen was a cashed-up Cape Lambert to pounce on the assets that it investigated its options for moving in before the receivers put out documents for bids. “We went to the bank (Macquarie) and got into the process (by acquiring the secured debt owed by CopperCo and its subsidiaries for about $78 million),” Mr Sage said. “No one has done it this way before – it opened up people’s eyes.” While acquiring the debt didn’t guarantee Cape Lambert would win out over other bidders for the purchase of CopperCo, it meant the company could appoint its own receiver and gave it some inside knowledge of the operations. Cape Lambert later sealed the acquisition for $27 million on top of the debt repayment and $30 million working capital provided to the receivers.

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Part Of The Solution

July 2009 |

The Mining Advocate

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Townsville Regional Promotion

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Super spin-offs from race event A contract to supply concrete barriers for the Dunlop Townsville 400 circuit was a welcome shot in the arm for a newly emerged local firm. There’s nothing like 6000 tonnes of concrete crash barrier to cushion the blow of a global financial crisis. The task of manufacturing 1316 temporary barriers to line the Dunlop Townsville 400 race track and pit lane came at a good time for local firm TCS Precast, with the bulk of the work coinciding with a general downturn in activity during the first half of 2009. Managing director Dawson Wilkie said TCS Precast and parent firm TCS Civil and Building won about $2.1 million in work for the V8 Supercars race preparations in total.

In addition to the barriers, they had built the superstructure for the Ross Creek Bridge and were involved in construction of the ﬁrst ﬂoor of the pit building, he said. Mr Wilkie said securing the Townsville V8 Supercars precinct work had helped lay the foundation for the precast operation to become a separate business entity from TCS Civil and Building about a year ago. The Bohle-based operation, employing 15 people, specialises in precast concrete structures including walls, culverts, noise panels and crash barriers. “It’s mostly civil contracting

TREC leader finds firm foundations for growth The new general manager for the Townsville Regional Engineering Cluster (TREC), David Wylie, says he has been impressed by the capabilities of local companies as he familiarises himself with the region. Mr Wylie has identified a number of strengths on which to build increased business, including in the areas of tropical engineering, manufacturing, design and structural and environmental analysis. Mr Wylie joined TREC in late May, with the group’s management position becoming full-time as part of a restructure that also saw economic development body Townsville Enterprise take an administrative role with the engineering cluster. He said his first priority was to expand TREC’s membership base across a variety of industry sectors. “I’m looking at attracting members from not just manufacturing and engineering firms but service interests as well and other types of suppliers so we can offer a wider scope of capability,” Mr Wylie said. “I think if we’re going to win major project work and infrastructure work in the region we need to provide a co-ordinated package to the end customer and we will be strengthening our project management roles to achieve this.” TREC was well located to win offshore business to Australia’s north as well as major projects within the region, he said. Mr Wylie said he had been very impressed with the

work, Department of Main Roads and we do some mining work,” Mr Wilkie said. “We have just completed some very heavy duty culverts for BHP Cannington Mine.” Managing contractor Leighton announced completion of the V8 Supercars track and pit building project in June, ready for the inaugural Townsville race weekend on July 10-12. Leighton Contractors civil operations manager for the northern region, Beresford Freshney, described the $23 million project as a complex undertaking with a tight schedule and challenges including 1.7m of summer rainfall. Mr Freshney believed at least 90 per cent of the subcontracted work under Leighton’s supervision had gone to ﬁrms based in Townsville or nearby regional centres such as Cairns. Locally owned company Mendi Constructions completed much of the civil works, Windmill Bricklaying was involved in blocklaying and Arena Engineering supplied steel debris fences, for example. In other cases Mr Freshney said the North Queensland branches of major ﬁrms such as Abigroup were involved.

TCS Precast managing director Dawson Wilkie with the concrete barriers at the V8 Supercars track. Photo: Stewart McLean

The $30 million V8 Supercars precinct – funded by Federal, State and local government - is expected to deliver $10 million a year in economic beneﬁts for the Townsville region. Meanwhile Chief Minister Paul Henderson recently announced that the Northern

Territory Government had signed an agreement which would secure the Darwin V8 Supercars event until 2018. The event is estimated to inject more than $8 million into that region’s economy annually. • Moranbah contractor’s links with racing royalty – Page 29.

Help to target major projects

David Wylie TREC general manager

capabilities of local companies, not only in manufacturing but in their ability to carry out detailed structural analysis and their focus on becoming world-class Lean Manufacturing organisations. And the region’s signiﬁcant expertise in tropical engineering should prove a strength in targeting work in areas such as Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and South-East Asia. “In the few weeks I’ve been here, that struck me as one thing the region is very good at,” Mr Wylie said. “Companies in this region are very experienced in mining projects and have built a very good reputation among the individual customer organisations. The strength is here to build on.” Mr Wylie, 53, previously spent about 30 years working in the automotive industry in Australia and Asia before managing ACS in Thailand.

Industry Capability Network (ICN) Queensland has launched a $4 million initiative to better position individual businesses to win major project work after a funding boost from State Government. ICN Queensland general manager Peter Robinson said the organisation would target a number of upcoming major projects across various industry sectors including mining, major infrastructure, gas and renewable energy schemes. ICN Queensland will then identify Queensland companies that can beneﬁt from its support to meet the requirements of those projects and become more competitive in the tendering process. With $4 million in State Government funding allocated for this purpose over the next ﬁve years, ICN will work with up to 100 companies a year to help maximise their opportunities on major projects. “The big thing in the past for ICN Queensland has been to broker opportunities between projects and industry,

particularly Queensland manufacturing industry, but we haven’t had the scope to get in a make a difference if we find local companies that don’t have the required capability,” Mr Robinson said. “This (funding boost) will enable us to identify companies that can benefit from our support by assessing the requirements of major projects and the companies’ existing capabilities. We can then work with selected companies to develop an action plan to enable them to compete well for work on these projects.” ICN Queensland, a division of QMI Solutions has a database of about 9000 companies across Queensland. In partnership with the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Mr Robinson expects ICN to make a decision in July on the first major projects to target in this initiative. He said job retention and creation would be a priority and there was likely to be a strong focus on regional development.

The funding provided in the recent State Budget for this initiative fulfilled an ALP election commitment to expand the Queensland Made Means Queensland Jobs Policy, Mr Robinson said. The government is also injecting an extra $2 million over five years to enhance ICN Queensland’s ability to match local suppliers to opportunities associated with major projects. Mr Robinson said this would enable ICN Queensland to employ additional staff and expand its regional representation – opening offices in Gladstone and Toowoomba in addition to its existing Townsville branch. A further $450,000 will be provided over three years to educate Queensland business on the requirements of tendering for government projects and on specific opportunities arising from government-funded procurement. Companies interested in registering with ICN should visit the website www.icnqld. org.au.

NEWS

July 2009 |

The Mining Advocate

Purchase spells relief for employees

Back to business With Century Mine’s immediate future now secure, a long-time employee explains its importance to local indigenous communities. Corrie Richardson is well placed to talk about the opportunities Century Mine provides local indigenous communities and the concerns workers faced as its future hung in the balance during the first half of this year. Miss Richardson began working as a community liaison officer for the lower Gulf region zinc mine while it was still under construction - acting as a contact point for indigenous people in Normanton. In the 11 years since, her roles at Century Mine have included a strong focus on mentoring, recruitment and training for people from the Gulf communities. In addition, both of Miss Richardson’s sons entered apprenticeships at Century Mine – the eldest having gone on to become a qualified diesel fitter and a number of uncles, cousins and two brothers are employed between the mine site and its port operation at Karumba. The Normanton resident said many of Century’s indigenous employees had feared for their families’ livelihood as owner OZ Minerals hit financial difficulties late last year – forcing retrenchments and raising the prospect of an early mine closure.

“In the communities, for a lot of people their pay cheques don’t just support their own family unit but an extended family as well,” she said. “There was a lot of concern as to how they were going to support their families and their extended families.” Miss Richardson said the mood was much improved since the Minmetals purchase of Century

Mine and other OZ assets was ﬁnalised in June (for $1.7 billion). “We now all feel a lot more secure with our jobs. The lifespan of the mine hasn’t got long to go, but it means a job for another few years,” she said. With the life of mine estimated to end in 2015, Miss Richardson said there were hopes that ongoing exploration work would help extend the operation. While Miss Richardson who is now Century Mine’s community and stakeholder relations co-ordinator - admits she was “a bit on tenterhooks” about her own job at times, she

Adam settles for more studies as downturn dashes job hopes Graduate engineer Adam Neilly has returned to university after losing a mining industry position earlier this year. After being dropped from Century Mine’s graduate program as part of that operation’s cost-cutting strategy, Mr Neilly said he had decided to complete a research Masters degree at James Cook University and had also landed a casual position as research oﬃcer. “I’d rather be out there in a full-time engineering position – whether

consulting or in mining,” he said “But while I have no job I might as well get more qualiﬁcations than be working somewhere else and not achieving any more in the ﬁeld of engineering.” Mr Neilly, whose story featured in The Mining Advocate earlier this year, has received a $20,000 Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship. He said he planned to apply for graduate positions again at the end of the year.

Under the hammer

Equipment displayed at the Rutherfurd auction in Mount Isa.

An auction of equipment from failed mining contractor Rutherfurd went “better than expected”, with about 95 per cent of items sold, according to Grays Mining Services. The company, which specialises in the valuation and sale of mining plant and equipment, was called in to conduct the Mount Isa auction by Rutherfurd’s receivers Ferrier Hodgson. Executive director Chris Martin said sales of open-cut equipment exceeded expectations while underground equipment struggled, with four machines remaining unsold. The sales – which totalled several million dollars – included

two 125-tonne excavators drawing about $450,000 each and seven 50-tonne oﬀ-highway dump trucks drawing $250,000 each. Mr Martin said the mining downturn was presenting good opportunities for small operators to buy used equipment at discounted rates. While Grays had not noted an increase in major mining equipment auctions as a result of the downturn, Mr Martin said its valuing work had jumped about 50 per cent since late 2008. “In December we actually valued three copper mines around Mount Isa - two for receivers including CopperCo’s

Corrie Richardson with business development facilitator Patrick Wheeler at MMG Century Mine.

said she had been conﬁdent her skills would allow her to gain alternative employment. “I wasn’t really stressing out, because I could go back to the community and get a lower paying job that would support me - but a lot of people back here couldn’t do that,” she said. The 44-year-old has 20 years’ experience in the mining industry, including in the Croydon goldﬁelds and at Katherine in the Northern Territory, as well as in other sectors. Miss Richardson stressed the importance of the opportunities Century Mine presented young Gulf communities residents. “One of the biggest things is for our kids to get training that enables them to take skills back to their community or use their trade to move out into the wider world,” she said. Provision of employment and training opportunities for local Aboriginal people is a key element of the Gulf Communities Agreement (GCA) signed in 1997 between the original Century Mine operator (Pasminco), the Waanyi, Mingginda and Gkuthaarn/Kukatj peoples and the Queensland Government.

MMG (Minerals and Metals Group) – formed from the former OZ Minerals assets sold to Minmetals – will continue to meet the commitments outlined in that agreement, according to MMG chief executive officer Andrew Michelmore (formerly chief executive of OZ Minerals). Mr Michelmore said the change of ownership would have little immediate impact on operations at Century Mine. “MMG will continue to operate Century as efficiently and effectively as possible and while global zinc prices are still depressed we will aim to maintain the current cost profile of the business,” he said. “We are continuing exploration work on a number of targets in the Century Mine lease and in tenements around the mine.” MMG has also acquired the Dugald River zinc resource north-west of Cloncurry and Mr Michelmore said it would continue exploration work in that area as well. “We will closely monitor economic conditions with the intention of considering its development if conditions significantly improve,” he said.

Destroyer contract sinks for NQEA

Photo: Roslyn Budd

Lady Annie Mine, which was recently sold, and the Matrix Metals-owned Leichardt copper project,” he said “That’s where a lot of this equipment (at the auction) came from - he was a contractor for Matrix (which has gone into receivership) and it brought him undone.” Those cases were among eight Australia-wide where the company had valued entire plants or mines in the past seven months, Mr Martin said. “We’re always doing it for accounting purposes and for company buyouts, various reasons,” Mr Martin said. “But now it is more in regards to shutdowns and insolvency.”

Cairns-based shipbuilding and engineering ﬁrm NQEA has lost a $330 million air warfare destroyer contract to BAE Systems Australia Defence in Victoria. Company executive director Mark Fry described the news as a blow to the region. NQEA was awarded preferred tenderer status for the project in May and had already engaged additional technical staﬀ to prepare for a build-up of personnel that was expected to reach 400 by Christmas 2010, he said. Federal Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Greg Combet announced in late June that BAE had been selected for the construction of hull blocks for the Hobart Class AWD. In a statement on the decision, Mr Combet

said NQEA had provided written assurances that it could meet the AWD Alliance’s requirements; but subsequently advised that it was seeking to restructure its business and needed more time to meet its financial obligations. This caused the Alliance to enter into negotiations with both shortlisted bidders, resulting in the selection of BAE as preferred supplier, he said. Mr Fry rejected any suggestion that the company had financial problems. “Much misinformation exists in the marketplace about NQEA’s role in the AWD tender,” he said. “NQEA is financially robust and believes it could have met the contract requirements.”

