November 2011 by The Mining Advocate

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Miners’ sacrifices remembered

THIS EDITION • Youth missing out on jobs boom • Invasion of the work camp • North’s bid for FIFO bounty • Zinc men prove hardest in footy battle

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NEWS

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

COVER IMAGE: A Mount Isa tribute to fallen miners. Photo: Roslyn Budd

November 2011

FEATURES 8 Coal and Gas Update

3 Fire up the young guns

News in brief across the coal and gas industries.

With declining apprenticeship numbers and Queensland youth unemployment at a relatively high rate, a

10 Industry Update - Hard Rock A comprehensive wrap of exploration and operations in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

vocational education expert is stressing the need to do more to tap into that potential labour pool as a lack of skilled workers threatens to hinder major resource sector projects.

12 Between Shifts

5 NQ bid to lure more miners

15 Battle of The Mines Feature

Cairns, Townsville, Whitsunday and Mackay councils are joining forces in a drive to gain a greater slice of the

18 Major Projects

mining industry’s FIFO pie in the North.

19 Building Mining Communities

7 Many beds to lie in

20 Ivanhoe Australia Feature

The proliferation of temporary accommodation in regions at the heart of the resource sector boom presents a raft of challenges. Gladstone, Isaac and Western Downs mayors identify the pros and cons of hosting

22 Heavy Machinery Review 24 Drilling and Exploration

thousands of such dwellings in their regions.

25 Materials Handling

15-17 X-factor triumphs

26 Wet Season

After a fierce but friendly competition, the Zinc X-Men emerged victorious in the 2011 Battle of the Mines

27 Processing

rugby league clash. This edition brings you all the colour of the Cloncurry carnival.

28 Building NW Queensland

32 Lest we forget

30 Mining Families

Moving services in Mount Isa and Collinsville recently paid tribute to the workers who have died in mining

31 Emergency Response and Rescue 32 Miners Memorial

accidents in Queensland and elsewhere.

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

Managing editor:

......................... Robert

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Email: ............................................................... info@miningadvocate.com.au

Journalist: .......................................................... Jan Green m. 0418 740 336

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Sales: ................................................p. (07) 4755 0336 m. 0417 623 156

Postal: ...................................................... PO Box 945, Townsville, Q, 4810 Client Services:..................................Marion Lago m. 0414 225 621 www.miningadvocate.com.au

Advertising booking deadline January edition: December 7 All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced in part or in full by any means without written permission of the managing editor. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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November 2011 |

Unite for workers or be defeated A peak body is calling for co-ordinated government action amid soaring demand for mining and energy construction personnel. Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA) members believe that only a united front by all tiers of government can alleviate the imminent threat the skills crunch poses to many resource industry developments. Speaking at the Queensland Government’s recent Mining and Gas Jobs Expos, AMMA director Minna Knight called on all levels of government to speed up a raft of training and workforce initiatives to address the unprecedented demand for workers. Her concerns were reinforced by labour market forecasting from workforce specialists Pitcrew Consultants which showed demand for resources

Planned mining developments will put a strain on labour availability.

which will have a major impact on labour in Queensland over the next three to five years. Of these, $75.1 billion worth are approved or under construction while $87.6 billion worth are waiting on approval.

The report further indicates the total construction labour demand will increase by 33 per cent to 18,000 by the start of 2012 and hit 25,000 in 2014. Demand for engineering workers in Queensland is

Portal to a piece of the action

Minna Knight AMMA director

construction jobs is set to soar. Their research identified 105 projects worth $162.7 billion

Resource industry employer group Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA) has activated an industryoperated online jobs and careers portal. Miningoilandgasjobs.com connects Australians with job opportunities in the mining boom. AMMA director Minna Knight said the online jobs centre was the first of many AMMA initiatives to address the growing demand for information from Australians keen to work in the resources industry. She described the site as the biggest source of information about employment, career, planning, migration, training and development in the sector.

The Mining Advocate

expected to peak at 7000 in the second quarter of 2012, after which an acute shortage of up to 50 per cent is anticipated up to 2015. Ms Knight said the analysts’ report indicated the “hypothetical” call for workers would soon translate into resource companies scrambling for workers to complete largescale projects. “Pitcrew’s data supports what the industry has been saying for many months. That unless we urgently address the worsening labour demand, these projects will not come to fruition,” she said. “The data suggests that in Queensland, the best labour sourcing efforts will fill the requirements of around half the currently planned resource projects.” Ms Knight said policy and taxation mechanisms should be implemented from all tiers of government to foster and encourage training and workforce development in every level of resource employment. “With 60,000 job vacancies predicted by 2013, government policymakers can no longer take the economic gains arising from Australia’s resources projects for granted,” she said. “Without immediate intervention, some of these projects will simply run out of workers.”

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NEWS

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

Call to train next generation With a relatively high teen jobless rate, a vocational education expert is stressing the need to tap that potential work pool. Queensland’s youth unemployment rate is running at almost 26 per cent while a labour and skills shortage threatens billions of dollars worth of resource industry projects, a training head says. The number of apprentices in training had declined over the past two years, while the state was looking at $160 billion worth of new projects planned to come online within the next few years, TORGAS chief executive officer George Peever said. As at the end of September, Queensland’s unemployment rate was a low 5.4 per cent. However, Mr Peever said

what was not widely appreciated was the fact that youth unemployment - the 15-19 year age group - stood at 25.9 per cent statewide. Mr Peever said TORGAS group training - which has offices from Townsville to Brisbane - was seeking ways to address what was a significant and growing issue. “The numbers of skilled workers required to bring some of our pipeline major resource and mining projects to fruition is quite staggering,” he said. “Traditionally the resources sector has not been a large employer of apprentices and

there are some sound reasons for this. “So we are looking at an arrangement whereby the resources sector financially contributes to the off-site training of new apprentices. “It is imperative that the drain of skilled trades in city-based employment is cushioned as much as possible.” Mr Peever said TORGAS had 340 pre-selected apprenticeship and traineeship candidates registered and looking for a career start. “There is clearly a conflict in the fact that youth unemployment is running at over 25 per cent but industry is raising concerns that there are not enough trained people,” he said. Mr Peever, who has worked for many years in the vocational

education training sector has never seen an unemployment environment such as the current one. “With the recent drop-off in apprenticeship starts, it is imperative that industry gives our own youth a much-needed career opportunity,” he said. “We must place the training and upskilling of our own people at the forefront of any strategy in addressing the skills shortages. “Given the tight economy

outside the resources sector, there is opportunity for improved government incentives to encourage businesses to consider starting an apprentice or trainee.” Mr Peever also suggested that for every 457 Visa issued to an offshore worker, a condition could be imposed that an apprentice be simultaneously given a placement.

Industry switches on to hi-tech skilling hubs The Mining Industry Skills Centre (MISC) has acted on a recommendation that new models and technologies be developed as key solutions to the resource sector’s skills shortage. In Ernst and Young’s Business Risks Facing Mining and Metals 2011-2012 report, the shortage was identified as one of the major business risks facing the mining and metals sector in those two years. That sector was utilising staff from others where upturn was yet to happen, the report said. However, this was a short-term approach only. MISC chief executive officer Derek Hunter agreed with the report’s findings and recommendations. He said the MISC had already taken the initiative in terms of new model and technology development. “We recently launched our concept of Accelerated Skilling Hubs (ASH) to the resources industry,” Mr Hunter said.

“The concept - the first of its kind - represents a completely new use of the latest technologies and we’re confident it will radically redefine and improve skills in the resources workforce at an accelerated rate. This is skilling for the future.” Mr Hunter said the MISC developed ASH after investigating a Silicon Valley model which focused on creating a hub of expertise, training and technology to advance an industry. “Our hubs will have the capability to accelerate the learning of resources industry workers from trainee to professional level,” he said. “They harness serious gaming technologies, simulation techniques and automation to rapidly skill workers in a ‘centre of excellence’ environment which can be located regionally or in any major capital city.”

LOCAL EXPERTS. LOADS OF EQUIPMENT.

Mine-site conditions and activities are replicated in an Immersive Realisation simulation dome. Photo: Ashley Roach

NEWS

November 2011 |

The Mining Advocate

Big bauxite build to use Cairns base Job opportunities are among the benefits to flow from a development expected to inject more than $1billion into far north Queensland. Rio Tinto Alcan plans to base a recruitment and training hub in Cairns to service its Weipa bauxite mine expansion project. General manager, Weipa operations, Jo-Anne Scarini said the recruitment centre was an example of the benefits that would flow to the Cairns region from the South of Embley Project. “We want Cairns to share in the significant economic benefits the project will generate,” Ms Scarini said. “At least 300 people will be required to build the first stage of the South of Embley Project, and this centre will ensure they

are fully equipped to undertake this important work safely and effectively. “While we hope many workers will be local, we also expect to recruit workers from around the state and even the country. “The centre will be a onestop shop where everyone will be trained in the highest health, safety and environment standards before joining the construction team on site.” Project staff will shortly be assessing suitable locations for the centre, with a final decision resting on final approval of the expansion work by Rio Tinto Alcan.

Rio Tinto Alcan general manager, Weipa operations, Jo-Anne Scarini.

Ms Scarini said the project’s environmental impact statement showed the South of Embley construction phase would inject more than $1.1 billion into the far north Queensland region, boosting local businesses and generating jobs. “The opportunities stretch well beyond jobs for people in ‘highvis’ shirts,” she said. “For example, most of the almost 400 indirect jobs the

construction of the project would generate in the region would be in retail trade and the services industry.” When operational, the new mine could generate up to 1200 full-time jobs, depending on production levels. Ms Scarini said Rio Tinto Alcan would work with its major contractors to make as many opportunities as possible available to businesses

throughout far north Queensland. “We will ensure that local employment criteria are included in relevant contracts and bids will be evaluated with an emphasis on indigenous and local engagement,” she said. Rio Tinto Alcan encourages interested suppliers or potential construction job-seekers to contact (07) 3115 3400 or email external.affairs@riotinto.com to register interest.

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The Mining Advocate | November 2011

North’s bid to host more miners A joint approach is hoped to better position centres from Mackay to Cairns to gain prominence as FIFO hubs, writes Jan Green. Northern Queensland councils have formed a united front in a bid to attract more resource industry workers to the region. Mayors from the Whitsunday, Townsville, Cairns and Mackay regions recently met to determine the most effective combined strategy to present to the state’s mining companies. Townsville Chamber of Commerce president John Carey, who instigated the meeting, said while a number of individual regions were promoting their advantages to the mining industry, he felt a combined offering had better chances of success.