NEWS

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Off and running A recent decision to proceed with early works is being touted as a major vote of confidence in the PNG LNG Project. The proponents of the PNG LNG Project have committed more than $758 million over the next 12 months for early works, boosting hopes of lucrative spinoffs for far north Queensland industry. The ExxonMobil-led joint venture proposes to build a twotrain, 6.3 million tonnes-perannum liquefaction plant near Port Moresby with gas sourced from various fields in the Papua New Guinea highlands. The Cairns Chamber of Commerce has been following the project’s progress and will lead a delegation to a PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum forum in October in a bid to tap into business opportunities in the region. “We’ve got excellent transport links with Papua New Guinea and an historical working relationship - we just need to ensure we get on the front foot for upcoming developments,” Cairns Chamber of Commerce Resources and Industry Taskforce chair Sharon Dawson said. “We’ll be encouraging our

members to come to support the chamber in its activities in PNG as part of that delegation to send a strong message to PNG that Cairns is open for business.” The major parties behind the PNG LNG Project include ExxonMobil, Oil Search, Santos and Nippon Oil. Oil Search managing director Peter Botten said development of the infrastructure approved in June would allow full construction to begin in early 2010, subject to a ﬁnal investment decision later this year. “The decision to proceed with early works, comprising an accelerated investment of approximately $US600 million ($AU758 million) over the next 12 months, prior to formal sanction of the project at the end of the year, is a major vote of conﬁdence in the PNG LNG Project,” Mr Botten said. Among the work already awarded is a major construction contract for upstream early civil infrastructure which went to a joint venture involving Curtain Brothers Papua New Guinea and

engineering company Clough. Clough said the job scope included construction of roads, bridges, wharf, laydown and camp areas and other critical infrastructure. Multiple work fronts would operate from the river port at Kopi to Hides in the Southern Highlands with an anticipated workforce of up to 900. The Eos joint venture comprising WorleyParsons and Kellogg Brown & Root – was awarded a contract covering project services for the PNG LNG Project, extending to the end of 2014. This includes provision of engineering, training, in-country support services and integrated project team services for construction and project management. The project has also reached a marketing milestone, with proponents announcing in late June that they had reached agreement with three major customers in Asia for long-term, sales of LNG totalling about 4.3 million tonnes per annum. A fourth potential customer was awaiting government approval of key commercial terms for a long-term purchase of LNG covering the remaining production capacity, they said.

Drilling at Lindeman’s Bore.

Lindeman’s land grab Proto Resources and Investments is attempting to snap up more exploration ground around its Lindeman’s Bore project area in the wake of a copper discovery likened to the massive Norilsk mineralisation in Russia. Proto’s maiden diamond drillhole on a large “bullseye” anomaly at the Northern Territory site intersected a 15m wide zone of visible copper mineralisation and more than 200m of intrusive magnetic maﬁc rock units. The company believes these intrusions may represent the feeder conduits to the Antrim Plateau Volcanic Sequence – similar to Norilsk-style mineralisation. Proto has since lodged exploration licence applications for further tenement areas covering more than 3000sq km around the Lindeman’s Bore Project area, which is located 70km west of Kalkarindji. NT Resources Minister Kon Vatskalis said Proto’s discovery was the ﬁrst in a vast under-explored region around Lindeman’s Bore. It was aided by a $100,000 grant under the NT Government’s Bringing Forward Discovery initiative.

Case Study ABC Mining are building a new mine in a remote area. They require 3 x 350kva generators to provide power to the project. ABC Mining is looking at the cost of hire vs purchase for these units over the course of their 12 month project. They release a tender to 4 suppliers, two rental companies and four sales companies. The resultant offers come in like this.

SALES COMPANY A

$367,000.00

TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE

SALES COMPANY B

$358,000.00

TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE

HIRE COMPANY C

$21,397.00

PER MONTH RENTAL

HIRE COMPANY D

$18,978.00

PER MONTH RENTAL

Sales company A and Hire Company C are eliminated from the tender process on price and the project manager decides hire is the way to go. Hire Company D is awarded the contract. The tender process has been a success.

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generators, compressors and welders

Taking a new approach to the Project ABC Mining then invites WASP to submit a proposal for the project. We begin by looking at the actual needs of the project. Not being tied to any one engine or alternator manufacturer, WASP Diesel starts the proposal from the perspective of the customer. Being a Prime Power fixed application, it is decided that fuel economy is the key to delivering true value to the project. WASP does a review of available engine manufacturer’s in this size range and finds that the WP625* engine is currently the most fuel efficient in this class. It delivers 5 litres per hour superior fuel economy than it’s nearest rival and in fact provides a 7.2 litre per hour saving over the best engine offered by companies A,B,C or D in the original tender process. Using 3 x WP625 engines will mean the project is 21.6 litres per hour more efficient than any of the other offers. As a prime power application, this means a 518.4 litre per day saving. That translates to 3628.8 litres per week, 15,724.8 litres per month and a whopping 188,697.6 litres of diesel per year in savings to the project. Even a fuel saving of 1 litre per hour, per machine on this project, means an overall saving of 26,208 litres of fuel over the course of the project.

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Part Of The Solution

July 2009 |

The Mining Advocate

Expansion works complete After four years of intense effort, a $1.3 billion construction project has delivered a major boost to capacity at a Mackay coal terminal. A $1.3 billion project to expand capacity at Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal (DBCT) near Mackay is complete. The project has boosted the terminal’s capacity to 85 million tonnes per annum, a 50 per cent increase that has made the facility the third largest export coal terminal in the world. Babcock & Brown Infrastructure’s announcement of project completion marked the culmination of more than four years of intense engineering and construction effort, DBCT Management chief executive officer Eric Kolatchew said. “The project’s forecast cost of $1.3 billion was incurred in a complex, weather-dependent brownfield environment during a mining and infrastructure boom which created one of the most intensive periods of construction activity that Australia has seen,” he said. “During its peak around 1000 workers were involved in its construction. “These aspects have made the successful completion of the 7X project all the more rewarding.”

Eric Kolatchew DBCT Management chief executive officer

Completion of the construction and testing of ﬁnal project components has allowed ship loading to now take place utilising three outloading conveyors feeding three shiploaders on four berths. DBCT general manager of operations Greg Smith said the project completion had coincided with a marked increase in the demand for coal exports.

The terminal’s jetty conveyor head-end drive structure during final stages of construction.

“After experiencing a considerable drop in exports of metallurgical coals in November 2008, the market trend reversed in late February and has continued to climb since then due to strong sales with China in both metallurgical and thermal coals,” he said.

“While the sustainability of increased activity internationally remains unclear at present, we are conﬁdent in the strong market position of DBCT and its underlying attractiveness as a dominant hub for the export of coal from the Queensland marketplace.”

Mr Smith said DBCT had received indications from coal producers of the need for further export capacity beyond that achieved in the 7x project and studies were under way to determine future expansion pathways.

PROVIDING THE MINING WORKFORCE There is no doubt that the past months have been difficult for the mining industry, with production reduced and significant job losses. As we have been out and about, talking to our clients, we are starting to see signs of this changing and for the first time in a long time, clients are talking positively about the future. Christies People has been woring hard during this time, to ensure that the maximum number of our workers remained employed. Where possible we have been able to relocate and redeploy a number of workers. We continue to work with our ever-growing client base in finding the right solution for them, for NOW and INTO THE FUTURE.

We can deliver flexibility in your workforce, we have the experience to deliver your outcomes and we have history to show that we can to this. At Christies People we build teams to complete projects. We achieve this by working with you to achieve your goals, not forcing our requirements on to our clients. For our workers we negotiate a salary that matches both market conditions and your experience. We never “jam” a worker into a job that they don’t want. We ensure that all our workers are paid on time – every time. We want the experience with Christies People to be a positive one. For further information, contact Sam Albert on 07 4728 7588.

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Mackay Regional Promotion

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Record loads at key coal ports Demand from China is driving an upsurge in exports, but the general outlook for the industry is mixed, writes Belinda Humphries. Coal terminals throughout Queensland are reporting record export tonnages driven by increased demand from China. Shipments from the Abbot Point and RG Tanna terminals reached new highs in June, while managers of the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal were expecting a record-breaking performance in July. Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche said the general increase was due in part to customers rebuilding their stocks after letting them run down earlier in the year, when many Queensland coal producers made workforce reductions as a result of the market downturn. “We’re also seeing a big lift in spot sales to markets such as China, although it’s not clear how sustainable that upsurge will be,” he said. While some record volumes may be going through coal ports, Mr Roche said the industry outlook was mixed. “When so much of the demand we are seeing is being underwritten

by spot sales as opposed to contracted amounts it’s not an easy environment in which to plan,” Mr Roche said. “I have heard of some sites putting people back on – which is good news. At the same time we have other mines looking to manage stockpiles by reducing shifts. It’s a mixed picture and a very hard one in which to make a call that somehow we’re out of the woods.” Abbot Point outside Bowen loaded well over 1.65 million tonnes in 21 ships in June, figures from operator North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation showed. “The previous record was set in December 2002 with 1,549,396 tonnes loaded,” corporation chief executive officer Brad Fish said. The Hay Point port near Mackay has seen a significant increase in coal exports in recent months. It recorded a combined throughput of almost 7.3 million tonnes from the BMA Hay Point and Dalrymple Bay coal terminals in June. Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal Management chief executive

Coal loading at the Abbot Point terminal north of Bowen.

oﬃcer Eric Kolatchew said that facility’s June exports reached about 4.78 million tonnes – the second highest monthly tonnage ever. China accounted for 35 per cent of that demand, while it had previously accounted for about 5 per cent of the terminal’s exports. And Mr Kolatchew said indicative ﬁgures pointed to a record month in July, with 5.5 million tonnes of coal expected to

be exported from Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal. The combined total shipments from Gladstone Ports Corporation’s two coal terminals in June fell just short of the monthly record set in October 2008 of 5.834 million tonnes. But it was a record-breaking month for the larger of the terminals, RG Tanna. “With India and China leading the demand we are seeing our

ship nominations at levels we saw during the peak of the boom last October,” Gladstone Ports Corporation chief executive oﬃcer Leo Zussino said. However Mr Zussino said the medium term outlook remained volatile in terms of global demand. “Our traditional markets of Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Europe are still severely depressed,” he said.

Mackay region mines poised for fresh growth spurt With a raft of strong coal projects in the pipeline and signs of a recent upswing in exports, Regional Economic Development Corporation chief executive oﬃcer Narelle Pearse believes Mackay may be on the verge of a new mining boom. Ms Pearse said the economic downturn generally had been just a “blip on the radar” for the city. “People here just haven’t felt the impact that other large regional centres have,” she said. “While people lost their jobs in mining, there were skills shortages to begin with so the majority of people have been re-

employed. Unemployment here (in the Mackay/Whitsunday/ Isaac region) is about 3.8 per cent - up from about 2.8 per cent – primarily driven from mining (cutbacks).” Despite well-publicised cuts in production and labour across the industry in line with contracting coal demand late last year and in early 2009, Ms Pearse said coal companies had remained committed to growth projects. “When the global ﬁnancial crisis hit we did a ring around to everyone,” she said. “None of the companies anticipated their expansions weren’t going to proceed.

Narelle Pearse “They may have slowed – but they told us the medium to longterm growth pipeline in mining is still strong.”

Macarthur Coal recently detailed its plans to double Bowen Basin production in the next five years (story Page 2), while Peabody plans to more than triple production at two Moranbah projects - Millennium Mine and Eaglefield Mine through expansion work the company hopes to complete in early 2011. Further afield is a massive thermal coal mine that Waratah Coal plans to develop near Emerald and Hancock Prospecting’s proposed $7.5 billion Alpha coal project. Ms Pearse said there were good signs of a rebound in coal demand – with local terminals

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experiencing an increase in shipping traffic. “We’re certainly seeing good signs that it will come back,” Ms Pearse said. “Our biggest fear is it will come back very quickly as a second boom. If traditional markets come on tomorrow and non-traditional ones don’t slow and we haven’t got the infrastructure in place we’re in trouble.” The effect of another period of very rapid growth on housing affordability in the region was a particular concern, as was the capacity of the region’s coal rail infrastructure, she said.

NEWS

July 2009 |

The Mining Advocate

Failed mine’s second chance Metallica Minerals fought hard to gain control of Queensland Ores’ assets recently despite knocking back other investment opportunities. Belinda Humphries discovers why. The failed Wolfram Camp operation has new owners with plans to outlay about $2 million to position the tungsten-molybdenum project for a successful comeback. Metallica Minerals has emerged with a majority stake in Queensland Ores - the company behind Wolfram Camp – after an intense bidding war over two months with junior explorer Outback Metals. Metallica company secretary John Haley – who is now also company secretary for Queensland Ores - described the takeover as a “bite-sized” investment offering the prospect of good returns. “We have been offered many (mineral projects) over the past eight months, because people know we have money in the bank,” Mr Haley said. “But most are exploration plays and, unless they are exceptional, we’re not interested.” Mr Haley said Metallica’s primary goal was to be a producer and it saw better value in more advanced projects. He believes the Queensland Ores assets fit the bill. They include the Mt Cannindah copper-gold project outside Monto in addition to the Wolfram Camp operation, about 90km inland from Cairns, and a nearby exploration tenement known as Bamford Hill. “There is no guarantee that either (Mt Cannindah or Wolfram Camp) will go into production, but

it gives us much more advanced projects,” Mr Haley said. “Wolfram Camp is permitted, had a camp on site and was operating for a short time – unsuccessfully, but you could turn the switch back on and be producing in a couple of months.” Queensland Ores suspended production at Wolfram Camp in November to conserve cash due to the double blow of weak market conditions and operational problems. These included the mine’s failure to achieve target head-feed grade and low recoveries in the treatment plant. Metallica’s script bid for Queensland Ores - had the company gained 100 per cent control - would have translated into $3 million in scripts for projects which had already had about $30 million spent on them, Mr Haley said. The company ended up owning about 71 per cent of the Queensland Ores shares. With $18 million cash to its name, Mr Haley said Metallica had suﬃcient funds to take the Queensland Ores projects forward. “We plan to do more work at Wolfram Camp before we contemplate putting it back into production,” Mr Haley said. “We have a plan to spend a couple of million on it over the next two years doing further

The visiting students mark their graduation along with Victor Osorno and Trinidad Ariztia from BECAS Chile (at rear), Central Queensland TAFE assistant institute director of studies Neil Barker, Xstrata Copper general manager engineering services and projects Ken Draffen and Mount Isa TAFE director Gary Kinnon (far right). Photo: Roslyn Budd

Global skills exchange bears fruit Twelve Chilean mining students recently celebrated their graduation from a pilot program which included training and work experience in Mount Isa. The students came to Australia as a result of a scholarship program initiated by the Chilean Government in response to that country’s skills shortages.

resource drilling and trying to make sure as best we can that some of the problems with the previous operation are able to be overcome before starting up production.” The timing of a new start-up would depend on metal prices as well as the successful completion of the planned drilling and test mining. Meanwhile, Mr Haley said Metallica was considering its strategies for the Mt Cannindah resource, which he said had previously attracted a substantial offer from a major company. “If we got that offer again it would have justified the $3 million we would have spent on Queensland Ores in its entirety,” he said. Mr Haley said Metallica would gauge current interest in the project, including potential joint venture options, before spending any money there. Metallica Minerals’ Queensland-focused portfolio includes the Cape Alumina bauxite project (32 per cent owned), MetroCoal (84 per cent owned) and its flagship North Queensland Nickel Cobalt (NORNICO) project.

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Program director Carolina Maturana said the returning students would strengthen Chile’s mining sector by injecting new knowledge and working practices. The group received their Certiﬁcate II in Metalliferous Mining – Open Cut in a graduation ceremony at the Redearth Hotel recently.

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PEOPLE

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Elle sailed into logistics career EH: I was born in Townsville and lived there until I was 19 – then I thought I would ﬂy away and see the world. I went up to Darwin to start with and that’s where my introduction with the transport and logistics game started. I was there for ﬁve years, then went to Brisbane. I spent a year in Singapore and have also worked a lot in Western Australia. I’ve been back in Townsville for just over four years.

Legend International Holdings logistics manager Elle Hilton

Elle Hilton was 24 and living in Darwin when she landed a job with Holyman Military Agency Services - setting her on the path to a successful career in transport and logistics.

Ms Hilton, now 36, puts the job opportunity that introduced her to the industry down to “being in the right place at the right time” and believes that good fortune has been repeated with her latest appointment. She was working with the Port of Townsville when the chance arose earlier this year to

join Legend International Holdings and play a key role in developing a major phosphate export project. The Legend logistics manager lives in Townsville with husband Craig and daughter Morgan, 13. She spoke to The Mining Advocate recently.

Q: Had you planned a career in this industry before that point? EH: I didn’t study towards it, but I was always heading down an accounting or commercial line at school – obviously that’s good background knowledge for any career. It was one of those things - I always look back and think I was in the right place at the right time. I fell into it. But, like falling into a pool, you either sink or learn to swim quickly.

Q: Tell us a bit about your background.

Q: What sort of work has your career involved?

EH: My ﬁrst job was with a ship agency, Holyman, which was subsequently acquired by Patrick. For the most part I did ship’s husbandry and logistics for naval vessels and warships - when international vessels were visiting Australia and when Australian vessels were

itself. The attraction was two-fold. It was chance to get on board early in a very signiﬁcant project for the region, a very important project for the whole MITEZ (Mount Isa to Townsville Economic Zone) corridor. It also pulls together all my previous experiences and puts them

“I fell into it. But, like falling into a pool, you either sink or learn to swim quickly” visiting international ports. Most recently I was with the Port of Townsville for nearly two years as general manager for business development. Essentially that was dealing with existing customers and users of the port and working with new projects to best facilitate trade through Townsville. Q: How did you come to join Legend International? EH: Legend was one of our prospective clients in the port. The relationship was very strong and the opportunity presented

VIC 03 9550 2800 | NSW 02 8853 7870 | WA 08 6263 4438 | QLD 07 3861 4862

into one nice role. You could say it was a case, again, of being in the right place at the right time. Q: What are your interests outside work? EH: Mostly family. Also rodeo – watching from the sidelines, not as a participant – and travel. Craig and I are away a lot for work, so most of our social life involves trying to be at home in Townsville and spending time with family. I also have family in Mount Isa and on the Atherton Tableland.

Part Of The Solution

July 2009 |

Discover where TAFE can take you!

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Mount Isa Regional Promotion

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

The SAG mill and coarse ore stockpile at Ernest Henry Mining’s concentrator.

Locals gain lion’s share of mine job

Photo: Rob Parsons

Regional contract workers will be heavily involved in a upcoming maintenance outage at a north-west Queensland copper operation. Ernest Henry Mining (EHM) launches into its next concentrator shutdown in August - a three-day project expected to involve about 150 outside contractors. The Cloncurry copper operation engages a principal contractor from Mount Isa to source local labour for its regular maintenance shutdowns, which are conducted every 13 weeks. “We also source additional people from outside of the local area for speciﬁc jobs requiring expertise that isn’t available locally,” EHM concentrator manager John Twomey said. The split was generally about 60 per cent local contract labour and 40 per cent from outside the north-west, he said.

EHM shutdown co-ordinator Percy Scobie said the upcoming maintenance outage was due to start at 6am on August 4. Scheduled to run 79 hours, it was an average-sized shutdown for the operation’s concentrator plant, he said. “We range between 52 and 120 hours for our shutdowns, depending on which parts of the plant we need to work on,” Mr Scobie said. Routine shutdown work included maintenance and repairs on the site’s primary gyratory crusher, apron feeders, conveyors, SAG (semiautogenous grinding) and ball mills, ﬂotation circuit, thickener, vibrating screen and various pumps and piping, he said.

While such shutdowns may be routine undertakings at EHM, they are far from simple. “We do a lot of preparation in the lead-up to each shutdown,” Mr Scobie said.

“Tools are prepared for every job - boxed up and placed in the correct location, ready for the job to start - and parts are sourced in advance and put near the job, like the tools – ready to go.

“We also do JSA’s ( Job Safety Analysis) for each job in advance.” All EHM concentrator employees and additional shutdown contractors were assigned specific jobs, he said. “The hardest thing in the planning stages is getting the timing right so all the jobs can be done as quickly as possible and in sequence without affecting another job that needs to be done,” Mr Scobie said. “Planning for a shutdown can be repetitive at times since a lot of the same jobs need to be done every 13 weeks, but there are always extra things that need to be done and each shutdown is different, so the job’s definitely not boring.”

Bradken branches out Bradken’s new $4 million Mount Isa workshop opened its doors for business on July 1. Located in Northridge Industrial Estate, the facility has been purpose-built to handle large mining excavator buckets, trays and other heavy earthmoving components while offering a range of other metal fabrication, refurbishment and material processing services. The facility includes a CNC (computerised numerical control) plasma profile cutting machine, which workshop supervisor Greg Bellinger said was the first of its size in Mount Isa. “The plasma profile cutter is a good addition to the area. It will cut materials up to 50mm thick and we have a flame cutting attachment to allow us to cut up to 200mm,” he said. “Our new manufacturing facilities will allow us to fabricate wear products locally from our Vidaplate and Duaplate cladplate materials and substantially reduce delivery lead times to customers.” The workshop is fitted with twin 40-tonne crawlers and a 500-tonne break press with 4m blade. “This will enable us to refurbish large excavator buckets and support our extensive consumable products business,” Mr Bellinger said. Mr Bellinger said he aimed

CS Energy’s Mica Creek Power Station.

Mica Creek plant set for $30m upgrade Bradken workshop supervisor Greg Bellinger and regional sales manager Neville Mersky with the plasma profile cutting machine. Photo: Roslyn Budd

to employ about a dozen people to man the workshop within the next three months. He said the new manufacturing and refurbishment facility enhanced Bradken’s Mount Isa operation, which had for many years provided supply and service support for the company’s ground engaging tools, plate and block and mineral processing products.

Born and bred in Mount Isa, Mr Bellinger has a boilermaking background and his career of 32 years has included various management positions for companies in mining-related steel fabrication and manufacturing. His last position was operations and estimating/sales manager for Townsville-based business TotalFab.

The Bligh Government will invest more than $30 million upgrading north-west Queensland’s electricity supply generating work for around 200 contractors. Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said maintenance and new works at government-owned corporation CS Energy’s Mica Creek Power Station would further improve the reliability of the region’s power supply. “The investment comprises $7.6 million for upgrades and the purchase of new equipment and $23 million for overhauls,” Mr Robertson said. “These funds will enable Mica Creek to meet demand and continue providing north-

west Queensland with reliable electricity.” Mica Creek comprises 10 generating units - spread across its A, B and C stations - which are capable of producing up to 325 megawatts of electricity. In the new projects – to be completed this ﬁnancial year control systems at the A6, A7 and B1 generating units will be upgraded and the station’s 60-tonne overhead crane at A station will be replaced. The maintenance spending includes overhauls of the A6, A7, B1 and A2 generating units, including replacement of all gas turbine hot gas path components that have reached the end of their life.

INDUSTRY UPDATE - COAL AND GAS

Cameby Downs kicks off Brisbane-based Syntech Resources is due to start construction of a new $250 million open-cut coal mine in Queensland’s Surat Basin in July. Syntech Resources chief executive Darian Hielscher said stage one of the Cameby Downs project, between Miles and Chinchilla, would employ about 100 people. Mr Hielscher said the project, financially backed by German firm Direct Invest, had a resource of around 1.7 billion tonnes of high-quality thermal coal. Production is planned to start in 2010, with about 1.4 million tonnes to be exported each year through the Port of Brisbane. A second stage could result in production of 20 million tonnes a year and 600 jobs. Direct Invest is also working on a coalto-liquid and gas-to-liquid project in the Surat Basin and plans to inject around $1.5 billion into clean coal technology over the next five years.

Washpool comes up clean A concept study has demonstrated the economic and technical robustness of the proposed Washpool hard coking coal project, 60km north-east of Emerald, according to Aquila Resources. The company said it had now commenced a project feasibility study which was due for completion by December 2010. The development would involve an open-cut coal mine producing 1.6 million tonnes per annum of hard coking coal over a forecast mine life of 18 years. Aquila said the project’s total in situ coal resources totalled 138 million tonnes. The company said it was securing 1.6mtpa capacity at the Wiggins Island Coal Terminal Project at Gladstone for the Washpool project, with ﬁrst production scheduled to occur in 2012.

Shell moving forward

July 2009 |

Galilee project stacks up

Shell Australia’s proposed Curtis Island liqueﬁed natural gas (LNG) project has been declared a “signiﬁcant project” by the Queensland Government following the company’s submission of its Initial Advice Statement (IAS).

Australian oil and gas exploration company Exoma Energy has completed ﬁnancial and technical due diligence for the proposed acquisition of the Galilee Gas Project in central Queensland from Longreach Number 2.

The multi-billion dollar project is the fourth LNG project in the Gladstone area to be declared a “signiﬁcant project” by Co-ordinatorGeneral Colin Jensen.

The company said in June that an independent geological study supported the project’s resource potential to hold 35 trillion cubic Service feet of coal seam Trucks and shale gas.

It believes the Mr Jensen said the double objective declaration was of conventional not an indicator coal seam gas and of government unconventional support for a shale gas project, but “makes the large signalled the www.equipmentplacement.com.au contiguous Galilee start of a wholeGas Project of-government potentially one of environmental assessment process. the most signiﬁcant gas exploration Shell will now commence work on an projects in Australia”. environmental impact statement in order to develop the project further. MetroCoal resource firms The company said the proposed LNG facility would be built on a site capable of producing LNG from coal seam gas (CSG) acreage jointly owned by Shell and Arrow Energy.

LNG sales deal Santos has sealed a deal to sell 2 million tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas from its proposed Gladstone plant to Petronas, with an option for an additional 1mtpa. The agreement, covering a 20-year period from 2014, is conditional upon the Gladstone Liquefied Natural Gas project – GLNG - reaching a final investment decision. The LNG would be used in the Malaysian domestic gas market. Santos chief executive officer David Knox said the marketing agreement was a very important milestone for the GLNG project.

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MetroCoal has announced an initial resource of 171.7 million tonnes for the underground coal gasiﬁcation (UCG) project it is developing in the Surat Basin north-west of Brisbane. The JORC-compliant inferred and indicated resource estimate was prepared following a 16-hole drilling program at the company’s Juandah Prospect. MetroCoal, a subsidiary of Metallica Minerals, said the resource comfortably exceeded the 100 million-tonne target required to support a major UCG project producing 20,000 barrels a day of high-quality, cleaner liquid fuels. The JORC Code resource supported MetroCoal’s growth strategy to establish signiﬁcant Surat Basin coal deposits within its 4000sq km tenement area, suitable for UCG operations and conventional underground and open-pit coal mining, it said.

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Linc tenements on market Linc Energy has appointed UBS Investment Bank to manage the sale of its Emerald, Pentland and Galilee (north-west of Clermont) coal tenements. The company said the “non-core” tenements it was divesting comprised a total area of more than 10,000sq km and contained coal deposit targets in excess of 5 billion tonnes. It would discontinue its exclusive negotiation with Chinese coal group Yanzhou Coal and related entities, the company said. “Linc has decided that, though negotiations have been ongoing, the buyer’s timetable to complete a purchase is no longer in the best interests of Linc Energy and its shareholders,” chief executive oﬃcer Peter Bond said in a recent ASX announcement. Linc Energy operates the Chinchilla UCG (underground coal gasiﬁcation) project.

NEC capital raising Northern Energy Corporation (NEC) aims to raise $12 million to advance its central Queensland coal projects. The company announced on June 11 that it had received firm commitments for a placement of 22,857,143 ordinary shares at 35 cents a share to raise $8 million. NEC also intends to offer a share purchase plan to eligible shareholders to raise a further $4 million. The company said proceeds from the capital raising would go towards infill drilling at the Maryborough hard coking coal project and work to advance the Elimatta thermal coal project, 36km west of Wandoan. They would also provide further cash backing for bank guarantees required to underwrite feasibility, engineering and design studies for proposed port and rail expansions at Wiggins Island, Gladstone, and parts of the QR rail network.

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INDUSTRY UPDATE - COAL AND GAS

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Pipeline route study

Report highlights GTL potential

Blue Energy has commissioned Brisbane-based consultancy Resources and Land Management Services to undertake a gas pipeline route study from its Galilee Basin tenements to potential LNG export locations, including Gladstone.

CSG advance

Central Petroleum says the ﬁndings of a recent report have added weight to its goal to develop a large-scale GTL (gas to liquids) processing plant in Alice Springs to produce “ultra-clean” diesel, jet fuel or naphtha for a global market.

The report, prepared by Mulready Consulting Services, estimated that a best case recoverable prospective CAIRNS resource of 1.25 TOWNSVILLE trillion barrels of THURSDAY ISLAND liquid petroleum products produced by syngas in a GTL process may be possible The company Without a travel agent you’re on your own from Central’s recently announced tenements, which its intention to cover a large begin a 21-corehole portion of the Pedirka Basin. drilling program in July. “The recent emergence of sophisticated underground coal gasification (UCG) Sedgman wins $80m contract and GTL technologies in Australia is Macarthur Coal has extended and paving the way for us to possibly unlock amalgamated two key coal handling and a huge unutilised potential resource in preparation operating contracts worth Central Australia, and create a UCG/ $80 million with Sedgman. GTL operation of major national Sedgman will continue to operate and significance,” Central Petroleum maintain the Coppabella managing director John Heugh said. Blue Energy executive chairman Peter Cockcroft said the company saw the study as “a key element along the path to commercialising this potentially significant future gas province”.