“In giving mining companies a regional choice, they have a greater choice of locations to place their employees,” Mr Carey said. “We think North Queensland - from Cairns to Mackay - has a lot to offer in terms of regional skills capabilities, labour supply, lifestyle attributes, infrastructure, airport capacity - and how that can service the fly in-fly out (FIFO) market - and, finally, the affordability of this part of the world. “We are now putting it all in a form we hope will interest the mining companies and

John Carey Townsville Chamber of Commerce president

government and hope that once the industry is aware of our many advantages, they’ll choose our

region as a logical FIFO base.” Mr Carey said the collaborative venture was already showing promise. “We’ve made some initial approaches and these have generated an interested response,” he said. To reinforce the message, Mr Carey and Townsville Enterprise (TEL) chief executive officer David Kippin will speak at a mining conference in Brisbane in November lauding the benefits of a North Queensland FIFO lifestyle. “TEL has been very supportive and provided excellent assistance in the initiative,” Mr Carey said. “As the peak regional economic development body for this region, it is imperative that they take a lead role.” Whitsunday Mayor Mike

Brunker said while Brisbane and the Gold Coast were positioning themselves as the state’s FIFO capital, there were more than enough jobs for other regions to make bids. “Townsville, Whitsunday Cairns and Mackay have all the necessary attributes to offer themselves as FIFO destinations and for us to succeed it’s simply a matter of working together and reinforcing those attributes,” Cr Brunker said. “I believe a lot of the major miners are looking to the north rather than the south-east corner and, obviously, while we can’t attract everyone, by spreading across the state there will be enough jobs for all regions to grow exponentially and sustainably.”

Ernest Henry on the road to new copper project The open-pit mining team at Ernest Henry Mining (EHM) has started work on the initial stages of a haul road which will link the Cloncurry operation with two newly acquired copper tenements, jointly known as the Mt Margaret Mining Project. Project director John Twomey said road work was restricted to the current EHM mining lease until approval had been granted for the new mining leases for the project’s E1 and Monakoff tenements. “The E1 tenement is located approximately 8km to the east of EHM while the

Monakoff tenement is around 21km to the south-east,” Mr Twomey said. “We have started constructing the beginning of the haul road that will head east to connect Ernest Henry to E1. Waste rock has been carted to the area and sections of the road have been constructed on the EHM lease with some drainage works also under way.” Environmental and mining approvals are progressing well for the project, with some environmental approvals having been granted recently. Consultation is ongoing with key landholders and other

stakeholders in relation to the project, with traditional owners - the Mitakoodi people - undertaking cultural heritage clearances on haul road corridors. In-fill drilling, which started in October, will continue until the wet season to provide additional information on the Mt Margaret resource. Xstrata Copper acquired the new copper tenements from Exco Resources for $175 million in June this year. Ore from the tenements will be transported to EHM for processing. This is expected to increase EHM’s production

profile from the second half of 2012, including gold and magnetite by-product credits. The development and operation of the project is

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The Western Basin Dredging and Disposal Project, which is central to the Gladstone port’s future, has been described as one of the most heavily conditioned dredging jobs in the nation’s history. Five dredges are operating in the basin as part of the $1.3 billion project - considered the most significant expansion of the port’s capabilities since the 1980s, when 20 million cubic metres of material was dredged out of the harbour. “The project incorporates the deepening and widening of existing channels and swing basins, and the creation of new channels and swing basins to provide safe and efficient access to service the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry as well as the future industry needs of the region,” Gladstone Ports Corporation chief executive officer Leo Zussino said. About 26 million cubic metres of material would be dredged out of the Western Basin over the

coming three years, he said. Three backhoe dredges - the Razende Bol, Simson, and the Big Boss - are working in the Australia Pacific LNG construction dock area and Fisherman’s Landing. The Razende Bol has the maximum capacity to dredge 2300 cubic metres per day. The Big Boss’s maximum capacity is 3000 cubic metres per day, while the Simson’s maximum is 8000 cubic metres. Grab dredge the Tarvos is working in the QGC

material offloading facility area, and has a maximum capacity of 3000 cubic metres per day. The cutter suction dredge Al Mahaar is in place beside the GLNG site, and has a maximum daily capacity of 40,000 cubic metres. “Dredge sinkerlines - to date 4.5km of them - have been positioned across the channels at either end of South and North Passage Islands,” Mr Zussino said. “These will connect to the Al Mahaar to transport the dredge material across the harbour to the reclamation area at Fisherman’s Landing. A final 2km of sinkerline is being constructed.”

The cutter suction dredge Al Mahaar with sinkerline attached.

New laws will cement, not erode our safety standards: Hinchliﬀe Queensland’s National Mine Safety Framework and the imminent harmonisation of workplace health and safety legislation will bring the rest of Australia into line with Queensland’s world-class standards, according to State Employment, Skills and Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe. Not only were Queensland laws the toughest and the safest, they would stay that way, he said. Queensland’s Mines Inspectorate was working closely with other major mining states to ensure laws to be implemented in early 2012 were as good as the state’s current legislation, Mr Hinchliffe said. He said his department was also working with mining companies, explosives suppliers and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union to address issues with gas fumes during blasting in open -cut mines. “We’ve set up a steering group which has developed new coal mine blasting guidelines, including exclusion zones, improved blast management competencies, awareness seminars

in coal mining regions and new standardised investigation protocols,” Mr Hinchliffe said. He said the new guidelines would be further refined and put to industry for consultation. “Health surveillance systems will also be improved to address worker fatigue,” Mr Hinchliffe said. “A new guidance note on fatigue is under review and will be released to industry at the end of 2012. “In addition, under the new 2012 legislation, all workers on Queensland mine sites - including contractors will be required to comply with the sites’ safety and health management systems.” This means contractors who carry out jobs such as road works or building works on mine sites will be required to follow the same safety and health management system as everyone else. Mr Hinchliffe said the steps taken by the State Government would improve safety and health in Queensland’s mining and quarrying industries.

NEWS

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

Invasion of the work camp Resource sector growth and the need to house the many people required to drive it present multiple challenges for regional hot spots. The many thousands of temporary, mining-related accommodation units in Queensland constitute just a fraction of the total predicted over the next 18 months. But their impact on the state’s social structure and local government planning is already evident. Temporary camps in the Gladstone, Isaac and Western Downs regions alone vary from quite small to very large, such as three Curtis Island projects set to accommodate some 6000 workers (story - Page 20). Gladstone Mayor Gail Sellers sees some challenges arising from the influx of workers and temporary sites but views these camps as a necessity. Cr Sellers said the majority of resource industry workers in the Gladstone area would live in fly in-fly out (FIFO) camps which had minimal impact on the general community. “We cannot house all of these workers without temporary accommodation but we are confident some will ultimately settle in the Gladstone area because it has so much to offer,” she said. “We welcome the FIFO personnel as our community does not have the number of skilled workers to meet industry demands.” Central Queensland University professor for regional economic development John Rolfe has done considerable research on a temporary accommodation timeline in the Gladstone region. He estimates there will be temporary accommodation requirements for 3500 people by

the end of 2011, 6660 by the end of 2012 and 8000 by the end of 2013. Western Downs Mayor Ray Brown said a number of moving camps of up to 800 people would be established in his region by different pipeline groups over the next three years. “However, we already have nine substantial camps of up to 650 personnel, a lot of smaller camps, and an enormous amount on the way,” he said. “The huge number yet to come will necessitate substantial upgrades to our water and sewerage systems, so we want the mining companies to contribute to them so all members of the community can benefit. “At present, those on tenements away from town are carting water out and putting their wastewater back into our system. But this is designed for trickle vent, not dump feeds as in road-train loads of sewage.” Cr Brown further identified

THE FACTS Gladstone region tipped to require temporary accommodation for 8000 people by the end of 2013 Western Downs region to host multiple moving camps of up to 800 people for gas pipeline projects Isaac region forecast to require temporary accommodation for an extra 10,000–12,000 in the foreseeable future

waste land fill and soft infrastructure such as child and aged-care facilities, swimming pools, tennis courts and gymnasiums as issues which needed to be urgently addressed. “So the influx is having a big impact on the 23 towns we are responsible for,” he said. Cr Brown believes the solution is to build substantial temporary camp accommodation in town, not on the outskirts, so when the

dwellings are no longer required for resource projects they can be used for purposes such as aged care, education or affordable housing. Isaac Mayor Cedric Marshall’s concerns relating to temporary camps revolved largely around planning issues. “The majority of the mining villages are in our towns and use our infrastructure - water sewerage and roads,” he said. “And as they expand, major infrastructure upgrades are necessary. For example, we’re currently undertaking a $13 million sewerage treatment plant upgrade to service 15,000 Moranbah residents and the mining villages. “But, if that number increases by another 3000, we’ll need to upgrade again. “These camps are mostly designed for the construction and contractor workforces and might be there for only one to two years

Moranbah markets within the booming Isaac region.

or so. Then, if they aren’t replaced with a permanent workforce, we have to carry those huge upgrade costs. So it makes future planning somewhat challenging, especially when you consider there are some 30,000 mining-related jobs within central Queensland. “We have temporary accommodation for some 22,500 people – including motels – but applications for an extra 1600 rooms for occupation within the next 12 months have recently been lodged. However, the prediction is we’ll need temporary accommodation for an extra 10,000 – 12,000 in the foreseeable future.” Cr Marshall identified roads as a further major issue. “The damage caused by exploration rigs and excessive mining traffic is currently being carried by our ratepayers so we need legislative changes to ensure that those who cause that damage contribute to our roads’ upkeep,” he said.

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INDUSTRY UPDATE COAL AND GAS

Bridging the GAP

November 2011 |

north of the Gladstone-Mt Larcom Rd and a 6km overland conveyor linking the two facilities. WICET general manager of project development Peter Lyons said CMC and the Abigroup Golding Joint Venture had been contracted to undertake the initial earthworks.

Construction of a rail bridge over Euri Creek near Bowen.

QR National has completed construction of all 11 rail bridges on the Northern Missing Link, a key component of its $1.1 billion Goonyella to Abbot Point (GAP) Expansion Project. QR National network services chief executive officer Michael Carter said it was an important milestone for the GAP project, which is due to have the first trains running across its tracks in early 2012. “The expansion project has been in full swing for 19 months, and we are now reaching the final stages of construction,” he said. Construction of the 11 bridges used 950 tonnes of steel reinforcement. Ninety-six bridge beams were installed, each costing more than $20,000 to manufacture.

Wiggins Island gets connected QR National has signed an agreement with a consortium of coal companies to construct the $900 million Wiggins Island Rail Project to a new export terminal at Gladstone. Construction is due to begin in early 2012, with first railings scheduled for mid-2014. The project supports an initial throughput of 27 million tonnes per annum of coal to the proposed Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal. QR National subsidiary QR Network has reached a commercial agreement with Xstrata Coal, Aquila Resources,

Bandanna Energy, Caledon Resources, Northern Energy Corporation, Yancoal Australia, Wesfarmers Curragh and Cockatoo Coal to proceed.

WICET work under way Construction has begun at Golding Point for Gladstone’s new $2.5 billion Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal (WICET) and the first phase of the accommodation facility for its expected 800-strong workforce is going into use. The area will soon become part of the WICET project construction site including a rail receival facility to the south of the Gladstone-Mt Larcom Rd, the coal stockyard and wharf to the

“The Maroon Group Accommodation Facility will look after those people after hours who work at site during their rosters, helping to ease the strain of fly in-fly out work arrangements, while reducing the potential impacts on accommodation in the Gladstone community as a result of the WICET project,” he said.