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and Moorvale coal handling and preparation plants under the three-year contract.

Leighton lands $160m extension Leighton Contractors’ resources division has been awarded a four-year contract extension worth $160 million by Macarthur Coal. Under the contract, Leighton Mining will undertake the majority of the surface mining operations at the Moorvale project in the Bowen Basin. As part of the new arrangement, Leighton Contractors will also commission, manage and operate Macarthur Coal’s new mining ﬂeet at Moorvale.

Surat Basin presence welcomed The Queensland Resources Council has welcomed the establishment of a Surat Basin field office for Mines and Energy in Roma. “‘These are important foundations for the ongoing development of the Surat Basin during its transition into one of key energy hubs for eastern Australia and the Asia-Pacific region,’ QRC chief executive Michael Roche said. Four Mines and Energy staff from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) -including two deputy mining registrars and two support staff- are now working out of the Roma office.

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Drilling continues at Bow Energy’s Don Juan project.

Bow Energy has reached a milestone with its Don Juan coal seam gas (CSG) project near Roma. The company has had its first 2P (proven and probable) CSG reserves certified on the project, with more expected this quarter as Bow steps up the drilling campaign on its diversified CSG portfolio. Bow Energy chief executive officer - commercial, John De Stefani, said 34 petajoules of gross 2P certified reserves had been independently verified at Don Juan, upgraded from the 192PJ of gross 3P (proven, probable and possible) reserves announced in March. “...We are confident of reaching our target of 100PJ of 2P gross certified reserves on that project,” he said.

Geothermal job creation The geothermal energy industry could employ more than 17,000 Australians by 2050, according to a report released recently by WWF and the Australian Geothermal Energy Association (AGEA). AGEA chief executive Susan Jeanes called on the Australian Government to support the renewable energy industry, emphasising Australia’s chance to become a world leader in geothermal technology. “The geothermal energy industry provides opportunities for workers to move from industries like coal, oil and gas into clean energy jobs as much of the technology and expertise is transferable from one to the other,” she said.

Track work complete QR Network has completed the duplication of a 10.5km section of track between Stanwell and Wycarbah in the Rockhampton region. Executive general manager Mike Carter said the $71.5 million project was an important milestone in QR Network’s ﬁve-year $900 million investment program and would meet its customers’ requirements for increased capacity and performance of the Queensland coal rail network. “The Blackwater System links the mines in the Bowen Basin to coal terminals at the Port of Gladstone. This project will provide them with greater ﬂexibility and reliability,” he said.

INDUSTRY UPDATE

July 2009 |

Golden opportunity

Argonaut managing director Graeme Ellis said there was signiﬁcant potential for additional copper and zinc mineralisation, both below the existing deposits and around the periphery of the deﬁned resource. The results announced strongly supported Argonaut’s plans to establish an open-cut operation at the Kroombit project, he said.

Mt Carlton on fast track

Alluvial gold mining plant at the Georgetown site.

Adelaide-based explorer Eromanga Uranium has purchased the Georgetown alluvial gold mine and 13 “production ready” mining leases in far north Queensland. The $2.65 million acquisition reflects a company strategy to add a strong gold base to its business and will deliver its first production and cash flow. “We believe Georgetown has the capacity to deliver production revenue, at $1200 per ounce, of more than $2 million annually, together with strong upside potential in the near-term from brownfields exploration and resource development,” Eromanga managing director Kevin Lines said. “An exploration target of 40,000 to 45,000 ounces of gold is realistic.” The Georgetown operation, about 375km west of Cairns, was previously owned by Douglas Resources.

Pisolite Hills resource upgrade Cape Alumina has released details of a 30 per cent increase in bauxite resources for its Pisolite Hills project on the Weipa bauxite plateau of Cape York. The revised estimate represents an in situ mineral resource of 130.2 million tonnes (Mt) of measured (27.5 Mt), indicated (56.1 Mt) and inferred (46.6 Mt) bauxite. Cape Alumina chief executive oﬃcer Dr Paul Messenger said the new resource statement would form a key component of the bankable feasibility study due to commence in September. “Further drilling in the 2009 ﬁeld season will aim to increase the

percentage of the resource in the measured and indicated categories,” he said.

Maiden estimate released

Conquest Mining has appointed Arccon Mining Services (AMS) to complete a definitive feasibility study for its Mt Carlton gold-silver-copper project in North Queensland. AMS has also been asked to carry out the engineering development and procurement of long lead items. Conquest chief executive officer John Terpu said the company had asked AMS to take the study to 80 per cent engineering to allow a rapid transition to construction. “We have appointed an experienced team, including a senior metallurgist and together with the AMS group we are confident that we can meet the start up target of late 2010,” Mr Terpu said.

Emmerson’s exploration boost Ivanhoe Australia has approved a $7 million exploration program as part of its $18 million farm-in obligation to Emmerson Resources in the Tennant Creek Mineral Field. Emmerson Resources managing director and chief executive oﬃcer Rob Bills said it was anticipated that about 30,000m of drilling would be undertaken over the Tennant Creek Mineral Field during the 2009 ﬁeld season.

Argonaut Resources has announced a maiden resource estimate of about six million tonnes of zinc and copper mineralisation at its Kroombit deposit in the Gladstone region of central Queensland.

Work to expand Barbara resource

The inferred and indicated resources include a zinc resource of 5.2 million tonnes of ore containing 98,800 tonnes of zinc and 7800 tonnes of copper as well as a copper resource of 0.9 million tonnes containing 9000 tonnes of copper.

Joint venture partners Mt Isa Metals and Syndicated Metals have started a new drilling program, hoped to signiﬁcantly expand the previously announced inferred mineral resource at the Barbara copper deposit, 50km north-east of Mount Isa.

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The drilling is planned to test for highgrade sulphide copper mineralisation indicated at surface by historical copper workings and visible copper occurrences. Assay results for the drilling are expected to be available in mid-July. The maiden inferred mineral resource for the Barbara copper deposit, announced in October 2008, contained an estimated 32,000 tonnes of copper with a grading of 2.1 per cent copper at a 1 per cent cut-oﬀ.

CuDeco capital raising CuDeco has announced plans to raise up to $52.5 million in new capital via a share placement and share purchase plan. The company plans to use the proceeds for increased resource and exploration drilling on the Rocklands project outside Cloncurry, including boosting the number of rigs on site to as many as 15. The funds would also go towards the costs of the Rocklands Deﬁnitive Feasibility Study and for mine development, including acquisition of plant and equipment. Executive chairman Wayne McCrae said CuDeco was particularly interested in targeting quality used plant items that may be available from distressed projects.

Setback for nickel plant Gladstone Pacific Nickel has announced that China Metallurgical Corporation (MCC) will not be renewing its memorandum of understanding for development of a proposed $3.8 billion refinery. MCC has advised that it is slowing down its activity on the Gladstone Nickel Project due to current nickel market conditions. Gladstone Pacific Nickel chief executive officer John Downie said this may result in a delay of up to two years on existing plans for the project. The company was poised to take advantage of the next cycle in the nickel market, he said.

INDUSTRY UPDATE

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Sampling at Malcolm Creek Field work has started on the Malcolm Creek gold project, 80km west of the Kidston gold mine in North Queensland. Queensland Gold and Minerals – which is in joint venture with Newmont Exploration on the project - said a BCL (bulk cyanide leach) stream sampling program had been completed over the tenement and soil sampling was planned for anomalous drainages.

work under way in June at Lost Track and Fine Gold Gully to prioritise the prospects for drilling.

Rex managing director Jim Davis said Pel-Air’s Townsville-based staﬀ were all former MacAir ﬂight and ground crew.

Boost for Frances Creek Territory Resources has announced a 112 per cent increase in the resource estimate for the Helene 6/7 deposit, the principal source of high-grade ore at its Frances Creek iron ore mine, 200km south of Darwin. The JORC-compliant indicated and inferred resource has increased by 2.2 million tonnes to 4.1 million tonnes at an average grade of 59.5 per cent iron. Territory managing director Andy Haslam said this was a signiﬁcant outcome for the company’s ongoing exploration program at Frances Creek, which was focusing on existing deposits and near-mine targets. “The additional high-grade material now available can be blended with lower grade ore sources to deliver a shippable product, potentially bringing other deposits into our production proﬁle,” he said.

GBM’s bright prospects Recent field work at the Tiger and Range prospects has continued to confirm the presence of high-grade copper and gold mineralisations at the Brightlands project outside Mount Isa, GBM Resources says. Those areas have been earmarked as priority drill targets this quarter. The Tiger and Range prospects are among five high-order targets at Brightlands being evaluated for drilling. GBM in April defined a large copper anomaly over 1.6km strike on the project’s Milo prospect and had field

Training milestone

Kick-start for service corridor The Queensland Government is moving forward on a $20 million project to build the ﬁrst stage of a 21km strategic pipeline and services corridor for Gladstone industry.

Water Trucks

Infrastructure and Planning Minister Stirling Hinchliﬀe told Parliament in early June that $2.98 million of design work for the entire project would begin immediately.

Detailed geological mapping and rock chip sampling of a “In 2009/10, design gold-tin target in and planning for the eastern sector www.equipmentplacement.com.au the entire 21km of the exploration corridor will be permit area would complete, and construction of the commence soon, the company said. eastern 8km section, from the port to the Aldoga Estate in the west, will begin Pel-Air wins Osborne run in early 2010,” he said. Pel-Air Aviation has won an ongoing Mr Hinchliffe said the 110m wide fly in-fly out charter contract for corridor would accommodate pipelines Barrick’s Osborne mine in north-west associated with future projects including Queensland. the Rio Tinto Yarwun Alumina Pel-Air, a subsidiary of Regional Refinery expansion, the Gladstone Express (REX), has been providing Pacific Nickel Project and the Stanwell an interim service to the copper-gold Gladstone Water Pipeline. operation since the previous operator, MacAir, collapsed earlier this year. Sweet six at Thunderball The company said it had been awarded the contract for longer term services following an extensive tender process.

Thundelarra Exploration has completed a six-hole diamond drilling program at the Thunderball uranium prospect in the Northern Territory’s Pine Creek region. The company said all six holes had intersected visible uranium mineralisation. The ﬁnal and deepest hole of the program intersected a 3m zone of faulthosted primary uranium mineralisation. It was located about 20m away from a previous high-grade intercept of 3m which assayed 2964 parts per million uranium oxide.

Twin Hills sold for $1.75m A joint venture of North Queensland Metals (NQM) and Heemskirk Consolidated has agreed to acquire the Twin Hills gold project from Gold One International for $1.75 million. The joint venture partners – which operate Pajingo mine outside Charters Towers - will embark on a feasibility study based on trucking ore from Twin Hills for treatment. NQM said trials in June conﬁrmed that the Pajingo mill could process up to 500,000 tonnes per annum on a single mill, allowing approximately 200,000tpa to be brought in from new source The Twin Hills mining operation was closed in 2007 by then owners BMA Gold.

Progress at Lyall prospect Truscott Mining Corporation started drilling in June at its Lyall project, 25km east-south-east of Tennant Creek. The company said a 2000m rotary air blast geochemical drilling program would test the priority target identiﬁed from a combination of ﬁeld mapping, rock chip sampling and detailed ground geophysical databases.

MICO general manager Michael Holmes, Xstrata Copper North Queensland chief operating officer Steve de Kruijff, Mount Isa Mayor John Molony, Queensland Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson, traditional elder James Taylor and State Member for Mount Isa Betty Kiernan at the official opening.

Xstrata Copper recently celebrated the oﬃcial opening of its Mount Isa Copper Operations (MICO) New Starter Training Centre. The training program run at the custom-built facility aims to ensure all new starters - regardless of prior industry experience - are trained in core surface and underground competencies and operational procedures. More than 250 employees and contractors to the Mount Isa Copper Operations have successfully completed the program since the ﬁrst intake in December 2008.

The Lyall prospect includes features seen as potential sites for signiﬁcant gold and copper mineralisation.

Citigold raises $11.4m Charters Towers gold miner Citigold Corporation has raised $9.5 million from shareholders in an oversubscribed share purchase plan as well as accepting a private placement of $1.85 million. Managing director Mark Lynch said this excellent result would allow Citigold to push ahead and grow the business with strength. “The company is extremely pleased with the interest shown by shareholders in the share plan and I believe this interest reﬂects a broad conﬁdence in Citigold’s management and its strategy for the company’s growing Charters Towers gold operations,” he said.

Export earnings down Australia’s export earnings from energy and mineral resources declined by 18 per cent to $38.7 billion in the March quarter of 2009. The drop was reported in the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics’ (ABARE’s) latest Australian mineral statistics report. Commodities recording large declines included: iron and steel - down 48 per cent to $218 million; bauxite - down 43 per cent to $33 million; diamonds - down 42 per cent to $95 million; metallurgical coal - down 39 per cent to $7.6 billion; copper - down 36 per cent to $1 billion; and LNG - down 35 per cent to $2.5 billion. On the up side export earnings from rutile concentrate increased 53 per cent to $98 million; reﬁned gold increased 39 per cent to $5.4 billion; uranium oxide increased 19 per cent to $293 million and synthetic rutile increased 15 per cent to $68 million.

Cleo’s uranium deal Thundelarra has reached an agreement with Atom Energy whereby the company can earn a 70 per cent interest in the Cleo’s Uranium Project. The company said the Cleo’s agreement was the latest in a series of transactions and tenement acquisitions in recent months that had further strengthened Thundelarra’s position in its core project areas in the Pine Creek and Ngalia Basin regions of the Northern Territory.

New exploration push at Rover Adelaide Resources has started a new 2400m diamond drilling campaign to test a number of gold-copper targets at its Rover Project, 75km south-west of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. The company said the drill program followed completion of project-wide sacred site clearances by traditional owners, the granting of an exploration licence securing the eastern part of the Rover 4 prospect and the completion of an extensive gravity geophysical survey in the eastern part of the project area.