Washpool ticks the boxes A definitive feasibility study has confirmed the technical and economic feasibility of the Washpool hard coking coal project near Blackwater, Aquila Resources says. The study proposed an open-cut operation mining 7mtpa of run of mine coal to produce 2.6mtpa of high-rank hard coking coal over 16 years, with the product to be exported through WICET. Aquila Resources is seeking a mining lease for the project, expected to cost $335 million to develop.

Study for Meteor Downs South Endocoal has formed a project team to deliver a bankable feasibility study for the Meteor Downs South open-cut coal project, south-east of Emerald. The study is expected to be completed in December. Endocoal aims to achieve first production in the second half of 2013 from what is expected to be a 1.5mtpa thermal coal mine.

Galilee project progresses The environmental impact statement for Waratah Coal’s proposed $8.3 billion

The Mining Advocate

China First (or Galilee Coal) project has been released for public comment. Waratah Coal proposes to develop a series of new thermal coal mines near Alpha, associated water and power infrastructure, and to construct a 468km railway from the mine to the Abbot Point state development area.

Hancock Coal in Indian deal

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India’s GVK group has entered into a deal to acquire a majority stake in Hancock Coal’s Queensland assets for $1.26 billion.

GVK Coal Developers, in joint venture with Mobile: 0419 787 907 GVK Power and Infrastructure, is set to acquire a shareholding of up to 79 per cent in the Alpha (Tad’s Corner) and Alpha West (Paul’s Corner) projects in the Galilee Basin. It will also gain a 100 per cent shareholding in the Kevin’s Corner coal project and in the rail project connecting the Hancock projects to Abbot Point as well as the T3 terminal expansion project. www.cliponsafeshades.com

Hancock Group chairman Gina Rinehart said the company was delighted that this project would be; “to the best of our knowledge the largest project to date to be undertaken by both Australian and Indian companies”. She said the immediate focus would be to progress the Alpha coal project and associated port and rail projects to financial closure by 2012, to complete the bankable feasibility study for Kevin’s Corner and continue drilling to increase the size of the known resource.

Momentum builds at Bundi MetroCoal has completed a 60-hole infill drilling program at the Bundi project, in the Wandoan region of central Queensland. The company said drilling was continuing outside the immediate Bundi project area. A conceptual level mining study has begun.

INDUSTRY UPDATE COAL AND GAS

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

Twin powers TRUenergy is seeking development approval for two high-efficiency gasfired power stations to be developed in Ipswich and Gladstone.

Check it out

fields in Queensland. QGC said pipe deliveries were expected to start in December this year and continue over at least two years. Iplex Pipelines would construct a new manufacturing facility in the Toowoomba region to open by mid2012 to service this and other contracts, the company said.

The Blackstone and Aldoga power stations will be developed in stages After 16 years of recruiting to match growth in in the mining industry electricity demand, MPi has you covered. with a total capacity of up to 1500MW.

QGC also recently awarded a $17 million contract to Australian company Terrex Seismic to provide seismic data across numerous QGC tenements in the Surat and Bowen basins.

The initial cost will be about $400 million and at full capacity each power station would represent an investment of up to $1.8 billion.

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Joint venture’s $600m job Fluor has awarded the Clough Downer Joint Venture a contract valued around $600 million for construction of pipelines, compression facilities and associated infrastructure relating to the Fairview component of the Santos GLNG project in the Surat Basin. The scope of work involves the construction of more than 400km of gas and water transmission pipelines, two compression facilities and an 800-person camp.

Pipe supply contract QGC has awarded a $120 million contract to Iplex Pipelines for the supply of polyethylene pipe for its gas

Gladstone’s coal seam gas (CSG) to liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects will provide $10.5 million for an instrument landing system at Gladstone Airport. Australia Pacific LNG, GLNG and Queensland Curtis LNG have contributed funds immediately. Arrow Energy has committed to contribute its share at final investment decision. }Ê*i « i

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CSG water project SunWater has started building a 20km buried pipeline to transport treated coal seam gas water to the town of Chinchilla and local farmers as part of the proposed Chinchilla Beneficial Use Scheme. In the first project of its kind in Queensland, SunWater will transport water from QGC’s Kenya water treatment plant along the Kenya to Chinchilla Weir Pipeline.

Dam tenderer named SunWater has named John Holland Queensland as preferred construction tenderer for the Connors River Dam to Moranbah pipeline. The 133km pipeline is part of the $1.1 billion Connors River Dam and Pipeline Project. SunWater chief executive Peter Boettcher said the project was on schedule, with

Queensland Mining Communities president Kelly Vea Vea with the voucher.

A giant voucher for a backbone check has made an appearance in Queensland Parliament as the Queensland Mining Communities group continues its protest against the impact of fly in-fly out (FIFO) operations on regional coal towns. Member for Dalrymple Shane Knuth unsuccessfully attempted to table the voucher for Labor MPs on the group’s behalf within weeks of the Bligh Government approving BMA’s application to allow a 100 per cent FIFO workforce at the planned Caval Ridge mine near Moranbah. “As we have said all along, our communities are supporters of industry expansion, but we want to grow sustainably alongside industry, not be turned into mere bus stops on the road to massive mining industry profit,” Queensland Mining Communities president Kelly Vea Vea said.

construction expected to start in March 2012 and commissioning by early 2014.

Macarthur takeover Peabody Energy Corporation has acquired a controlling interest in Macarthur Coal. Julian Thornton, previously managing director of Peabody Energy Australia, has been appointed as chief executive officer.

Cougar in compo bid Cougar Energy is seeking more than $34 million in compensation over the Queensland Government’s decision to halt development of its underground

coal gasification project at Kingaroy. The company recently announced it had started legal proceedings in the Supreme Court against the Queensland Government and three officials. “During more than 15 months we have attempted to resolve the forced close-down with the government and DERM (Department of Environment and Resource Management) in good faith,” Cougar Energy chairman Malcolm McAully said. “However, as all of our proposals have been rejected, the company is left with no option but to seek court intervention to redress the loss and confirm Cougar Energy’s reputation as a world-leading developer of alternative energy projects.”

INDUSTRY UPDATE HARD ROCK

November 2011 |

Digging Lady Loretta

The Mining Advocate

Cormorant as an extensive iron oxidecopper-gold prospect, the company said.

Open pit potential

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Pybar crews at work at the Lady Loretta zinc-lead-silver project.

Pybar has started work on the decline for Xstrata Zinc’s $246 million Lady Loretta project, 140km north-west of Mount Isa. Pybar is contracted to develop 6789m for the underground mine, establish incline stockpiles, lateral development, cross cuts, a vent drive and diamond drill bays. The project is expected to create jobs for up to 230 contractors at the peak of construction in 2013, followed by a similar number of permanent operational employees when the zinc-lead-silver mine is operational. An Xstrata Zinc spokeswoman said key plant and equipment would be sourced over the next one to two years for the mining of ore once development had progressed far enough to allow access. Lady Loretta is expected to produce a million tonnes per annum of zinc-lead-silver ore over its 10-year mine life.

remained open to the north, south and down plunge, CST Mining said.

Copper discovery Exploration drilling at the Lady Annie copper operation in north-west Queensland has led to the discovery of a new deposit, dubbed Lady Colleen.

Golden evolution

CST Mining has pursued an aggressive exploration campaign during 2011 to increase the oxide/transition resource inventory at Lady Annie. The company said the exploration team had discovered an exciting new zone of copper mineralisation within the operation’s Mt Kelly mining area, adjacent to the haul road. Mineralisation had been drill tested over a strike length of more than 0.7km and

Catalpa Resources and Conquest Mining shareholders have approved the creation of a new gold venture to be formed through an all-scrip merger of their businesses plus the purchase of Newcrest Mining’s interests in the Cracow and Mt Rawdon mines. To be known as Evolution Mining, the company will have a combined market capitalisation of $1 billion. Its assets will include the Cracow, Edna May, Mt Rawdon and Pajingo operations as well as the Mt Carlton project.

Iron resource announced Cerro Resources has announced an initial inferred mineral resource for its Mt Philp haematite iron prospect, about 54km south-east of Mount Isa. The company said a resource of more than 25 million tonnes at more than 36 per cent iron and 45 per cent silica was estimated based on the current drill pattern. It said 27 diamond and reverse circulation drill holes across 2.7km had been completed.

Strong strike near Cloncurry Minotaur Exploration has announced the discovery of a large coppergold system near Cloncurry with a mineralised trend over more than 10km. Recent drilling and geophysics revealed significant widths and a greatly expanded strike extent, confirming

proposed Paradise South mine. “Negotiations, although taking longer than expected, are continuing and the company is still confident that a deal will be completed as interest in the project remains strong,” the company said in a press statement.

On track at Texas Alcyone Resources says it is on track to ramp-up silver production at its Texas project in south-east Queensland to a targeted annualised rate of 1.5 to 2 million ounces by the end of 2011. This followed excellent progress in the initial weeks of wet commissioning of the upgraded Twin Hills processing facility, the company said. The company has refocused its efforts on exploration across its 257sq km tenement package at Texas, with two drill rigs operational on site.

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INDUSTRY UPDATE HARD ROCK

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

Powerful progress APA Group and AGL Energy will build a 242MW gas-fired power station at Mount Isa after reaching a deal to supply electricity to Xstrata Mount Isa Mines through to 2030. APA said the $500 million Diamantina Power Station development would be underpinned by contracts with other major energy users. The power station is expected to be fully operational in early 2014, with the first 121MW unit available in late 2013. Perth-based contractor CTEC will build the power station, while Siemens will be responsible for design and the supply of power generation equipment. Xstrata Copper North Queensland chief operating officer Steve de Kruijff said the decision secured the long-term future of the company’s operations and growth projects in north-west Queensland. Xstrata’s selection of the Diamantina Power Station consortium follows a two-year competitive process based on the recommendations of the Sims Review into north-west Queensland energy needs. The proponents of the CopperString transmission line project to link the north-west to the national electricity grid described that proposal as being under review. Townsville Enterprise said it was committed to ensuring CopperString’s continuity, stressing its potential to act as a catalyst for a raft of renewable energy projects.

Positive scoping study A scoping study has demonstrated that Ivanhoe Australia’s planned Mt Dore cathode copper project in north-west Queensland would provide robust long-term cashflow for a modest capital outlay, the company says. The project would involve an open-cut mining operation with a 10-year life, processing ore at a rate of 3 million tonnes per annum. The initial capital cost is estimated at $83 million. “The scoping study confirms that our Mt Dore cathode copper project has

the potential to provide a steady longterm cashflow stream for Ivanhoe Australia, from late 2014, to reinvest in our prospective exploration and development activities,” chief executive officer Peter Reeve said.

processing facilities and north-west of its Thalanga polymetallic processing facility.

A prefeasibility study would begin immediately, Ivanhoe Australia said.