Latest NT funding round The Northern Territory Government recently awarded $750,000 for 12 drilling programs and $109,650 for two geophysics programs in under-explored regions throughout the Territory. The funds were awarded as part of the Government’s four-year, $14.4 million Bringing Forward Discovery initiative. The successful companies included Crosslands Uranium Mines, Bondi Mining, Territory Uranium, AusQuest, TNG, North Australian Diamonds, Southern Uranium, Westgold Resources, Sipa Exploration, Silex Exploration Australia, Anglo Australian Resources (with two programs funded) and Quasar Resources.

BETWEEN SHIFTS

July 2009 |

Chilean scholarship program graduation

The Mining Advocate

PHOTOS: Roslyn Budd

Redearth Hotel, Mount Isa Trinidad Ariztia (BECAS Chile), Sofia Pereira (Australian Education International) and Victor Osorno (BECAS Chile).

Yorcie Barrara (graduate) and Michael Holmes (Xstrata Copper).

Daniela Silva and Ronald Briceno (graduates).

Deb and Alain Pirard (homestay hosts) with graduate Omar Medina.

Garth Beauchamp (trainer/assessor) and Jenny Beauchamp.

Ros Gilroy (TQ Mining Services), Rachel Baker (Xstrata Copper), Dick Kostowski (Xstrata Copper) and Grace Linaogo (Central Queensland TAFE).

Gary Atwood (Gold Coast TAFE) and JP Carreno (graduate).

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BETWEEN SHIFTS

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

BMA race day

PHOTOS: Sharon Braithwaite

Moranbah Race Course

Kristy Elworthy (Moranbah State School), Stephanie Hutcheon (Peak Downs Mine) and Tina Ganter (Gryphon Psychology, Emerald).

Ben Anderson (BOOM Logistics) and Kirby Durrington (Goonyella).

Gordo (Goonyella North) and Shaylee Langdon (Peak Downs).

Dayna Kelland (Moranbah Hospital) and Kiera Mills (Moranbah Newsagency).

Jim Donahue (G & S Engineering), Tim Magoffin (G & S Engineering), and Kate Magoffin.

Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser MMG Century Mine, north-west Queensland

Jason Harris and Danielle Dury.

Davies Chisenga, Robert Godwin and Clancy Bawden.

Debbie Kieghran and Jillian Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Urso.

BETWEEN SHIFTS

July 2009 |

Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce networking function

The Mining Advocate

PHOTOS: Roslyn Budd

Livingstoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant, Mount Isa Agi Patrikios (Pybar), Philip Watkins (Watkins Group), Shayne Daniels (Pybar).

Elle Hilton and Damien Crawford (Legend International Holdings).

Barry and Christine Sharp (AAA Engineering Technologies).

Kyrran Lewis (Blackwoods) and Tricia Esdaile (Xstrata Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo).

Jo Hope (King Gee) and Bronwyn Crabb (Protector Alsafe).

Jessica Dickfos and Angela Owen (Zinc 666).

Deryck and Rene Thompson (Engineering Excellence) and Paul Carter (Ivanhoe Australia).

Ron McGowan and Todd Holpen (both from Skilled) with Brett Peterson (Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce).

Peter Abel (Realway Property), Haaije Postma (Ivanhoe Australia) and Errol Culbertson (Pybar).

BETWEEN SHIFTS

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

AusIMM International Uranium Conference 2009

PHOTOS: Christopher Knight

Darwin Convention Centre, Darwin

Zeyad El-Ansary (GRD Miniproc), Harry Stone (Larox) and Greg Hayes (GRD).

Carolyn Lord, Chantal Whittaker and Kate Turner (Supervising Scientist Division).

Aden Mckay (Geoscience Australia), Michael Raetz (Callabonn Uranium) and Michelle Hedges (Griffith Hack).

Anthony Schofield (Geoscience), Roger Skirrow (Geoscience), Lindsay Dudfield (Energy Metals) and Joe Cucuzza (AMIRA International).

Tom Hunter (Aker Solutions), Tom Hilder (URS) and Dave King (Aker Solutions).

Sarah Cooke (Encounter Resources) with Peta Libby and John Libby (Digirock).

Northern Territory Resources Council Safety Week barbecue

PHOTOS: Christopher Knight

IFAP Northern Australian Safety Centre, Darwin

John Roil (Chemtrans), Lance Martin (Geminex) and Richard Laidlaw (Chemtrans).

Ray Greenhill (ERA), Ryan Gordon (ERA), Dianne Sutcliffe (ERA) and Joe Pisani (NT Worksafe).

Sue Walsh (King Gee), Robyn Timney (St John Ambulance), Chris Murphy and Matthew Semmens (Total Events Services).

Scott Perkins (NT Resources Council), Ron Rose (NT Gas) and Gerry Breugem (Kaefer Integrated Services).

Michelle Larfield (Geminex) and John Schelfhout (Sieco Australia).

Geoff McCumstie (McArthur River), Jeff Whittaker (NT Fire and Rescue Service), Ed Doeer (McArthur River), Paul Pankhurst (St John Ambulance) and Peter Spry (McArthur River).

BETWEEN SHIFTS

July 2009 |

North Queensland Exploration and Mining (NQEM) 2009

The Mining Advocate

PHOTOS: Stewart McLean

Jupiters, Townsville Clem Hill, Doug Young, John Siemon and Mark Berry (all Australian Institute of Geoscientists).

Michele Pilkington (Emenem Event Management) with freelance geologist Aert Driessen.

Geophysics consultant Steve Collins and Carina Kemp (GeoMole).

Darcy Milburn (Icon Resources) and Bill Laing (Laing Exploration).

Geologist Graham Alistair and Trent Retallick (Quantec Geosciences).

Tony and Ann Belperio (Minotaur Exploration).

Ian Hodkinson (Kagara), Andrew Beaton (Oz Minerals) and Geoff Hodgson (IMX Resources).

Tony Baylis and Chris Schlebush (Resources and Exploration Mapping) with Katrin King (Sietronics).

Llew Wynn (Xstrata Copper), Stuart Moore (Mantle Mining) and John Alexandrou (ALS).

Hastings Deering

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Bigger and better NQ facilities Hastings Deering recently invested $5.6m on its Townsville premises, improving the workshop and creating vast warehouse space. When an operation like Hastings Deering Townsville decides it’s time for a bit more space, it’s hardly a matter of clearing the shed and popping up a few shelves. The business recently invested $5.6 million to expand its Woolcock St facility, a complex originally opened by thenQueensland Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen in 1973. The expansion work, completed over 12 months, has taken the total ﬂoor space to 4773sq m. “The expansion more than doubles our parts warehouse facilities and has increased our workshop facilities by 50 per cent,” branch manager John Ritchie said. “In our industry, the facility would be by far the largest and most comprehensive in Townsville.” Mr Ritchie said the expansion reﬂected the increased activity in the earthmoving equipment industry in the past few years and positioned the business to cater for future growth. The Hastings Deering group operates throughout Queensland, the Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia as a dealership for global machinery giant Caterpillar (Cat) - a company that describes itself as the largest maker of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines in the world. The Hastings Deering group employs more than 2000 people,

The recent expansion has more than doubled Hastings Deering Townsville’s warehouse facilities. Photo: Stewart McLean

John Ritchie Hastings Deering Townsville branch manager

including 90 at the Townsville branch. Mr Ritchie said Hastings Deering Townsville served an area stretching from Bowen north to Kennedy and west to Hughenden - oﬀering new and used Caterpillar vehicle sales, maintenance, repairs and a large range of Caterpillar parts. It also boasts an extensive rental ﬂeet. Civil contractors and local government form the Townsville branch’s core clientele, along with mining operations. Mr Ritchie said the Cat machines the Townsville dealership sold ranged from the manufacturer’s smallest skidsteer loaders to bulldozers valued around $2.5 million. The extra warehouse space created by the recent expansion

has allowed Hastings Deering Townsville to increase its Caterpillar parts inventory to 16,000 line items. “That includes everything from the smallest nuts and bolts to an engine worth $100,000,” Mr Ritchie said. The expansion, completed in December, has also modernised the Hastings Deering workshop. Improvements included the installation of a hydraulic cylinder rebuild centre. Mr Ritchie said this allowed the team to disassemble, rebuild and pressure test hydraulic cylinders as large as 6m long. The new facility met Caterpillar’s exacting standards for contamination control, he said. “With a truly modern workshop - even with us, working with large earthmoving equipment - it is like a racing car team workshop,” Mr Ritchie said. “Everything is spotless; there is no dirt or dust anywhere.” Mr Ritchie said the

MADE FOR UNDERGROUND

Warehouse leading hand Josh Walker collecting parts. Photo: Stewart McLean

organisation was committed to training – with the Townsville workshop employing 20 apprentice diesel mechanics. “A lot of companies don’t

The Cat® 930H wheel loader leads the industry in operator comfort, performance and versatility. Safety, reliability and performance make the machine ideal for working underground. Hastings Deering’s dedicated 930H underground work platform design delivers strength and durability with superior control and unmatched versatility. Discover how much more you can get done underground with the 930H.

Darwin Cairns Townsville Mt Isa

give it the priority or focus they should, but at Hastings Deering we have strong commitments towards the employment and training of youth,” he said.

25 Wishart Road, Berrimah, Cnr. Fearnley & Kenny Streets, Cairns 467-481 Woolcock St Garbutt Kolongo Crescent, Mount Isa

For more information on underground machinery

CALL 131 228

www.hastingsdeering.com.au

© 2009 Caterpillar. All rights reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos and ‘Caterpillar Yellow,’ and the POWER EDGE trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

Hastings Deering

July 2009 |

The Mining Advocate

A real ‘Cat’ person John Ritchie has shown a career-long loyalty to Hastings Deering and the Caterpillar brand it services. From scraping gaskets to running a multimilliondollar enterprise, John Ritchie’s career in Hastings Deering has taken him a long way – both professionally and geographically. Born and bred in the Northern Territory, Mr Ritchie began working for the company almost 30 years ago as an apprentice diesel mechanic based in Darwin.

The years since have seen him take Hastings Deering positions at Pine Creek (NT), the Ranger uranium mine and in Papua New Guinea as well as numerous positions throughout Queensland. Mr Ritchie said he had worked in product support roles in Cairns and Weipa before moving to Moranbah to act as Hastings Deering’s

Hastings Deering Townsville branch manager John Ritchie outside the Woolcock St premises. Photo: Stewart McLean

project manager for the Goonyella Riverside mine. “From there I went to Mackay as contracts manager for a couple of years where I was responsible for seven sites (in the Bowen Basin coalﬁelds),” he said. “Then I moved to Townsville four and a half years ago as branch manager.” Mr Ritchie said the key to his role with Hastings Deering Townsville lay in keeping the team focused. “Certainly one thing I don’t have to worry about is motivation, as everyone who works for Hastings Deering wants to be here,” he said. “It’s more a matter of ensuring that everyone remains focused on providing the best possible customer service and developing long-term relationships with our clients.” At 45, Mr Ritchie has shown a career-

long loyalty to Hastings Deering - working for no other company since entering his apprenticeship aged 16. His pride in the Townsville operation’s service and the quality of the Caterpillar brand at the centre of Hastings Deering’s business is clear. “Caterpillar is known throughout the world as being the best product there is and Hastings Deering is proud to be part of the Caterpillar dealer network, providing value to our customers,” Mr Ritchie. “No-one can replicate what Caterpillar does.” Outside of work, Mr Ritchie lists ﬁshing among his interests and family as a priority. He and wife Karen have a 13-year-old son, Jackson, and an 11-yearold daughter, Taylor.

The 2900G machine before the recent rebuild.

The 2900G machine after the Hastings Deering work.

Rebuild expertise The Hastings Deering Townsville workshop handles everything from fixed-price services to full machine rebuilds costing up to $1 million. The team recently finished an extensive rebuild on an underground loader (or bogger) for Carpentaria Gold, for example. Branch manager John Ritchie said the scope of work included rebuilding the Caterpillar 2900G’s power-train. “The engine was rebuilt to ‘as new’,” he said. “This process included dyno testing to ensure the engine performed as per specification. In addition, the transmission and torque converter were rebuilt and bench tested in the Townsville branch - all part of our quality control process.”

Congratulations to

Hastings Deering a Great Team Effort

Trade assistant Nathan Thompson and first-year diesel fitter Tyson Evans work on a D10 blade lift cylinder in the Hastings Deering hydraulic cylinder rebuild centre. Photo: Stewart McLean

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Hastings Deering

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Service on the go Hastings Deering’s field crew helps provide Caterpillar equipment operators throughout the region with round-the-clock support. Field service fitter Brad Belcher can find himself anywhere from fixing a ferry engine at Magnetic Island at short notice to working on a mine haul truck in northwest Queensland. It is all part of Hastings Deering’s commitment to providing round-the-clock support for clients operating Caterpillar equipment. The company provides routine maintenance work on site for clients as well as a 24-7 breakdown service, available via a telephone hotline - 131 CAT. Mr Belcher is among 14 field service fitters, each with a fully equipped service vehicle, who operate out of Hastings Deering Townsville. They play a vital role in a service chain which starts at purchase point – when the dealership is able to provide advice, finance and appropriate vehicle modifications – and continues throughout the life of the equipment. Mr Belcher said going out on location to serve clients rather than spending every day in the

workshop made his job especially appealing. “I would say I would ﬁnd it very hard to replace with something I enjoy as much,” he said. “I’m out and about. There’s always something new.” Mr Belcher said Hastings Deering Townsville had a wide range of customers – from people

who might buy a Caterpillar engine for their ride-on mower through to Century Mine in north-west Queensland, which has 52 items of Caterpillar gear among its ﬂeet including dozers, graders and loaders. Outside work, Mr Belcher hits the fast lane when time permits – excelling in the sport of go kart racing. He took out second place in the Leopard heavy category at the 47th Yamaha National Sprint Kart Championships in Townsville in April.

Hose specialist Terry Hall works on the crimping machine in the hydraulic hose centre. Photo: Stewart McLean

Hose shop ‘state of the art’

Brad Belcher with his field service vehicle.

Photo: Stewart McLean

Hastings Deering Townsville has introduced a new hydraulic hose centre as part of the recent upgrade at its Woolcock St premises. The state-of-the-art facility is equipped with the latest Caterpillar “Crimputer” hose press tooling. It is fully airconditioned and pressurised to ensure a clean working environment, meeting the strict guidelines of the Caterpillar contamination control process. Branch manager John Ritchie said the team had access to the latest parts and service information via the Cat SIS (Service Information System) - ensuring all hoses were made to the highest standard and quality.