“With a high-grade resource containing around 32,000 tonnes of copper metal at Einasleigh, this supports our five-year plan objective of growing the resource base to sustain 30,000tpa copper production within the next three to five years. However, there is also the much larger but lower grade Kaiser Bill resource containing 126,000 tonnes of copper metal, which represents a very interesting longer term exploration and development opportunity. ”

Tin project attracts backer Consolidated Tin Mines has secured a cornerstone investor for its Mount Garnet tin project in far north Queensland. Hong Kongbased investment company Snow Peak International Investment had taken an initial placement of $1.6 million into the company as the first tranche of a proposed long-term investment designed to see the Mount Garnet project through to production, Consolidated Tin Mines said. “We are delighted to welcome Snow Peak as a strong partner in the company, and look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship to take the Mount Garnet tin project through feasibility studies and into production, to unlock the real value in the project for our shareholders,” Consolidated Tin managing director Ralph De Lacey said.

Green light for Einasleigh sale Kagara’s acquisition of the Einasleigh copper project, 350km north-west of Townsville in North Queensland, has been approved by Copper Strike shareholders. Kagara has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the project for $16 million in cash and the cancellation of Kagara’s 17.5 per cent shareholding in Copper Strike. Settlement is scheduled to occur by December 16. The Einasleigh copper project lies immediately south-west of Kagara’s Mount Garnet copper and polymetallic

“This represents a significant addition to our central Mount Garnet resource base,” Kagara managing director Geoff Day said.

Game on at Baal Gammon Kagara has completed more than three quarters of a 25-hole diamond drilling program at Baal Gammon copper mine to confirm aspects of the resource model and assist with metallurgical assessment. The company said the State Government had approved the plan of operations for the mining of Baal Gammon, in far north Queensland. Kagara has begun blasting and pre-strip work and expected to be carting ore shortly. The work follows a strategic alliance formed with Monto Minerals this year which gives Kagara the right to explore for base metals - excluding tin over Monto’s Herberton tenements.

Bauxite Hills firms up Initial results from a drilling program at the Bauxite Hills project area, 95km north of Weipa, have boosted Cape Alumina’s confidence in the project’s long-term prospects. A concept study based on production of 100 million tonnes of dry bauxite product showed that - subject to

confirmation of resources - a 15-year export operation would viably be sustained, the company said. Cape Alumina managing director Graeme Sherlock said work would commence on environmental studies in the area with the view to starting the formal environmental impact statement process before the end of the year. “We are working on a number of fronts to advance this project as quickly as possible,” he said.

Rio’s alumina revamp Rio Tinto is streamlining its aluminium product group, with plans to divest a number of Australian assets including Gove bauxite mine and alumina refinery, Boyne Smelters and the associated Gladstone Power Station. The company said Rio Tinto’s interests in six Australian and New Zealand assets would transfer into a new business unit, to be called Pacific Aluminium, and be managed separately from the Rio Tinto Alcan product group prior to divestment. “The assets identified for divestment are sound businesses that are well-managed with productive workforces,” Rio Tinto chief executive Tom Albanese said. “But they are no longer aligned with our strategy and we believe they have a bright future under new ownership.”

Record exploration spend Queensland attracted a record $1.126 billion in resource exploration investment last financial year. State Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the result highlighted the ongoing value of Bligh Government initiatives such the $18 million Greenfield 2020 program to stimulate exploration growth in Queensland. The $1.126 billion investment in mineral and petroleum exploration expenditure in Queensland during the 12 months to June 30, 2011, as shown in Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, represented a 23 per cent increase over the previous year.

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November 2011 |

Advance Cairns TNQ Mining Capability Showcase

The Mining Advocate

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Chris Cunsamy (CBC), Tamilyn Brennan (Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Department) and Brett Fraser (Vale).

Maree Cotton, Sacha Assam and Yvonne Perron (all from Ostara).

Colleen Hallmond (Skills Formation Strategy) and Jacqui McLintock (Queensland Nickel).

Renato Ferreira da Silva (Vale) and Jeremy Blockey (Cairns Chamber of Commerce resource and industrial taskforce).

Ross Simms and Anne Clarke (both from DEEDI), with Ron Todd (TAFE) and Angelo Finnichiaro (Cairns Regional Council).

Steve Henshaw (Newcrest) with Stewart Christie (from Advance Cairns).

Xstrata Mount Isa Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic dragon boat races

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Paul Malouf (Malouf Auto Group) with the girls from the Hot Lips - Mount Isa Public Health Unit team; Lena Krause, Sephia Parker, Kate Rose, Lauren Jeffs and Kaye Smith.

Lorena Martyr (Martyr Training Services) with Trish O’Callaghan (Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce).

George Fortune (event manager) with Gary Windle from Caboolture.

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BETWEEN SHIFTS

November 2011 |

The Mining Advocate

Central Highlands Development Corporation breakfast

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Blackwater Civic Centre

Phil Ferenczi (DEEDI) and Ashlee Rozario (Central Highlands Regional Council).

Craig Wright (Xstrata Coal) and Larry Littlewood (Prime Rentals).

Peter Maguire (Central Highlands Regional Council) and Peter Bolt.

Linda Galloway and Brad Duke (Central Highlands Regional Council).

Sandra Hobbs (CHDC), Paul Eagles (Urban Land Development Authority) and Vaughan Wishart (Stanmore Coal).

Jennifer Todd (Xstrata Coal) and Wendy Kramer (Stanmore Coal).

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Kerry Whitaker and Grant Wissemann (GAGAL).

Back - Brenda Witt and Tony Caruso (both Mastermyne), Dalys Marquis and Tony Thomas (both New Horizons), Les Potter and Terry Johnson (both Queensland Alumina), Kieran Punch and Colin Phillips (both from Xstrata). Centre - Dylan Webb (CAE Mining), Derek Hunter (Mining Industry Skills Centre) and Tash Fee (TNT Training Solutions).

Maryann Wipaki, Vicki Anderson and Athena Cain (all from Xstrata Copper).

MISC chief executive officer Derek Hunter (right) takes Queensland Attorney-General Paul Lucas through the conference exhibition.

Greg Poke (from Xstrata) with wife Annette.

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The Mining Advocate | November 2011

Battle of the Mines feature

Team has the X-factor

Shield a step too far

They may have started slowly, but the Zinc X-Men proved they have what it takes to claim rugby league honours in the north-west. The Battle of the Mines Australian Workers’ Union Shield is once again on the mantelpiece in Mount Isa. Nine teams vied for honours in this year’s event, with the Zinc X-Men beating perennial grand finalists Century Chariots 30-0. The X-Men seemed to thrive in the heat and did well to smother the attacking power of the talented Century backline. X-Men captain John Venz said the four-game qualifying task played over eight hours had failed to plot a definitive course towards victory. The team started slowly with wins against the Cannington Cavemen and Xstrata Young Guns before lunch. The X-Men drew with the Cudeco Eagles 16-all in the third stanza before making a decisive bid for the semi-finals by downing Copper Smelter Mongrels 24-0.

“We drew our third game and sat down and regrouped and came out and played the Copper Smelter Mongrels and put them away,” Venz said. “We’ve done that over the last few years; started slow and slowly came back. “When they (Chariots) made the final, we were glad. We knew what they were like so we put it together and ripped in hard. “We just sucked them in the middle and sent it wide and that won it for us; the dummy half scoots and the bigger players, they all stepped up and guided us around the park.” The Zinc X-Men would be back to defend their title next year, he said. • Visit http://outbackphotograph ics.com.au/galleries/other/ BattleMines2011/index.html to see some great shots of the tournament action and characters.

Six-year-old Lilly Venz joined the celebrations with dad John, the team captain, after the Zinc X-Men took out the Australian Workers’ Union Shield at the 2011 Battle of the Mines in Cloncurry.

The history of the Cannington team at the Battle of the Mines is one of heroic effort only to be beaten at the semi-finals. There have been lean years when Cloncurry locals have filled positions at the last moment just to put in a team. They would be pitted against Mount Isa teams that had an excavator bucket full of weight on them across the park and still be competitive. This year the McKinlay boys fielded two sides; the Cougars “first-13” and the Cannington Cavemen, a more social team. The Cougars this year went down to Century 22-16 in the semi-finals in what was described by commentator Keith Douglas as the best game of the day. Cougars captain Robert Chaplain said his team put up a brave fight. “I don’t know how many years it has been that we’ve had it out with Century and lost it in the last dying seconds,” he said. Cannington Cougars – always the best man, never the groom. Maybe next year’s wedding will be theirs?

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Battle of the Mines feature

November 2011 |

Talent from across the Tasman added much muscle to the winning Zinc X-Men squad at this year’s Cloncurry clash, writes Robert Dark. day in the sun playing football is a credit to the team. “Their big guys also keep themselves fit and work hard to back each other up.” X-Men manager Mike Tavita said the strengths of the KiwiSouth Sea Islander players were thinking positively, dealing with each game as it came and bonding off the field. “Most of the team works in the zinc smelter and most of us are underground,” Tavita said. “It builds good camaraderie. “We’ve come here to win and we’re going to win; be positive, be positive. “Everyone has played well and we are all playing as a team. There are no individuals. Everyone puts their hand up.” Tavita, a rugby union convert from Wellington, has been in Australia for the past three years and is a great advocate for the Battle of the Mines event and the lifestyle of north-west Queensland. “We should have done this years ago. It is a big difference,” Tavita said. “I think the league here is really good, for the kids and adults. “It is really good here compared to back home. “My wife and kids are happy here and that’s the main thing.” The best thing about the Battle of the Mines? “You get to see a lot of new faces from other mines and they tell you their stories and what they do and you compare it with where you come from.”

Part of the Zinc X-Men’s Kiwi factor - 21-year-old Chayden Mumanga (centre), 30-year-old Mike Tavita (manager), 26-yearold Wayne Pepe (second row), 18-year-old Matt Malame and 24-year-old Apostle Vega (centre).

Marathon microphone man

Cloncurry auctioneer Keith Douglas calls all the action at the annual Battle of the Mines carnival.

Channel 9’s Ray Warren has nothing on Battle of the Mines game caller Keith Douglas. Ray may do the National Rugby League main game on Saturday and Sunday afternoons; Keith calls 21 matches in a day in Cloncurry. Keith’s Battle of the Mines weekend starts on Friday night at a charity auction where he is helped by the NQ Toyota Cowboys to raise

money to keep the chaplain at the local school. Then on Saturday from 10am his eyes are glued to the field for 11 hours to call all the breaks, busts and bruises. “I think it is brilliant,” Keith said. “Some of them are footballers but most are working men who take the time off to train and get ready for this event each year. “It is a big day for some of these blokes because they are playing a lot of games and they have to keep their adrenalin up. “...Everyone comes here with the right attitude to see this work. “It gets a bit hot and a bit heated, naturally, when you play a contact sport it will. “But everyone comes here and loves the Battle of the Mines. It is a big part of their year.” Keith is an auctioneer by trade and also calls the local rodeo and anything else that requires a professional public address. The Battle of the Mines was among a string of successes for the local community, he said.

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She’s the wolf behind the whistle

Kiwi power on the Battleﬁeld On the weekend in October that New Zealand buried the Wallabies’ World Cup hopes in the Land of the Long White Cloud, a team boasting a large contingent of New Zealand and Pacific Islanders celebrated victory in the annual Battle of the Mines in north-west Queensland. They made up almost half the Zinc X-Men team; in fact 16 of the 35-man squad. Standouts in a standout team included second-rower Toasa Faraino, who vice-captained the New Zealand under-21 rugby league team just three years ago. The efforts of his brother Anthony were also lauded by coach Jim Larkin, as was hooker John Venz, and halves combination Patrick Carney and Kane Manihira. X-Men, in this guise and as Zinc Power, have been placed in the top three teams at the carnival in the last three years and were runners up in 2010. After a seven-year campaign, the last five as coach, Larkin said he had a lot of respect for the Century Chariots. A Zinc X-Men strategy to contain their attacking ability had proved successful, he said. “We look forward to playing Century and MICO Devils in the semis as we don’t usually get to meet them in the pool,” he said. “The hardest thing about playing Century is containing their quick little guys. “They are fantastic players and to be running like that after a full

The Mining Advocate

Lynette Kim Sing sizes up the Cracow Diggers and MICO Devils.

Photo: Roslyn Budd

Here’s a warning for young footballers in the north-west. Don’t take your chances with the referee when Cloncurry High School teacher Lynette Kim Sing holds the whistle. If rugby league was an academic pursuit, Lynette would be dean of faculty. Lynette has 20 years of coaching experience, for which she has earned level 3 accreditation. That means she is qualified to coach the Australian Kangaroos. The Cloncurry A-Grade side, the Eagles, is lucky enough to have her services. Lynette also has 15 years’ refereeing experience, giving her an on-field authority which is seldom questioned and never challenged.

There were rule modifications to be explained to ensure an incidentfree Battle of the Mines carnival, Lynette said. “There’s only 5m to get back from the ruck. There’s also a rule that states the marker cannot move until the first receiver has the ball, or if the dummy half decides to scoot,” she said. “We do not tolerate any head-high tackles and there’s an immediate penalty given for tackles above the shoulders.” Halves are 10 minutes with a three-minute half-time break. “If anyone is dismissed from the field on any two occasions, he won’t be able to participate further,” Lynette said. A change-over takes the place of scrums.

Carnival’s vintage crop What is it that drives old guys to dust off their boots and play rugby league once a year? The Battle of the Mines committee last year increased the eligible playing age to 55. It is an open competition with little leeway given to those who could otherwise be considered “masters’’ players. The standard is high. This year’s competition featured two NQ Toyota Cowboys Young Guns, Luke Abdul-Rahman and Chris Grevsmuhl, who played in the NRL Toyota Cup grand final loss to the New Zealand Warriors. Former State-of-Origin player Peter Ryan, who played 10 years for the Brisbane Broncos, also ran on for a cameo appearance. Ryan stands out as the only player to win grand finals in the NRL and the Super 12 rugby union, the latter with the ACT Brumbies. Older competitors at this year’s Battle of the Mines included 43 year-old Reggie Nardoo, who was there for MICO Devils, and 52-year-

old Alan Saltmere, for the Century Chariots. Winger/fullback Fred Dodd from Cracow Diggers played in his second consecutive battle and is suspected to have fudged his age, putting it down as 48. That’s just to mention a few. Century front-rower Col Kenna, 35, made his second battle appearance - 14 years after the first, when he helped the Eloise Mine team take out the first Australian Workers’ Union Shield. He was awarded best forward for that carnival. Col’s rugby league career includes Foley Shield, NQ Marlins, Queensland under-21s and Brisbane Souths. “This is good, wandering around and seeing a lot of old faces - it is just like a reunion,” Col said. “I’m not the only fossil playing today, there are a few others around.”

to the

Zinc X-Men for winning The Australian Workers Union (AWU) shield in the 2011 Battle of the Mines

Col Kenna and 52-year-old Alan Saltmere helped lift the average age of what was otherwise a young Century Chariots outfit.

MAJOR PROJECTS

November 2011 |

The Mining Advocate

Acid test for Phosphate Hill Fertiliser producer Incitec Pivot is weighing up its options to replace Xstrata’s copper smelter as the source of a key ingredient, writes Jan Green. A feasibility study is being carried out to determine whether Incitec Pivot will construct an acid plant at the company’s Phosphate Hill site south of Mount Isa. It is one of the options being considered following the announcement of plans to close Xstrata’s copper smelter at Mount Isa. Study results are expected to be announced early in 2012. Incitec Pivot corporate affairs manager Stewart Murrihy said $400 million had been suggested by some as the approximate cost if the new acid plant went ahead. “But it’s premature to speculate at this stage because that’s what the feasibility study will tell us,” he said. “Currently, we have a sulphuric acid plant which draws metallurgical gas, a raw material, from the Xstrata

copper smelter in Mount Isa “The acid is essential in the manufacture of the two kinds of ammonium phosphate – monoammonium phosphate (MAP) and diammonium phosphate (DAP) – we produce. “But when it was announced the copper smelter would close, we had to look for alternatives. “One option is to build an entirely new plant at Phosphate Hill where, instead of using metallurgical gas (a free smelter by-product), we would buy sulphur to burn to make sulphuric acid.” Incitec Pivot is exploring other options such as continuing to work with Xstrata and take gas from its Mount Isa lead smelter, which will continue operating. However, this option would involve technical issues which Mr Murrihy described as challenging.

Incitec Pivot’s Mount Isa acid plant (foreground) and the Xstrata copper smelter slated for closure.

Mr Murrihy said the Sun Metals Corporation refinery in Townsville offered another potential, partial source. However, while Sun Metals produces sulphuric acid, the

supply is not enough to meet Incitec Pivot’s total needs. “If we do proceed with the plant (at Phosphate Hill), it will need to be completed by 2015 when Xstrata plans to

close the copper smelter,” Mr Murrihy said. “Around 300 people will be involved in the construction and around 30 will be employed once the plant is operational.”

Island home thanks to ATCO expertise It’s probably going to be quite a wrench when workers on three major Curtis Island liquefied natural gas projects finally have to leave their state-of-theart temporary accommodation. By mid 2013, ATCO Structures and Logistics will have erected temporary accommodation for about 6000 workers helping to develop the LNG projects at Gladstone. The installation of living quarters, dining and recreation facilities for 1700 Queensland Curtis LNG project employees began in August this year,

with work on the accommodation facility expected to be completed in early 2013. Construction on accommodation for 1700 workers for the Santos joint venture’s GLNG project also began last August, with a completion date scheduled for late 2012. GLNG’s two-storey construction village – to consist of 336 modular housing units and 400 office complex units - will be in place for about 44 months. The largest of the contracts - the

installation of 2600 modular units for Australia Pacific LNG workers began in October, with an expected completion date of mid-2013. ATCO executive vice-president for international business development Michael Clennett said his organisation had developed a solid reputation in Australia for providing the local workforce with safe, reliable accommodation. The three construction villages – designed to meet strict environmental standards – will be similarly equipped.

Features will include dining, laundry and administration areas, sleeping quarters with flat-screen TVs, internet connectivity, swimming pools, gyms, outdoor sports courts and barbecue facilities as well as golf and cricket nets. ATCO workers will be sourced from between Gladstone and Brisbane over the construction life of the three projects. “Around 600 people – a combination of direct employees and subcontractors - will comprise the total workforce,” Mr Clennett said.

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Building Mining Communities

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

SUPPORTED BY BHP BILLITON CANNINGTON

EHM supports new park in Cloncurry

Charmayne Curry, Carol Cambra, Scott Grundy, Lauren Russell, Marshall Watson and Brendan Webb from the Hastings Deering Social Club Committee with Wayne James, Adrienne Rourke and Bryan Loft from the Mackay Foundation.

Cloncurry residents and visitors are already enjoying spending time in the town’s newest green space, Robertson Park, officially opened in October thanks to support from Ernest Henry Mining (EHM). Robertson Park, named in honour of one of the first families to settle in Cloncurry, is the first of a series of beautification projects planned for Cloncurry. “We are pleased to have been able to support the creation of Robertson Park through $210,000 in funding under the Xstrata Community Program North Queensland,” EHM general manager Myles Johnston said. “Our most recent community attitudes surveys have told us the Cloncurry community wants to see more trees and parks in our town, so we’re sure Robertson Park will be appreciated by locals and tourists for years to come.”

Boost for Mackay Foundation The Hastings Deering Social Club raised $30,000 for the Mackay Foundation in a recent black-tie charity ball in Mackay. Club treasurer Scott Grundy said members were overwhelmed by the level of support and generosity from guests on the night. In addition to ticket revenue from more than 200

guests, funds were raised through a very successful charity auction, with the most coveted item being a framed Brisbane Broncos jersey signed by Darren Lockyer, he said. Mackay Foundation chairman Bryan Loft said the donation would make a significant contribution to those in need in Mackay.

Footballers’ chance to shine Emerald Tigers rugby league players Joe Taylor, Lloyd Steigler, and Whetu Austin are one step closer to realising their dreams after all were offered a one-year contract with Melbourne Storm’s Brisbanebased feeder club next season. The players were selected to travel to Brisbane, where their sporting prowess and commitment led to the offer of positions in the under-20s Colts 30-man pre-season squad from which 25 players for the official under-20s side will be selected. Their trip to Brisbane was backed with more than $2700 in funding from the Kestrel Aboriginal Community Development Fund comprising Western Kangoulu people

representatives, the Emerald Aboriginal community and Kestrel mine. Emerald Tigers vice-president Jay Edwards said the trip provided the standout players with unaccustomed exposure to

high-level competition. “A lot of young people don’t get that chance because they play in regional areas and don’t have the same career development opportunities as city players,” he said.

Cloncurry Mayor Andrew Daniels and EHM general manager Myles Johnston cut the ribbon to officially open Robertson Park in Cloncurry.

Horses for courses

Queensland Rugby League selector Des Morris flanked by Emerald Tigers players Whetu Austin (far left), Joe Taylor (left) and Lloyd Steigler (far right) during a recent trip to Brisbane.

Xstrata funds a canine class act In an innovative approach to improving literacy skills, a number of students at Townsville’s Stuart State School are taking part in Queensland’s first Classroom Canines program. The program, in which students interact with accredited Delta dogs and their volunteer owners, is an initiative of the Xstrata Community Program North Queensland (XCPNQ) and Delta Society Australia. “Any initiative that assists children to learn is important and we look forward to seeing the results from the classroom and the research,” Xstrata Copper Townsville operations general manager Mark Roberts said. Stuart State School principal Allison Greenaway

described the dogs as excellent motivators for students to prepare their writing before reading those efforts to their special dog. “Delta Classroom Canine dogs Jed, Lilly and Blitz will act as non-judgemental listeners to assist the students in their journey to become independent writers and editors,” she said. Mr Roberts said since its inception in 2005, the XCPNQ had supported more than 70 initiatives with a total program value of more than $20 million in Townsville, Mount Isa, Cloncurry and Bowen. The Classroom Canines program will be rolled out to further schools in Townsville in 2012.