Congratulations to Hastings Deering on their new facility allowing them even greater support to the North’s mining industry

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CFMEU

July 2009 |

The Mining Advocate

Delegates hone skills at Moranbah courses courses were being rolled out throughout Australia as part of the unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regular training program to enhance delegatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; skills. These included workplace communication skills and a working knowledge of the Fair Work Act, implemented from July 1. Further CFMEU delegate courses will be held in Mackay in July and Biloela in August.

YOUR UNION YOUR LAWYER

Greg Johnston and Brad Crompton from the Norwich Park Lodge with CFMEU national organising co-ordinator Mick Weise.

Â&#x192; Work accident claims Â&#x192; Motor vehicle accident claims Â&#x192; Family law Â&#x192; Estate law Â&#x192; Conveyancing

T 1800 659 114 F 07 3229 9842 E general@hallpayne.com.au W www.hallpayne.com.au

ts_hp_044

Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new workplace relations system was a key topic in recent Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) training sessions in Moranbah. About 45 CFMEU delegates from central highlands coal mines participated in the two-day course, run in two intakes over four days in June. National organising co-ordinator Mick Weise, who led the sessions, said the

Judd Crompton, Wayne Taylor and Dallas Hoey from Peak Downs Lodge.

The Myth of Compulsory Medicals Exposed It has been brought to our attention that mine management are requesting coal mine workers to be sent off for additional Health Assessments, outside the guidelines of current legislation. The Queensland Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2001 is quite clear in the requirements of Health Assessments (Section 46) being every ďŹ ve (5) years. The requirement for health assessments is for the beneďŹ t of the coal mine worker to monitor their health whilst employed as a coal mine worker and the health hazards that are present in our industry. The health assessment are not for mine management to use to better their ďŹ ling systems, but an insurance for coal mine workers health.

Jim Vallery Queensland District Secretary of the CFMEU (Mining & Energy) Division.

Brisbane Â&#x2021;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2021;Â&#x17D; Í´ÇĄ Í¸Íł Â&#x2018;Â&#x2122;Â&#x2021;Â? Â&#x2013;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2013; Â&#x2019;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2030; Â&#x2039;Â&#x17D;Â&#x17D; Â&#x17D;Â&#x2020; ÍśÍ˛Í˛Í˛ T Í˛Íš ÍľÍşÍľÍť ÍşÍˇÍşÍş F Í˛Íš ÍľÍşÍľÍť ÍşÍśÍ˛Íś

Blackwater ÍśÍˇ Â&#x201D;Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;Â&#x201D; Â&#x2013;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2013; Â&#x17D;Â&#x192;Â&#x2026;Â?Â&#x2122;Â&#x192;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2021;Â&#x201D; Â&#x17D;Â&#x2020; ÍśÍšÍłÍš T Í˛Íš ÍśÍťÍşÍ´ ÍˇÍłÍľÍł F Í˛Íš ÍśÍťÍşÍ´ Í¸ÍľÍ´Íˇ

Moranbah Â?Â&#x201D; Â&#x2039;Â&#x17D;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2022; Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2021;Â?Â&#x2014;Â&#x2021; ĆŹ Â&#x192;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2018;Â? Â&#x2013; Â&#x2018;Â&#x201D;Â&#x192;Â?Â&#x201E;Â&#x192;Â&#x160; Â&#x17D;Â&#x2020; ÍśÍšÍśÍś T Í˛Íš ÍśÍťÍśÍł ÍšÍ˛Í˛Íś F Í˛Íš ÍśÍťÍśÍł ÍˇÍ´Í¸Íť

If you are requested to attend the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nominated Medical Advisor, consult with your Industry Safety and Health Representative, Delegates or District OfďŹ cials ďŹ rst before making any decision. If you are requested to undergo a medical it is important to consult your union, the CFMEU Mining and Energy. The miners union have Industry speciďŹ c Health and Safety representatives and also offer numerous other beneďŹ ts for our members. When it comes to your well being at work, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t compromise either industrially or in safety, when in doubt seek information from your industry union.

There is a growing amount of increased medical surveillance being forced upon coal mine workers of late, and you as coal mine workers need to know your legislative rights in these matters.

Mackay Â&#x2014;Â&#x2039;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2020;Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2030;ÇĄ ÍśÍł Â&#x201D;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2022;Â&#x201E;Â&#x192;Â?Â&#x2021; Â&#x2013; Â&#x192;Â&#x2026;Â?Â&#x192;Â&#x203A; Â&#x17D;Â&#x2020; ÍśÍšÍśÍ˛ T Í˛Íš ÍśÍťÍˇÍš Í´Í¸ÍśÍś F Í˛Íš ÍśÍťÍˇÍł ÍľÍ´ÍśÍł

Rockhampton Â&#x2014;Â&#x2039;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2020;Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2030;ÇĄ Â&#x2C6;Ď?Â&#x2039;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2021; ÍşÇĄ ÍłÍłÍ˛ Â&#x192;Â?Â&#x2019;Â&#x201E;Â&#x2021;Â&#x17D;Â&#x17D; Â&#x2013; Â&#x2018;Â&#x2026;Â?Â&#x160;Â&#x192;Â?Â&#x2019;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2018;Â? Â&#x17D;Â&#x2020; ÍśÍšÍ˛Í˛ T Í˛Íš ÍśÍťÍ´Í´ ÍšÍłÍ˛Í˛ F Í˛ÍšÍśÍťÍ´Í´ ÍšÍłÍ˛Íˇ

Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2030; ĆŹ Â?Â&#x2021;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2030;Â&#x203A; Â&#x2039;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2022;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2018;Â? Queensland District Branch

MORANBAH

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Peter reveals ‘racy’ past The owner of Adept Contractors in Moranbah is keen to revive his links with motorsport’s Davison clan at Townsville’s V8 Supercars event. Moranbah businessman Peter Allardyce had strong family ties with renowned racing driver Lex Davison as a child growing up in Victoria. In fact he was among the boys, including Davison’s own sons, whose experiments with ﬁrecrackers threatened to destroy the champion’s racing car collection. Five decades later, Mr Allardyce plans to travel to the Dunlop Townsville 400 V8 Supercars event ( July 10-12) in an attempt to catch up with another Davison champion – Lex’s grandson Will. Mr Allardyce, who owns Adept Contractors in Moranbah with wife Helen, said he had grown up with Davison’s children on a farm outside Lilydale in Victoria. His mother Joan worked as a nanny there while his father Sam

managed the farm. “I haven’t seen the boys for years, although my mother and Lex’s widow (Diana Gaze) still remain in contact,” he said. “Now I’m going up to Townsville to see if I can meet Will and have a yarn with him about his father and grandfather.” Lex Davison was a four-time winner of the Australian Grand Prix (1954, 1957, 1958 and 1961) and three-time Australian Hill Climb Championship winner (1955, 1956 and 1957). He died in 1965, when he suﬀered a heart attack and crashed on a practice run at the Sandown Park circuit in Victoria. He was survived by his wife, ﬁve sons and two daughters. Grandson Will is among Australia’s top V8 Supercars Championship Series drivers,

Peter Allardyce grew up with the Davison boys in Victoria. Photo: Erica Smith

Lex Davison - four-time Australian Grand Prix winner.

ranking second on series points in the lead up to the Townsville round. He joined the Toll Holden Racing Team this year – filling the position vacated by motorsport great Mark Skaife. Elder brother Alex is also a V8 Supercars racer, driving a Ford Falcon for the Stone Brothers Racing team in 2009, and their father Richard was an Australian Formula 2 champion. Mr Allardyce has fond memories of growing up with Lex Davison’s boys, his cooffenders in an incident which set fire to a barn. “Us kids were playing with firecrackers, mucking around – I can remember it as clear as a bell,” he said. “The Davison kids had boxes and boxes of crackers and we (Mr Allardyce and his brother Bill) were giving them a hand to let them off. We caught the barn

on fire and it burned for hours.” His father’s efforts to save Lex Davison’s cars, housed in a shed behind the burning barn, received a mention in the biography Lex Davison Larger Than Life, he said. “The shed was locked so my father got the tractor and ripped the doors off,” Mr Allardyce said. “He got the cars out so they didn’t get burnt – it said in the book that he single-handedly saved the cars.” Mr Allardyce said he had not known about the racing careers of the latest generation of Davison drivers until he was alerted to Will’s exploits about three years ago by a “rev head” friend of his daughter-in-law. “Then I started following it – I watch him every opportunity I get,” Mr Allardyce said. He said it would be a “real buzz” to meet Will. “I would love to catch up with Richard too and the other Davison boys – we were very close as kids,” he said.

Toll Holden Racing Team driver Will Davison.

Family comes first for this fighting man Professional boxer Dan Cody concedes it will always be a “big ask” for him to beat rivals who train and fight fulltime. But for the Moranbah father of three, who manages the local Mine Assist business, family and work will always come before boxing– despite his love for the sport. “I have all this – family and what we’ve got - I wouldn’t give that up,” Cody said. The 33-year-old said the going had been tough in the ring since he moved from amateur to professional ranks in 1999. But he was upbeat about his chances in his next big bout – a challenge on Leigh Lindgren’s Queensland lightweight title in Townsville in August. “I feel really strong, really good about the fight – although obviously he does too,” Cody said. “I’ve seen him fight a few times and have sparred him before and I’m confident. It’s a good fight for me. It’s an eight-round fight. The longer the better for me - I’ve always been a distance fighter.”

Dan Cody training. Photo: Katrina Cody

Cody started ﬁghting at 18 and said he had fallen in love with it from the start. So what’s the big attraction? “My wife (Katrina) continually

asks me that,” Cody laughs. “It’s really clichéd - but it’s the thrill of the kill, the physical contact, the drive to win. “The ﬁtness involved and

staying healthy - that’s a big thing too. You feel on top of the world when you’re at the height of training.” Cody estimates he competed in about 70 or 80 competitive ﬁghts as an amateur - winning three Australian Thai boxing titles, two Queensland Golden Gloves titles and a silver medal in the featherweight division of the 1995 Australian boxing titles along the way. Cody has since won six out of 15 bouts as a professional. He has pitted his skills against accomplished ﬁghters such as Nadel Hussein (who went on to win a world featherweight title), Australian champion Chris McCullen and Olympian Joel Brunker. Cody has two coaches – Mick Kelly and Chris Bell – and all three train and lead boxing classes at the Moranbah Boxing and Sporting Club. He has to travel to contest his professional bouts in centres including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast,

Townsville and Cairns. But he tries to take minimal time off work for his fights and fits training in around his job and family commitments. Cody has suffered a broken hand, broken nose and broken ribs in fights – knocks he says could not compare to the often debilitating, long-term injuries suffered by professional sportsmen in rugby league, for example. But at 33, he said he was aware of the need to get out when he became uncompetitive and risked serious injury from “younger, faster, hungrier” guys. Cody believes that time has nearly come, but for the moment he is not keen to hang up the gloves. “I still don’t want to give it up. I’m good at it and it feels great when people cheer for you,” he said. “When I win, I feel incredible afterwards - it’s like a drug, you want to go back for more...and when I lose, I just want to go back into the ring for another go at it.”

Britrac

July 2009 |

The Mining Advocate

More than just a belt business Townsville firm Britrac offers customers a range of mechanical capabilities that value add to its main areas of conveyor expertise. Conveyor belt supply and repairs may be at the heart of Britrac’s business, but when Brian Steele started the firm five years ago he was determined to offer his customers something over and above that core service. “We understood that there was a need in the conveyor industry for conveyor-oriented people to do mechanical work,” Mr Steele said. “We wanted to replace conveyor belts, but we wanted to value add with a lot of other services – mechanical engineering, design and fabrication as well as commissioning and implementing maintenance programs to service the conveyor systems in different locations. “That was really the basis of what we wanted to undertake.” Mr Steele, 45, has been working in the Townsville conveyor belt industry since finishing his apprenticeship as a fitter and turner at age 19. At least 20 of those years have been spent managing and owning businesses offering conveyor belt repair services. Mr Steele describes a stimulating

career in an industry that gives rise to lasting business relationships. “I’ve seen a lot of the world and a lot of remote places,” he said. “A lot of people don’t realise it’s such an exciting industry. “You meet a lot of people – some real characters – and people within the mining industry, they stay within that circle – whether they’re in PNG or central Australia or other parts of the world. I’ve been fortunate enough that I’ve established good working relationships with people and when they’ve moved to other mines or businesses they’ve called on us again and really that’s how businesses succeed.” Mr Steele established Britrac with wife Tracey and quickly built the business to the point where his time was stretched thin and he had to start employing staff. These included son Matthew, 19, who is now a fourth year apprentice fitter and turner. Britrac employed just a few staff until about two years ago when Owen Blacklock came on board as operations manager and the business expanded significantly.

Despite Britrac’s expansion, Mr Steele maintains a personal approach to his business dealings. “It may sound like a cliché, but the business is personal - it has to be,” he said. “The relationship between you and your clients is personal – that’s the way we develop business, being able to establish excellent working relationships with the client. This is an area we pride ourselves on, in being able to oﬀer support while understanding their needs and concerns to ensure ongoing and long-lasting business relationships. “I also have a dozen people relying on my judgement and enthusiasm and management skills to keep them in a job and pay their mortgage.”

Britrac owner Brian Steele, right, and his son Matthew examine a bakery conveyor. Photo: Stewart McLean

New line of work gains momentum Britrac is fast establishing itself in a new ﬁeld of conveyor expertise – installing and repairing gyprock plasterboard-forming belts. Owner Brian Steele said the company had completed a project in May for CSR Gyprock in Victoria, where Britrac installed and spliced three setting belts for a new plant. This followed a similar project in Brisbane in January, also for CSR Gyprock. “We’re getting a name for our attention to

detail and are fast establishing ourselves as a company that will travel all over Australia to splice these plasterboard belts and throughout Asia,” Mr Steele said. Britrac has also developed a niche business in plastic lining, working with ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. This is used in areas such as dump truck trays and conveyor transfer chutes to prevent product from sticking.

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Britrac

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Well equipped for wide range of jobs Britrac has the tools to meet the demands of various industries and the ability to draw on the resources of leading manufacturers. From its base in Keane Street, Currajong, Britrac services an area stretching from Papua New Guinea in the north through to the Whitsundays and west to Mount Isa.