Mt Moss mine owners Curtain Bros Queensland acquired Zig Zag Station, about 150km west of Townsville, in 2008. Each year since they’ve been one of the sponsors of the Zig Zag Queensland Thoroughbred Investment Scheme (QTIS) Added Stakes Maiden Plate, the first race run at the annual Ewan Race meeting. But the Mt Moss mine’s links with the race aren’t limited to Zig

Zag station ownership and cup sponsorship. They extend to owning part of the now defunct township of Ewan, the streets of which - as Mt Moss Mine chief geologist Mike Barr explained - constituted the original race track. In addition to sponsoring this year’s Zig Zag plate, Mr Barr also arranged for a Mt Moss community information display at the track.

Ruling the roost Thousands of migratory shorebirds – some from as far away as Siberia - will soon be roosting safely in Mackay’s Sandfly Creek Environmental Reserve thanks to a dedicated network of local community volunteers. Conservation Volunteers Australia, working with the Mackay Regional Council and community members, is supported by funding from the Hail Creek Mine Community Development Fund. Their combined effort helps maintain the reserve which is “home away from home” for these shorebirds from October until April. Hail Creek mine general manager operations Rowan Munro said the fund had committed more than $120,000 over three years to help look after the reserve and provide educational opportunities for the community.

Proudly supporting mining communities resourcing the future

Cannington

Ivanhoe Australia Ltd is an Australian based company, with principal activities focussed in North-West Queensland. Situated near Mount Isa at our Cloncurry and Osborne operations, we are concentrating on the exploration and development of our portfolio of Copper-GoldMolybdenum-Rhenium projects in this region. In 2010 Ivanhoe Australia acquired the Osborne mine site, which will be utilised to further develop the Merlin Mine. We are now developing several large projects in this region, and 2011 is a year of rapid growth, with the expansion of our current infrastructure and installation of new facilities, as well as the continuous improvements and upgrades to the Osborne mine site.

If you are a motivated self starter, with demonstrated safe

Due to the recent growth and expansion of our company, we currently have a number of vacancies for experienced people:

work practices, looking to join

Project Geologists

Mine Geologist, Mining Engineers, Geotechnical Engineers

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We are seeking Mine Geologist, Mining and Geotechnical Engineers to work at our Osborne and Merlin Mines.

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We are seeking Project Geologists to work from our exploration site south of Cloncurry. You will report to a Senior Geologist based at the project. We have a large, multi-national exploration team within which mentoring and crosspollination of ideas is actively promoted. There is also scope for future work and interaction with other subsidiaries of the parent company Ivanhoe Mines (Asia and Africa).

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• Over 3 years exploration in IOCG, porphyry, epithermal, VMS and/or Sedex systems.

capable of ʼlling these roles please email your resume and

ial.hr@ivancorp.net.

• A BSc Geology degree; a higher qualiʻcation (Honours, Masters and PhD) is an advantage. • The ability to plan and run exploration programs (mapping, geochemical and drilling) at the prospect level. • Strong ʻeld geology skills (mapping and interpretation). • Drill-hole planning and logging; as well as supervision of drill site activities (sampling etc) and ʻeld crews.

Required skills and experience: • Experience working in a underground mining operation. • Applicable degree, qualiʻcations and licences • Base metal experience is desirable. • Demonstrate safe work practices; Ivanhoe Australia has a strong work safety culture. • Display good leadership traits and be a conscientious team player. • Current open unrestricted Queensland driver’s licence

Further information on the above roles, and other current vacancies, including skills and experience required, and employment conditions can be found on our website www.ivanhoeaustralia.com

Ivanhoe Australia Limited (Corporate Ofʻce) Level 13, 484 St Kilda Road Melbourne VIC 3004 Tel: 03 9090 8800

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Ivanhoe Australia feature

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

Osborne restart right on track Processing plant operators and heavy vehicle maintenance workers are the latest focus of recruitment efforts as activity cranks up. Ivanhoe Australia’s plan to restart operations at the company’s Osborne coppergold mine in north-west Queensland continues to be on track for processing to begin in March 2012. General manager operations Neal Valk reported that refurbishment of the plant had progressed well. All major items will be reinstalled in November and some major work needed on

the fine ore bin will also be completed. Mr Valk said development underground was progressing with cross-cuts into the Kulthor ore body carried out on two levels in preparation for sill driving to slot targets. “At Osborne Deeps, two levels have been accessed with decline development to continue to a third level,” he said. “Also, the major vent rise program for Kulthor is

Neal Valk Ivanhoe Australia general manager operations

occurring with post sinking and support of the main vent rise. “The main return air fan will

be installed in January.” Mr Valk said Ivanhoe Australia’s Osborne recruiting drive was also going well. “We’ve had good responses in the areas we’ve needed people for at various stages, but with the impending startup of the plant in March and commencement of production our next requirements are for processing plant operators as well as heavy vehicle maintenance people,” he said. “With the start-up of operations imminent, we’re looking to have these people on site by mid-January for training and familiarisation of the plant as well as wet commissioning.

“Currently, we’re looking for 20 plant operators. “They will be part of a group of 40, which will include the mobile plant fitters. “In total and over time we’ll still need to recruit another 30 people. “We’ve got 20 new staff coming on this month, but we still need some metallurgists and some planning engineers.” The new recruits would be accommodated in the Osborne village and operate on an eight/ six roster, flying in and out of Townsville, Mr Valk said.

Faces of Ivanhoe Australia - north-west Queensland Paula Kilby

Jo Dunne

Alicia Perkins

(Cairns resident) – development geologist

(Townsville) – finance superintendent

(Wagga Wagga) – senior exploration geologist

The contrast between Paula Kilby’s previous job as a scuba diving instructor and her position at Osborne mine could hardly be greater. But the Cairns-based development geologist couldn’t be happier and loves the variety and challenges the job brings. Despite having had the necessary qualifications for more than a decade, this is the first time she has worked in the geology field. “After graduating as a geologist I spent the next 12 years working as a scuba diving instructor,” she said. “I lived all over the world – in places like Thailand and the Caribbean – but two years ago, I realised it was time to get a real job.” In addition to covering development geology, Ms Kilby also works on underground geology as well as on the mining side. Her partner works in the mining industry in Western Australia. However, co-ordinating their rosters allowed the pair to spend the maximum amount of time together. “It works out really well,” Ms Kilby said.

For Townsville-based finance superintendent Jo Dunne, it has been a seamless transition from her previous position with Barrick to one with Ivanhoe Australia. When Ivanhoe came out to do due diligence before the Osborne sale was finalised in 2010, she was offered the opportunity to continue in her role should Ivanhoe be successful and she accepted with enthusiasm. “I was really rapt,” she said. “I went home with a Barrick shirt one week and came back with an Ivanhoe shirt the next. It was really good to have that continuity.” Ms Dunne grew up in the west so the Osborne environment is familiar and very much like her childhood home. “I grew up in Julia Creek and Boulia so I can really relate to this kind of country,” she said. “I love the landscape and the colours - the contrast, red earth and blue sky – the hills, the flat spaces and the peace. I also love walking back from the mine site to the village in the evening. It’s a great lifestyle. “On the work front, it’s interesting and exciting because Ivanhoe’s moving ahead to the point where we’ll be in production soon.”

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Alicia Perkins describes her job as “really cool”. It combines the best of both worlds - compatible colleagues and job satisfaction of the highest order. She took up her position with Ivanhoe Australia last May, after having been introduced to the company by a Canadian employee. “He mentioned how prospective the company is, the exploration possibilities it offered and lauded its values,” Ms Perkins said. “I really like the aspect of looking for many resources.” In addition, Ms Perkins enjoys working with “a really great team of people”. “So, it’s exciting at a number of levels. I get to be a geologist, manage people and manage projects,” she said. “It’s incredibly fulfilling, personally and professionally.” Ms Perkins, who lives in Wagga Wagga (NSW) and works 12 days on-nine days off, takes the commuting in her stride. “I know I’ve got a great handover in my cross shift, so the minute I get on the plane I start relaxing,” she said. “The shift works really well and allows my partner and I to really enjoy the time we have together.”

HEAVY MACHINERY REVIEW

November 2011 |

In for the long haul An automatic traction control system and new dumping functions are among the features of this Volvo release. The new F-Series articulated haulers from Volvo Construction Equipment Series feature a package of improvements in functionality, design and maintenance. The haulers range from the 24-tonne A25F to the 39-tonne A40F. An articulated steering system gives operators outstanding machine control through its high steering force in tough off-road conditions and its accurate, safe

operation at high hauling speeds, according to the manufacturer. The self-compensating hydro-mechanical system affords short turning circles - useful in confined loading and dumping areas and on tightly turning haul roads. Heavy-duty front and rear frames have been designed for severe offroad operation and long service life. The load body is made from HB400 steel and its design, high dump

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The new F-Series Volvo articulated hauler.

clearance and tipping angle promote good material ejection. A load-sensing “closed centre” hydraulic system and double-acting, singlestage hoist cylinders raise

the body, even on steep downhill gradients. The system allows for precise, controllable dumping – shortening cycle times and aiding safety.

All machines feature new dumping functions – detent body lowering and an adjustable tipping angle. The onboard Contronics system allows operators to set the maximum tipping angle and, therefore, overall height of the body, ensuring safety when working under electrical wires, in tunnels or underground, for example. The new F-Series haulers’ electronically controlled, six cylinder turbo-charged Volvo diesel engines feature high torque at low engine speeds, resulting in good fuel efficiency, quicker engine response and less wear. Purpose built by Volvo, they are designed to exactly match the Volvo drive train, ensuring the best use of power and torque.

The Mining Advocate

Volvo says the new F-Series is more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient than the E-Series machines. The drivetrain’s standard automatic traction control (ATC) system prevents operators from leaving their haulers permanently set in all-wheel drive mode. The ATC automatically disengages the rear axle when not needed, eliminating tyre skid when cornering and reducing tyre wear. When ATC system does sense slippage, the longitudinal differential lock and the 6X6 clutch are engaged together. This gives the hauler the optimum traction in all conditions.

Tough pump line to suit mine needs AllightSykes has launched the Sykes MH300i pump, designed to last longer and boost productivity in mining environments. It’s the first product in a new medium-head pump range developed to operate in harsh mining, construction and sewerage by-pass environments which feature high water flow and long pipe runs. Sykes engineering and pump training manager Gert Inja said the switch from standard castiron components to 316 stainless steel front and rear wear plates and impeller, plus a clever new bearing bracket set-up featuring damping properties, increased pumping efficiency to 77 per cent. “Our analysis of exhaustive field trials told us that the standard castiron impeller and plates corroded before they wore out,” he said. “So this left room for improvement

in terms of longevity and performance in harsh Australian mining conditions - widely believed to be among the most abrasive in the world. As well as the switch to 316 stainless steel as standard and the introduction of the new bearing bracket, we’ve selected a drive coupling to cover power requirements and resonance conditions (that is torsional vibration) to suit any pump and engine combination. “This also makes the pump unusually robust as well as helping to reduce fuel consumption, emissions and maintenance costs.” Other MH300i innovations include the introduction of a flooded, oil-lubricated pump bearing set-up and leak-free pump bearing isolator in place of the grease lubrication system featured in many other pumps. This neatly sidesteps the usual

threat of pump failure due to either too much or too little grease - or because of contamination. AllightSykes sales and marketing director Paul Sowerby said having all the crucial components designed, engineered and factory-fitted in Australia meant the new Sykes MH300i reached the market tailormade to make projects more efficient and productive.

The Sykes MH300i pump.

HEAVY MACHINERY REVIEW

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

Cat a pillar of productivity A recent tweak on a tried and tested line offers a range of enhanced components, with options to ensure fleet compatibility. The new Cat 789D mining truck incorporates features to improve performance, productivity, safety and serviceability while allowing for flexible configurations. The nominal payload is 181 metric tonnes (200 short tonnes), an increase of 2.5 per cent from the previous model. The mechanical drive train is powered by the Cat 3516C EUI quad turbocharged diesel engine as standard. This delivers 1566kW (2100 hp) gross power - about 10 per cent more than the previous model - for increased speed on grade, and is capable at altitudes up to 3658m with no derate. The Cat 3516B engine is also available in this truck for mines requiring an engine with gross power of 1417kW (1900 hp) to match existing fleets. The 789D’s combination body,

based on the dual slope design, is a multi-purpose, high volume one designed to reduce haulage costs of well fragmented, low density material. An updated dual slope body is also available, as are X, MSD II and dual slope types. In addition, the 789D has been designed to accommodate larger tyres - 40.00-R57 and 42/90R57 – as opposed to the 37.00-R57 standard size. In appropriate hauling conditions, larger tyres will last longer and reduce costs per unit of material hauled. The 789D oil-cooled braking system combines service, secondary, parking brake and retarding functions in the same system. Four-corner retarding with 60/40 percent split (rear/ front) in braking effort provides superior control in slippery conditions. Balanced front-

Caterpillar’s latest release for the mining truck market, the 789D.

to-rear brake torque provides exceptional braking performance and minimises wheel lock-up, especially during retarding. Customers can select from standard, deluxe or deluxe cold weather cabs. The truck design enhances

sight lines to the haul road and operating area while the air tank has been relocated off the deck for enhanced sight lines to the right of the operator, according to the manufacturer. The 789D includes an object detection system as standard

equipment from the factory. The system uses radars and cameras to give the operator audible and visual alerts of detected objects. Other features include: • An XQ configuration for reduced sound levels, • Easy access daily service points, • Convenient isolation and lock out systems, • Maintenance platform access to the engine, steering hydraulic tank and battery compartment, • Tie-off points for work above ground level, • An optional fast-fill service centre, enabling high speed fueling and oil exchange, and • Optional quick-change rims to simplify tyre replacement. A new pump drive system provides continuous rear axle filtration while extended life disc brakes deliver consistent braking power and reduced maintenance. New air intake and filters have a seal which provides easier servicing.

Latest release takes Tadano to another level The Tadano GT-600EX includes technology to detect overloading, reducing the risk of overturning the crane.

The Tadano GT-600EX brings a new of era of technology to the truck crane market, according to the manufacturer. The 60 metric-tonne vehicle would fill a void in the Australian market, Tadano Oceania operations manager Peter Shelton said. He described it as the best quality, best equipped and best performing truck crane available in the world. The Tadano GT-600EX model truck crane features a lifting capacity of 60 metric tonnes at a 3m radius; a fully hydraulic, round box construction-type boom and bi-fold fly jib, with the boom reaching 43m when fully extended and a fly jib length of 8.8m to 15.2m. The superstructure is mounted on a Tadano ownbrand chassis. The GT-600EX is equipped with a hydraulic suspension system that Tadano uses in its all-terrain and rough terrain cranes. This allows comfortable road

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driving. The maximum travelling speed of the Tadano GT-600EX is 84km/h. “Probably the key attribute of this class of crane is that it has been designed to meet the Australian bridge formula while carrying all its counterweight, fly jib, second winch and hooks etc,” Mr Shelton said. “We are able to sell and support this new model Tadano crane in Australia as one of the biggest capacity road-legal truck cranes in the industry.” A computer with an automatic moment limiter (AML) - Tadano’s latest model monitor – allows readouts of aspects such as boom length, boom angle, load radius, swing position, actual load, total rated load, outrigger position, jib length and jib offset angle. The AML detects any overload state to help prevent damage to the boom and the risk of overturning the crane.

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DRILLING AND EXPLORATION

November 2011 |

The Mining Advocate

Market prospects in good nick An Australian company advancing a project near Gympie is backing nickel as a metal with a strong long-term outlook, writes Jan Green. AusNiCo managing director John Downie is confident the market’s undervalued perception of nickel will change once prices stabilise and awareness of the metal’s value becomes heightened. Buoyed by that confidence, AusNiCo is focusing on drilling its Black Snake maiden resource at the Pembroke, Silver Valley and Mt Cobalt-Mt Clara deposits west of Gympie. All three are promising but Pembroke’s resource of ore-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation, discovered in 2008, stands out. Pembroke - only the second nickel sulphide discovery in eastern Australia since 1998 -

has the potential to operate as a large open-cut project with the advantage of lower mining costs. Mr Downie said AusNiCo had wasted no time in drilling the potentially rich resources following listing on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2010. “On the basis of our extensive drilling and exploration, I believe we can justly claim to be the only independent Australian company to have discovered potentially economic nickel sulphide mineralisation in eastern mainland Australia,” Mr Downie said. Assay results from a 2005m, 13-hole reverse circulation

Pembroke drilling campaign revealed a large low-grade nickel sulphide mineralised system with a maximum 181m intersection at 0.25 per cent nickel. It also returned 21m at 1.04 per cent copper, 2.09g per tonne gold and 145 parts per million cobalt. Given the system is open to the west and north at depth, it has the potential to double in size. Low impurity levels are also a major advantage. Mr Downie anticipates production could start as soon as the first half of 2012. “With road, rail and an existing permitted gold processing facility and tailings dam on a granted mining lease within 2km of Pembroke, we are well positioned and equipped to go ahead,” he said. Mr Downie said while many mining companies headed

AusNiCo exploration manager John Roiko and Jim Heape look over plans.

overseas in search of nickel deposits, AusNiCo preferred to concentrate its efforts - which were now paying off well - at home. “We are confident that despite

nickel prices being low for some time, its long-term value will soon be re-established,” he said. Mr Downie said nickel was “an exciting metal and one with exciting long-term prospects.”

Exco sees range of options in Cloncurry tenements

Exco Resources’ Mt Colin project in north-west Queensland.

An infill and extension drilling program at Exco Resources’ Mt Colin deposit, west of Cloncurry, has yielded substantial copper and gold growth. The deposit’s mineral resource has increased by 29 per cent to 1.92 million tonnes at a grade of 2.59 per cent copper and 0.42g/tonne gold. In a recent interview with openbriefing.com, Exco Resources acting chief executive officer Geoff Laing described the Mt Colin upgrade as very significant for the organisation’s short-term strategy. “Because of its location, the high-grade ore is suitable for processing at any of the four facilities in the region within trucking distance from Mt Colin,” he said. Commenting on Exco’s exploration plans across its tenement package of more than 3000sq km in north-west Queensland, Mr Laing said the strategy was to initially establish resources suitable for processing at nearby facilities.

“Our longer term objective is to develop selfsustaining resources, particularly in the more remote northern and southern tenements,” he said. “In the central Pumpkin Gully area, about 1520km east of Cloncurry, we’re working on prospects such as Salebury, Tanbah and Fisher Creek.” Exco believes the area has the potential to deliver not only higher grade resources suitable for processing at any of the facilities in the region, but larger stand-alone resources. “We also continue to explore the Hazel Creek project area to the north, where we’ve been operating a satellite camp and facilities for most of this year,” Mr Laing said. The other area the company was focusing on covered the southern tenements of Cloncurry, including the Canteen area, Mr Laing said. “Our plan is to pull together the geological models and be well prepared for a very substantial drilling program in 2012,” he said.

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MATERIALS HANDLING

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

Tower hoist for EHM As an underground copper operation steams toward production, ABB is set to supply a major element of the materials handling system. An $11 million tower-mounted hoist will transport ore at Xstrata Copper’s new underground mine at Ernest Henry Mining (EHM), playing a key role in extending the operation’s life 12 years. The hoist system will be designed, supplied and commissioned by power and automation technology group ABB. It will run at a speed of 16m per second, allowing 1020 tonnes of primary crushed ore per hour to be taken about 950m from the underground loading station to the surface once the underground shaft is commissioned. The hoist will be driven by a 5000-kilowatt synchronous

motor powered by ABB’s stateof-the-art ACS 6000 drive system to control torque and speed for energy-efficient ore haulage. The system will provide additional reactive power during operation to minimise the new hoist’s impact on the surrounding power network. “The hoisting system is a significant component of the shaft underground mine’s materials handling system,” EHM general manager Myles Johnston said. “The main shaft sink is scheduled to start towards the end of this year with headframe construction beginning soon

Construction work at Ernest Henry Mining near Cloncurry in north-west Queensland. Photo: Rob Parsons

after. The headframe is due to be completed in the second half of 2012 and we expect the shaft to be commissioned in the first half of 2013, enabling full-scale operations from that time. “Construction of an underground decline began in February 2008 as part of the prefeasibility study for the project and since then underground development works have been progressing with a focus on key headings for access to the base of the shaft and for ventilation and dewatering systems.

“We will commence initial underground production via the underground decline once openpit mining has been completed towards the end of this year. “Ore will be trucked from the underground mine via the decline at rates of approximately 3 million tonnes per annum until the shaft is commissioned, after which time production rates will gradually increase to 6 million tonnes per annum of ore at full capacity.” Through its $589 million investment to transition the EHM operation from open-pit

to underground mining and magnetite processing, Xstrata Copper will create 300 jobs during the construction phase and 400 jobs from 2013 to 2024. ABB country manager Australia, Axel Kuhr, said his organisation had delivered more than 600 new mine hoist systems worldwide. “So our design represents the industry benchmark for mine hoist safety, energy efficiency and cost effectiveness,” he said.

Conveyor plans? Monadelphous gets the drift Work on a 1.8km drift conveyor and a 7.5km overland conveyor is due to start in November as part of a major extension of Rio Tinto’s Kestrel mine near Emerald. Two contracts worth about $100 million have been awarded to Monadelphous Group for the provision of civil, structural, mechanical and electrical work on the site. Monadelphous engineering construction division general manager Adam Edwards said the drift conveyor would take coal from the new underground mine and bring it to the surface. The overland conveyor would then transport it to the existing Kestrel operation and coal wash plant location. “The project will be completed and

ready for Rio Tinto by third quarter 2012,” he said. The 1.8km-long, 1.8m-wide drift conveyor belt will have a speed of 5.5m per second, capacity of 5259 tonnes per hour, 259m lift and a 750-tonne capacity surge bin and tower. It will have an 80m-long emergency by-pass conveyor. In addition, Monadelphous will supply and install a chain feeder and primary sizer, each rated at 3500tph. As part of its second contract, Monadelphous will supply and install a stockpile reclaim (1400tph chain feeder and primary sizer); a 19.7m-long, 2m-wide transfer conveyor with a belt speed of 3m per second and 3100tph

The Kestrel conveyor drift, into which Monadelphous will install a 1.8km belt.

capacity. The company will also supply and install a 7.5km-long, 1.5m-wide, 3100tphcapacity overland conveyor with associated transfer towers. Overland conveyor installation at Kestrel will begin at both

ends and work towards the centre. “The contracts will be performed simultaneously and employ up to 250 people – preferably local or Queensland residents,” Mr Edwards said.