Operations manager Owen Blacklock said mining contracts accounted for the bulk of Britrac’s work, followed by quarrying, the food industry and airlines.

The company has belt vulcanising equipment that can carry out tasks involving belts as small as 100mm wide through to 3.50m wide belts for large mining operations. Mr Blacklock said the majority of the company’s belt splicing work was carried out in the ﬁeld at mine sites or quarries – often at short notice, including on weekends and holidays. “Our customers work 24/7 and we have to be prepared to meet that demand,” he said. Britrac is a distributor for brands including Metso/Trellex belting components, Tyton rollers and Kinder skirting and transition point products. “We hold about $300,000 worth of Trellex conveyor belt in stock,” Mr Blacklock said. Britrac owner Brian Steele said a critical element of maintaining a successful business was having reputable suppliers. “Metso Trellex are world

Fabricating aluminium steps in the Britrac workshop.

leaders in conveyor belting and mining components,” he said. “We can draw on the vast resources and technical support that Metso oﬀers worldwide. “Other key suppliers such as

Photo: Stewart McLean

Kinder and Tyton Conveyors have helped us in all aspects of mining to secure supply contracts by oﬀering quality and reliable products and technical support.”

Firm keeps mines rolling Scott Wakefield, Shane Rahill and Kevin Maskery assembling Britrac’s 2200mm vulcaniser. Photo: Stewart McLean

Maintaining skills base a priority during downturn Britrac owner Brian Steele hopes to see the business expand to include branches in other areas of Queensland over the next five years. But he said the immediate priority was to weather the current downturn, keeping all employees in work and maintaining the company’s skills base. “We have a lot of great employees – they’ve made a successful business through their skills and attention to detail and their enthusiasm and dedication,” Mr Steele said. While Britrac’s conveyor belt work has slowed in the downturn, operations manager Owen Blacklock said the company had been shielded to some extent through its diversification. “The bonus for us is because we have diversified in other areas we have fitters and boilermakers who have had some other work to continue on with,” he said. The company’s mechanical engineering jobs include mine shutdowns – where Britrac

tradesmen perform tasks including fabrication work and general mechanical maintenance. Britrac’s staff includes belt splicers, mechanical fitters, apprentice fitters, boilermakers and a trades assistant. “We also have a full-time project co-ordinator on site at Phosphate Hill, an administration manager, operations manager and Brian,” Mr Blacklock said. Mr Blacklock said the downturn in the mining industry offered a potential opening for Britrac as companies shopped around for a better deal rather than facing a lack of choice due to skills shortages. “There’s great opportunity for us for growth because we can develop into new areas for clients and help them save money and give them better service,” he said. Mr Steele said Britrac had deliberately built up its maintenance and repair business rather than relying on big installation projects to keep the cash flowing.

About 20km of conveyor belt winds its way across windswept dunes and wharf facilities at the Cape Flattery sand mining operation, 60km north of Cooktown. And when those belts need attention, Cape Flattery Silica Mines calls on Britrac. “Cape Flattery is one of our largest clients,” Britrac owner Brian Steele said. “We have had business there for more than four years supplying conveyor belt and splicing, carrying out their service work for them.” Winning that work was one of two lynchpins in Britrac establishing a ﬁrm footing in the industry, he said. The second was becoming a regular supplier for the Ok Tedi copper mine in Papua New Guinea, where Mr Steele has been building ﬁrm business relationships for about 20 years. Britrac’s work at Ok Tedi has included a contract worth about $1 million to design and supply conveyor equipment for an in-pit crushing upgrade completed late last year. “That was a big project for a locally operated company to win. Eighty per cent of the equipment required, was manufactured in Townsville,” Mr Steele said. “We worked with local fabricators to make the equipment.” In another case, Britrac helped the large mining operator with an urgent order for 1.2km of

conveyor belt, Mr Steele said. “The client’s suppliers couldn’t produce the belt quickly enough and we were able get the product manufactured within three weeks out of Greece through a belt manufacturer there,” he said. “We were excited to be given the challenge to be able to supply and deliver the conveyor

belt and air-freight it across to PNG.” Mr Steele said Britrac had proven it had the capabilities to exceed expectations in such cases, with its position as an independent supplier giving it the advantage of ﬂexibility when it came to sourcing goods.

Vince Pansini from Metso and Brian Steele of Britrac with rolls of Metso/ Trellex conveyor belting. Photo: Stewart McLean

SAFETY

July 2009 |

The Mining Advocate

Masks must be fit for the job An industry health and safety expert is urging companies to take note of recent changes to guidelines on respiratory protective gear. Mining and processing operations are being urged to take note of the tougher stance a newly revised Australian Standard takes on Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE). A Townsville-based GCG Health Safety and Hygiene consultant said the previous wording indicated workplaces requiring RPE should conduct regular fit testing, whereas the revised safety standard (AS/NZS 1715:2009) stated that they must conduct such tests. “I believe there would be many sites in Queensland and the Northern Territory that wouldn’t conduct regular fit tests and perhaps a large percentage would be unaware of the changes to this standard,” GCG principal consultant for OHS (occupational health and safety) and hygiene Dustin Bennett said. He said employers were obliged to implement Australian Standards that related to their practices on site or perform a risk assessment against it to ensure the risk was managed. Operations with RPE on site were also required to have a management system setting out

how the equipment was to be selected, used and maintained, he said. “For a site with basic RPE needs, a five-page document may suffice. But for a site with complex RPE needs, the document will be significantly larger, setting out facts like where the equipment can and can’t be used and who maintains it,” Mr Bennett said. The revised safety standard placed more emphasis on the need for a documented RPE program as well as providing more information on issues including the strengths and weaknesses of different respirator types, emergency response, radioactivity and escape scenarios, he said. Mr Bennett said fit testing must be carried out at least annually and two methods were used (both for disposable and reusable masks). The quantitative fit test used an instrument such as a PortaCount to assess fit and report an overall fit factor to establish a pass or fail, he said. The qualitative fit test involved releasing an irritant smoke near the person wearing the mask

Collision avoidance system for BMA sites Global mining products and services provider Industrea has won a $5.4 million contract to supply its CAS-CAM/RF collision avoidance system to two BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) coal mines. The system is scheduled to be installed at the Peak Downs Mine near Moranbah and the Norwich Park Mine near Dysart in 2009/2010 under the supply and service agreement negotiated by Industrea subsidiary Advanced Mining Technologies. Industrea managing director and chief executive oﬃcer Robin Levison said the contract followed a successful pilot program for the complete CAS-CAM/RF system at the BMA Gregory Crinum Mine and previous camera-only installations at other BMA mines. “AMT’s collision avoidance system utilises a combination of blind spot cameras (CAS-CAM) and radio frequency (RF) proximity detection technologies to eﬀectively reduce the risk of collision between earthmoving equipment and light vehicles,” Mr Levison said.

High mine death toll The Queensland mining industry recorded four fatalities last ﬁnancial year, among the worst performances in the past decade. The most recent happened in May, when 50-year-old miner Pekka Tuppurainen and his loader fell into a stope at Xstrata Zinc’s George Fisher mine. The state’s 2008/09 death toll equalled that recorded in 2004/05 and 2006/07 - the highest since 1996/97, when 10 miners lost their lives. Queensland Mines Inspectorate executive director Stewart Bell said all four incidents were the result of

machinery interaction. “While there is no single solution to these problems, engineered hazard and risk control systems such as proximity detection systems and automation must be seen as the preferred means to reduce this unacceptable fatality count,” he said. “As such, implementation and use of proximity type systems must be accelerated as a priority into mines safety management systems. “This technology is maturing rapidly and soon we will be mandating the use of this type of equipment in high hazard areas.”

Dustin Bennett from GCG Health Safety and Hygiene conducts a respiratory fit test on a client’s protective mask. Photo: Stewart McLean

and gaining feedback on its eﬀectiveness to ﬁlter the smell. Mr Bennett said the relevant Australian Standard stated that the qualitative tests relied on a subjective response “and so are not entirely reliable”. He said sites would determine which style of test they employed depending on the level of risk in the workplace and what their

operations could aﬀord. “Sites that rely solely on RPE to mitigate an exposed hazard are strongly encouraged to use the ‘gold’ standard of quantitatively assessing ﬁt,” he said. “Sites with relatively simple RPE needs historically do the qualitative test because it is cheaper and quicker.

“For quantitative ﬁt testing you need specialised equipment worth about $25,000 and skills, so you would typically need to have someone competent or get a third-party consultant in.” Mr Bennett believed the stronger stance taken in the revised Australian Standard may see more of a shift towards quantitative testing.

New commissioner post The Queensland Government has paved the way for the appointment of a Mine Safety and Health Commissioner and made it illegal to harass anyone providing information about a safety concern. “Safety of our mine workers is paramount and that’s why we have accepted and are implementing all 44 recommendations of a report by the Queensland Ombudsman in June 2008 about the Queensland Mines Inspectorate,” Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said. “This independent statutory position of Commissioner for Mine Safety and Health will reinforce the operational independence of the Queensland Mines Inspectorate. “The Commissioner will provide advice directly to me on mine safety and health issues; act as an advocate for mine safety; and provide a written report to Parliament on the performance of the Mines Inspectorate.” They would also be responsible for commencing prosecutions under Queensland’s various mining safety and health laws.

“Individuals, whether they are mine workers or the public, must be able to report unsafe or illegal practices in our mining industry without fear of retribution or victimisation,” he said. “They can do so anonymously if they wish. “They should not be penalised for doing the right thing, especially when doing so can prevent serious injury or even the loss of a life.” Mr Robertson said other amendments to enhance mining safety included aligning mining

Stephen Robertson

safety and health legislation

Mines and Energy Minister

with recent amendments to the

The passage of the Mines and Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2009 through Parliament in June allowed the Bligh Government to create this position, Mr Robertson said. The Government would also implement another of the Ombudsman’s recommendations - to make it an oﬀence to harass anyone who provided information about a safety concern, he said.

Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 and the Electrical Safety Act 2002 enacted in November 2008. “The amendments to mirror the WH&S Act related to the commencement of prosecutions within two years of a coronial inquest or inquiry and the clariﬁcation of immunity for oﬃcials giving information and advice,” he said.

SAFETY

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Nexsys hits the market A Mackay business selected to take new risk management technology to the mining industry has hailed the deal as a coup for the region. Mackay-based company Mining Logic Solutions has secured the global licence to commercialise CSIRO’s Nexsys risk management technology for underground mines. Mining Logic Solutions director Dean Kirkwood has hailed the agreement as a coup for a regional Queensland business. “First and foremost it’s a great piece of technology and it’s a huge advance for underground mining, particularly in underground coal mining,” he said. “We came up against national and multi-national companies at the expression of interest stage for the product and we came out on top.” Mr Kirkwood put Mining Logic Solutions’ success in securing the deal down to a strong background in servicing

underground mines and the fact it had staﬀ with the skills to not only develop the product for market but to install it and provide after-sales support. Its parent company, Mining Logic, is a mining and technical services company employing about 70 staﬀ. It has been servicing Bowen Basin and Hunter Valley (New South Wales) coal mines for almost 10 years. Mr Kirkwood said the Mining Logic Solutions arm had formed about a year ago to pursue the CSIRO deal, but had become a stand-alone information technology company due to demand. It hopes to start releasing the Nexsys technology to market as soon as October this year. Nexsys was developed by CSIRO Exploration and Mining with the support of the

Dean Kirkwood from Mining Logic Solutions and Mike McWilliams, CSIRO, sign off on the Nexsys licence agreement. Photo: courtesy CSIRO

Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) and the Japan Coal Energy Centre ( JCOAL). It allows underground coal mines to interpret vast amounts of digital information from a variety of sensors and systems throughout the mine. The system analyses this integrated data to provide real-time risk management and decision support for control room operators, including automatic triggering of response plans if it discovers a hazardous condition.

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CSIRO Exploration and Mining chief Dr Mike McWilliams said the potential market for Nexsys was not limited to Australia. “It is ideally suited for export to many other countries including India, China, the USA and Canada,” Dr McWilliams said. “Today, about 60 per cent of mining software used globally originates in Australia – and Nexsys will help that market share grow.” Mr Kirkwood said Mining Logic Solutions had gone out

early to gain industry input and there was already strong interest in the product. “From the time we were announced to be in the contract talks with CSIRO as a commercialisation partner (in July 2008), we’ve been talking with a lot of mines in the Bowen Basin and the Hunter Valley about the technology and what they would like to see,” he said. “We spoke to industry people, the (Queensland) Department of Mines and Energy and Queensland Mines Rescue.”

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July 2009 |

The Mining Advocate

USQ helps former NRL star prepare for life after football also study, but the university has been fantastic.

Nine years after starting his degree through the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) former National Rugby League (NRL) star Matt Geyer can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“USQ allowed me to complete one subject a semester while I was playing football, which let me study in my own time frame and the lecturers have always been great.

Following a lengthy, highly successful career in the NRL which included two premierships with the Melbourne Storm, Matt retired from the sport safe in the knowledge that the Bachelor of Spatial Science he was undertaking through the University was preparing him for life after football.

“I will admit that I went into university unsure of what to expect but it has been a wonderful experience.” Now living and working on the Gold Coast, Matt has settled into life without football and is forging ahead with his new career.

“It has been nine years since I started my degree but I know that all the hard work will eventually pay off,” he said. “I am not far away from graduating, which is quite pleasing.” Starting his degree while playing for the now defunct Western Reds in Perth, Matt said that his desire to get a university education was born from his love of numbers and the family and friends that he had who were already working in the engineering and surveying industry. “When I decided to start my degree I was living in Perth as a

footballer and had a lot of spare time. “It was then that I decided to have a look into doing some tertiary study and I got support from my father-in-law who was involved in the industry and some other friends who were surveyors. “I always liked maths and the idea of working indoors and outdoors appealed to me so surveying seemed like a good option.

“There were a number of universities that I looked at but USQ seemed to be the best ﬁt for me.” While Matt admitted that balancing study with a career had at times been challenging he said that the support and ﬂexibility of USQ had allowed him to successfully navigate these challenges. “It was tough at times trying to play football professionally and

“I am working as a surveyor at the moment for a friend of mine on the Gold Coast and am enjoying been able to put what I am learning through my university degree into practice.” For more information on the courses and degrees on offer at USQ contact the University on 1800 007 252, email usqassist@usq.edu. au or visit www.usq.edu.au

NRL

The Mining Advocate | July 2009

Broncos’ coalfields connection A strong local footy competition was the early testing ground for two National Rugby League teammates who hail from Blackwater. Pulling on a Brisbane Broncos jersey for the first time was the realisation of a long-time dream for PJ Marsh, an NRL veteran in his ninth year of first-grade competition. The move to the Queensland team, in 2008, also put him in the same NRL colours as Dave Taylor – a fellow product of the coalfields community of Blackwater and what both players recall as a thriving local junior rugby league competition. “Blackwater was a really strong rugby league town when I was young – I remember there being enough to make three teams in my age group,” Marsh said. He said it was great to see another Blackwater boy playing at first-grade level and that he and Taylor had become firm friends as well as teammates. Both also play for the Central Queensland Comets in the Queensland Cup competition when they fail to make the Broncos’ run-on side. Taylor, the son of a coal train driver, said he had been “good mates” with PJ’s younger brother Krystopher growing up. The 21-year-old forward has fond childhood memories of what he describes as a massive central highlands footy culture. “It felt like a big thing,” Taylor said. “When you were young all you thought about was the game ahead of you. “At primary school that was what you talked about with your mates all week - the game on the weekend - going to Moranbah, Dysart and Middlemount. “The culture is just amazing out there for football.” Before signing with the Broncos, Marsh said he had followed Taylor’s career from afar over the years thanks to reports from his father Neville Marsh, a shot firer still based in Blackwater. “I remembered him from Blackwater as a kid, but hadn’t seen him since I came up against him (while playing for the Parramatta Eels) about three years ago,” said Marsh, who is eight years Taylor’s senior. “We are good friends now and, obviously, know a lot of the same people.” Marsh moved to Blackwater from Calliope, outside Gladstone, when he was about 10. He and Taylor both played for the Blackwater Crushers as juniors and both went to St Brendan’s College in Yeppoon as boarding students to complete high school. After finishing school, Marsh said he had played for the Central Queensland Capras

(now the Comets) for a year before being picked up by the Parramatta Eels. “I went from there to New Zealand (with the Warriors) then back to Parramatta before joining the Broncos last season,” Marsh said Taylor followed a more direct path to the Broncos, having been scouted as a highschool footballer and making his firstgrade debut in 2006. The towering 115kg prop was selected for 12 first-grade games in 2007, 15 in 2008 and is hoping to have a consistent showing in the Broncos firstgrade line-up this year. After that, he is bound for South Sydney –with the Rabbitohs having signed him up until the end of the 2012 season. “I’m really excited about it – can’t wait to get down there,” Taylor said. At the time of the signing, in May, Rabbitohs chief executive officer Shane Richardson described Taylor as “the brightest young forward prospect in the game”.

Broncos players PJ Marsh and Dave Taylor during training in Brisbane.

Taylor lists his career goals for 2009 as getting good game time in first grade and seeing his team win the grand final. Off the field, he and partner Ashlee Battese are settling into

parenthood with baby daughter Macie. Meanwhile, team-mate PJ is reaching a stage where he is starting to think about his future after football.

Cowboys players Grant Rovelli, James Tamou and Anthony Watts make their mark on the Endeavour Together team car.

Cowboys lend a hand The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys have taken a “hands-on” approach in supporting the 22nd Great Endeavour Rally. Players recently added their painted handprint to the Endeavour Together team’s car as a tribute to the fundraising rally. The 2009 event – dubbed “Mackay to Townsville via The Tip” - will cover 5000km across Queensland from July 15-24 to raise funds for people with a disability and their families.

The Endeavour Together vehicle will be crewed by three Townsville men with intellectual disabilities and driven by Endeavour’s senior administration oﬃcer Wendy Bull. Endeavour operates solely in Queensland and supports about 3000 people in more than 220 locations - from Cairns and Mareeba in the north, to the southern end of the Gold Coast, and west to Roma, Kingaroy, Stanthorpe and Warwick.

Photo: Fiona Harding

“I have one more season with the Broncos (after this year),” Marsh said “It depends how my body is going. “I turn 30 next year. A lot of people think that’s young, but rugby league and playing at a top level takes its toll on your body - I feel like I’m 40. “Next year will be my 10th year playing first grade and I’m proud of what I’ve done already. “It may well be my last year – I’ll see what happens.” Marsh said the highlights of his career included representing Queensland in four State of Origin games and being named in a central Queensland “Team of the Century” during last year’s NRL centenary celebrations. The father of three has a passion for helping youth and, along with wife Kelly, has been involved in community work including school visits with Red Frogs Australia, preparing students to celebrate Schoolies Week safely. He has also recently completed a personal training course. While uncertain about his career direction after league, Marsh said he would love to turn his skills to helping at-risk youth. His hopes for the 2009 season are to remain fit and gain as much on-field time as possible with the Broncos. One thing that has eluded Marsh during his career has been a grand final win. He played in grand finals with the Eels in 2001 and the New Zealand Warriors in 2007, coming out on the losing side both times. “I’m proud to have made it to two grand finals – but I’d like to win one,” he said.

COMMUNITY

July 2009 |

The Mining Advocate

Mining Supporting Communities BROUGHT TO YOU BY

'ERRMRKXSR

Funds assist local school Dysart State High School will receive more than $37,000 from the latest round of BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance’s (BMA) community investment sponsorships. BMA said the funding would give students access to mining-specific courses, financial assistance for external training, assistance from BMA employees with related studies and extra physical resources to enhance their learning. The school was among 17 Dysart community organisations to benefit from the funding round, which totalled more than $178,000. BMA’s Norwich Park and Saraji mines’ Community Investment Program for Dysart has been updated through an aligned approach between the two mines and the start of quarterly funding rounds and award presentation dinners to recognise successful projects. Ernest Henry Mining leading hand boilermaker Jason Walduck with the disco chandelier he created for Cloncurry’s recent Diamonds and Pearls Ball.

Boilermaker’s work the belle of the ball There’s not often much call for dazzling disco balls amid the grease and grind of Ernest Henry Mining’s (EHM) heavy vehicle workshop. But when EHM leading hand boilermaker Jason Walduck was asked to turn the skills of his trade to a special project for a recent Cloncurry and District Show Society ball, he embraced the challenge – with sparkling results. The Cloncurry resident spent about 12 hours constructing a rotating chandelier featuring 23 mirror balls mounted on a stainless steel support and powered by an electric motor. “I worked on the chandelier on and oﬀ over a month or so whenever I had time between jobs,” Mr Walduck said. “It was hard working out how to structure the frame so that all the balls would hang without hitting each other.” Mr Walduck said the ball committee had provided an image as a guide to what they were seeking and he had been “pretty happy” with the results of his work. Mr Walduck is usually employed in welding tasks such as repairing 50-tonne excavator buckets or 830 Komatsu truck bodies at the EHM mine maintenance heavy vehicle workshop. His leading-hand role also gives him administrative responsibilities including allocating labour resources from the boilermaking crew and ordering materials. Show society president Chris Chaplain said organisers had been very impressed with Mr Walduck’s creation – which she described as a highlight of the Diamonds and Pearls Ball. The ball was held in late May as part of the Cloncurry and District Show Society’s 30th birthday celebrations. EHM, an Xstrata Copper operation based outside Cloncurry, was a platinum sponsor for the show. Senior community relations advisor Vicki Wilson said the EHM team tried to assist community groups and events wherever possible through in-kind projects such as the disco chandelier construction.

Tertiary scholarships James Cook University students Laurice Baxter and Matthew Fist have been awarded 2009 BHP Billiton Cannington Tertiary Scholarships. The Cannington scholarships, worth $30,000, are offered to JCU students in their second year of study in engineering or earth science related courses. Cannington asset leader Shane Hansen said they were a very effective way to identify future professionals for the resources sector. “We need to keep an eye to the future,” Mr Hansen said. “The qualities we see in people like Laurice and Matthew are signs we are nurturing the kind of people who will be good for our industry and the community.” Ms Baxter, who was raised in North Queensland, has her sights set on a career in the resources industry. She said she had developed a passion for science when she attended Southern Cross Catholic Primary School and her interest in maths and science was further strengthened at St Margaret Mary’s College. Mr Fist, who grew up in central Victoria, aims to become an engineering geologist specialising in base metals. He said he wanted to be involved in finding new world-class ore deposits and developing existing ones.

Cultural trail for Hail Creek Rio Tinto Coal Australia’s Hail Creek Mine in central Queensland has worked with traditional owners, the Wiri Yuwiburra people, to establish a walking trail showcasing items of cultural signiﬁcance. The track, which runs from the site’s employee accommodation village to the mine, features scar trees and signage explaining the signiﬁcance of native vegetation. “We believe by taking this proactive approach we are building constructive relationships with the Wiri Yuwiburra and further developing our employees’ understanding of cultural values found on the land where they work,” Hail Creek general manager for operations Andrew Woodley said.

Leslyn Pascoe, Tiffany Wilson, Sascha Bee and Jill Rigney were among the Young Leaders Forum participants.

Century Mine scheme nurtures young leaders Twelve young people from communities in Queensland’s Gulf and north-west regions came together at MMG Century Mine recently for a fiveday leadership workshop. The Young Leaders Forum was designed to help young people from Mornington Island, Doomadgee, Normanton, Mount Isa and Burketown develop their leadership and governance skills. Management principles, effective communication and the importance of health and fitness were also key topics at the forum, which was facilitated by strategic management consultants, The Right Mind. Sascha Bee from Normanton said the forum allowed her to see the leadership skills she already possessed, while giving her a broader understanding of the role of governance. “I want to be a role model for my children and the forum showed me that if you set your mind to something, you can achieve it,” she said. MMG Century general manager John Lamb said the Young Leaders Forum was recommended in the recent 10-year review of the mine’s Gulf Communities Agreement (GCA) as a way that Century could further support local communities. “Despite the tough economic climate, we remain committed to continuing to support local communities – one way that we can do this is to help develop the voices of tomorrow, the next generation of Gulf leaders,” he said. The mining operation provided accommodation and flights for participants as part of the package, which received funding from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. “The young leaders will also participate in five follow-up mentoring sessions in late 2009 and early 2010 to help them on their leadership journey,” Mr Lamb said.

resourcing g the e future 'ERRMRKXSR

Hit by retrenchment or the current ﬁnancial situation? COMMON REACTIONS TO UNEXPECTED LOSS

• Lost your job or savings? • Feel overwhelmed with the pressure and stress? • Don’t know what to do?

Are you experiencing? ( tick if yes )

Financial loss affects different people in different ways. Some people may need to cut back on spending or put retirement on hold, while others will need to apply for financial assistance. TAKING CARE OF YOUR FAMILY Be aware that family members may be having a difficult time too. Ask yourself the following: • Have I discussed the situation with my partner and the ramifications of these changed circumstances?

L L L L L L L L L L

sleep problems appetite loss feeling overwhelmed, anxious, fearful or frustrated feeling angry irritable and intolerant feeling embarrassed, guilty or powerless aches and pains mood swings muscle tension or pain withdrawing from others lowered sex drive and performance

• Have we explained clearly to our children what is happening?

If you’re experiencing some of these symptoms over a prolonged period and they’re impacting on your life, you could be at risk of developing depression or anxiety. It’s important you talk to a doctor or other health professional.

• If not, how can we talk to them so it doesn’t distress or scare them?

TIPS TO GET THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES

• Is my family OK? Do they need extra emotional support? • What steps can I take to ensure that life remains as “normal” as possible for our children? • What enjoyable activities can we still do as a family?

Taking care of yo urself after retrenchment or ﬁnancial loss

Adjusting to a loss or ﬁnancial hardship is difﬁcult emotionally and on a practical level. Remember, help is available.

Looking after you r health and well-bei ng – and that of you r family – in the curr ent ﬁnancial situation

You can’t change the economy, but you can take steps to respond to the situation and look after your ﬁnancial and emotional well-being.

For information on where to get assistance and tips to help you through these tough times order a free copy of beyondblue’s booklet Taking care of yourself after retrenchment or ﬁnancial loss – 1300 22 4636 • www.beyondblue.org.au

For more inform

ation www.beyond

blue.org.au or beyon

dblue info line 1300

22 4636

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C O N F E R E N C E

Don’t Miss Out! Register Now. Registrations for The 2009 Mining Industry Skills Centre Conference and Training Awards are selling fast!

CONFERENCE PROGRAM The Mining Industry Skills Centre has a number of high level corporate and industry speakers secured for the 2009 Conference, including:

Michael Pascoe Michael Pascoe is one of Australia’s most respected and experienced finance and economics commentators with more than three decades in newspaper, radio, television and on-line journalism. At this year’s event, Michael will discuss “The Commodities Boom Isn’t Dead – Only Resting: What the Headlines Don’t Tell You.”

This year’s event, “Explore. Exchange. Equip. Unearthing success from a skilled workforce”, will focus on the importance of innovative approaches to skilling and training in order to secure the future of Australia’s resources industry. The event is a key opportunity for national and international industry executives, trainers, HR management and anyone with an interest in the resources industry to learn from some of the most senior voices in the industry and participate in the creation of innovative ideas for the future.

CONFERENCE DATES 24th-25th September 2009 AWARDS DINNER 25th September 2009 CONFERENCE VENUE Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre Cnr Merivale and Glenelg Streets South Brisbane Queensland 4101 Visit www.miskillscentreconference.com.au and secure your place at the 2009 Mining Industry Skills Centre Conference and Training Awards.

Philip Bullock Mr Philip Bullock is Chair of Skills Australia and brings an impressive combination of high level leadership skills, a strong industry background and a commitment to education and training to the role. Philip has more than 25 years experience working with IBM, culminating in his appointment as Vice President, Systems and Technology Group IBM Asia Pacific Region and including Chief Executive Officer of IBM Australia and New Zealand. Philip will be addressing delegates at the 2009 Conference on the topic of “Skills and Workforce Development for Australia.”

Dr Ali Dale Dr Ali Dale is the Global Business Leader – Clients for Sentis, a global team of psychologists and safety professionals who specialise in enhancing safety and leadership performance through the delivery of cognitive behavioural safety programs known as the Zero Incident Process: ‘ZIP’. At this year’s event, Ali will address the topic of “Safety, Does One Size Fit All? Leading Australians in Safety.”