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WET SEASON

November 2011 |

The Mining Advocate

Sun Metals’ watershed strategy A North Queensland zinc refinery is giving the term liquid assets new meaning with its approach to tailings and stormwater use. Sun Metals Corporation’s impressive water management program should ensure the organisation faces no operational threats during the wet season. The refinery outside Townsville continues to be a zero-discharge site, utilising every drop that falls on the property. Sun Metals began operations in 1999 with a production capacity of 170,000 tonnes of zinc per annum and has increased to more than 210,000tpa, according to process engineer – process development Keagan Chisnall. Unsaleable by-products from the refining process have been stored in several tailings dams with the prospect of installing advanced processing facilities to turn them into saleable by-products.

“While waiting for technology to be developed for this, it was expected (from Townsville historical weather data), that evaporation would exceed rainfall and the volume of the tailings dams would be more than sufficient,” Mr Chisnall said. This assumption remains valid over the long term. However, above-average rainfall in the last four years altered the water balance to show a net input from the environment. Mr Chisnall said that with higher rainfall and rising water costs in mind, Sun Metals created a dedicated by-products and tailings dam management department. “Over three years, we’ve reduced townwater consumption by more

By-products - process co-ordinator Herb Kuskopf with Sun Metals process engineer - process development Keagan Chisnall at the refinery.

than 80 per cent compared to 2007 usages (5000 cubic metres a day), through replacing townwater with recycled tailings dam water,” he said. “Major projects in achieving this goal have included the recommissioning of a reverse osmosis plant, producing more than 1200 cubic metres of permeate – which exceeds townwater quality – and using very acidic and metal-laden

tailings water to wash filter cloths, batch flocculent and add to the leaching process when extra volume is needed. This not only reduces townwater consumption and simplifies tailing dams management, it has also ultimately increased production through recovery. We have also begun very close monitoring of rainwater collected in the stormwater dams and are now able to use that

water as a direct replacement of townwater in our cooling towers of up to 2000 cubic metres a day.” Mr Chisnall said Sun Metals’ target was to reduce townwater use to less than 200 cubic metres a day by the end of the year. In addition, a new reverse osmosis plant is being commissioned which will be able to filter brackish water or polish stormwater.

Solid ﬁeld assessment vital in limiting damage With a predicted heavy wet season looming for the second time in as many years, the urgency for effective water management on the part of mining companies and the Queensland Government is paramount. Townsville environmental chemist and mineralogist Dr Chris Cuff said while most mining companies did very good baseline work, that is drilling holes and monitoring the quality of groundwater before starting operations, a minority did not. In such cases Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) regulatory guidelines applied, he said.

“Although strategies are in place for dealing with alleged incidents, DERM is understaffed and, I believe, needs to be better resourced to be able to distinguish real problems from little ‘blips’,” Dr Cuff said. “Of further concern is the fact that Queensland’s regulatory guidelines aren’t necessarily applicable to contaminated groundwater in the seasonally arid tropics. “So if guidelines are enshrined in stone, seasonal variability can’t be taken into account.” He identified Bowen Basin coalfields flooding as one instance where it was essential that a strong science base and

Dr Chris Cuff Environmental chemist-mineralogist

common sense prevailed over rigid rulings regarding the release of accumulated pit water. Dr Cuff believes the applica-

tion of current annual (rainfall) exceedence probabilities (AEP) over the whole of tropical Australia is problematic due to the shortage of records. “In some areas, and particularly in the Bowen and Galilee basins - areas of huge current and proposed coal production - high intensity rainfall events occur more frequently than would be indicated by the conventional AEP calculations,” he said. “For example, our AEP estimates across the northern part of the Bowen Basin and the eastern parts of the Galilee Basin indicate that supposed one-in50-year events have a return

interval of approximately one in 10 years.” Heeding this warning, mining companies in those areas were now building higher protection into their mine sites and infrastructure to better manage risk at acceptable commercial levels, he said. “In short, to minimise wet season damage, field assessment incorporating flood plain position, geomorphological context and locally derived parameters is vital,” Dr Cuff said. “It should never be merely desk-based or totally constrained by official guidelines.”

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PROCESSING

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

A new spin on the centrifuge Recently released dewatering technology promises to give coal handling and preparation processes a bit of a shake-up, writes Jan Green. Schenck Process’s SVC horizontal vibrating centrifuge features an improved carbon footprint as well as reduced maintenance requirements. Schenck Process has described this new dewatering technology as the centrifuge redefined. The unit can be mounted in multiple configurations and features twin preload bearing arrangements with smooth rolling contact of the bearing rollers during vibrations with reduced loads. These features increase service life of the machine. The SVC centrifuge comes with multiple centrate discharge chutes, which provide increased versatility in plant chute design. This allows for coal preparation plants to either be more compact

or provide more space for other equipment. A specially designed inlet chute allows for the centrifuge’s door to open without the need to remove the feed chute, resulting in less overall downtime during basket changeovers. Schenck Process has constructed the SVC range with a unique shaft assembly extraction system. With origins in Germany, Schenck Process started more than 125 years ago. Along with unveiling the latest in centrifuge technology, the company offers the option of vibration condition monitoring and control system equipment, VibroMAC, to be installed in the SVC range. The VibroMAC system monitors axial vibration

The new SVC horizontal vibrating centrifuge released by Schenck Process.

and machine imbalances, sending signals to the centrifuge’s variable speed drives to increase the vibratory motors to clear

the basket whenever bulk material is unevenly distributed inside during feeding surges or overloading.

These vibratory motors can be ramped down during periods of low throughput to minimise machine wear and tear.

Risky business, from project planning to end Risk management must be undertaken from feasibility through to operational phases to get the most value from processing plants, according to Ausenco operations improvement group senior manager - risk, Mark Reed. In his presentation at the recent Mineral Processing Plants Design and Construction Conference 2011, Mr Reed summarised the risk management process in three questions. These were: what can go wrong, how can it go wrong and what can be done to either stop it happening or to reduce the impact if it does? “It is absolutely critical to risk assess projects in the study phase – high risk levels can make or break projects in this phase - and this must be done at a high level, challenging the assumptions and

Mark Reed Ausenco operations improvement group senior manager - risk

taking a holistic view of the project,” Mr Reed said. “The quality of the risk facilitator is most important here, as a narrow view can easily result in a ‘garbage in, garbage out’ exercise.”

Mr Reed stressed it was important to consider that the plant was just one link in the chain between pit and port. “So, when risk assessing plants in the study phase it is also critical to have input from construction and operations personnel,” he said. In terms of project delays and their impact on costs - time is money. When commodity prices are high, any delay is a lost opportunity for maximised value. “When delays occur late in project construction or commissioning, operating costs can rack up at a frightening rate as an operating team and a construction team escalate the sunk cost of a nonoperating plant,” Mr Reed said. “As far as social issues are concerned, all processing plants have the potential

to impact on the local community and issues such as noise, dust, discharges and even traffic all have a bearing. “One very important thing to consider with project development is the ‘boom to bust’ impact a plant construction has on the local community, which is why it is essential to consider the construction and operations phases during planning.” Mr Reed stressed that risk events occurred, regardless of how good a project’s risk management was. “When they do, rapid responses and, generally, immediate spending are required,” he said. “Having a project risk contingency fund separate to the estimate budget and estimate contingencies is most important.”

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BUILDING NW QUEENSLAND

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

Family won over by Mount Isa With attributes like affordable real estate and close-knit community life, north-west Queensland keeps capturing hearts. Despite having lived most of her life on Australia’s east coast – between Sydney, Hervey Bay and Townsville - Simone Budden and her husband Tim love inland Mount Isa and can’t now imagine living anywhere else. Mrs Budden admits the transition from the east coast to north-west Queensland five years ago took a while but is adamant that good friends, a great lifestyle and a strong sense of community more than compensate for the lack of surf and sea air. “I did find it a bit difficult at the beginning but there are so

many nice people out here, it definitely helped in adjusting from the coast to the country,” she said. Mr Budden was originally employed by Xstrata Copper but now works for Hastings Deering. Mrs Budden, who is on maternity leave, will return to her position at Xstrata Copper as personal assistant to the general manager - sustainable development and the general manager - human resources in January. “When we realised we were going to stay – the original intention was for two years only

Plenty of puﬀ in local sports scene Junior sports thrive in Mount Isa, the birthplace of such greats as Greg Norman and Pat Rafter, thanks to strong local business and State Government support. With about 44 clubs and some 2100 participants ranging in age from four to 16, the city can be seen to punch well above its weight when a youth sports to population ratio is invoked. Mount Isa sports with a youth focus include Australian rules football, basketball, cricket, hockey, martial arts (including judo, sikaran, jujitsu and karate), boxing, netball, rugby league, soccer, tennis, touch, athletics, BMX, go karts, dirt-bike riding, running and triathlon, softball and swimming. Member for Mount Isa Betty Kierman said a large number of volunteers contributed their time and knowledge to ensure young people participated in a wide range of sporting activities. “Most are able to do this because of the small amount of travel needed to get to sporting venues across the city,” she said. “But without government and local business support, sport in the city would not be able to function as effectively as it does.” North West Crane Hire managing director Mark Bellamy not only provides cash but makes his 22-seater buses available to clubs and teams competing in Mount Isa and surrounding regions. “If the buses aren’t in use, they are welcome to them,” he said. The people movers also come in handy around town at school carnival times. “That happens about three or four times a year, plus the schools in different regions also compete,” Mr Bellamy said.

“In addition, the buses have been used to take young Mount Isa people to the Queensland judo titles in Roma and the soccer kids to Cairns.” Mr Bellamy makes monetary contributions to a number of sporting groups including soccer, softball, rugby league, judo and tennis. “I started the business in 2004 and, as soon as we could afford to, got involved in sports sponsorship,” he said. “I recognise sport can be an expensive activity so I also try and relieve the cost to parents by carrying fuel costs when they borrow the buses.” Mr Bellamy described Mount Isa’s business support of local sporting groups as exceptional. “You’ve only got to go to a local football match and you see up to seven different contractors’ names on the teams’ shirts,” he said. “Everyone who can gets in and helps them.”

- we bought a house and are currently renovating it,” she said. “We were really surprised at how reasonable real estate prices are and we are delighted with our place. It’s a great home and we love it. “I also love the community. It’s very close knit and feels just like home. Even people I don’t know are kind and friendly. We have a lot of fun here and there’s always something to do, so we are never bored.” In terms of amenities, Mrs Budden feels Mount Isa is well provided for. “I occasionally miss the big shopping centres, but if what I want isn’t available I can always get it online, plus a lot of places here will specially order things if they aren’t available locally,” she said. Mrs Budden attributes much of the quality of Mount Isa life to generous input from the mining industry. “They do a massive amount of work for the town and there’s absolutely no question of it being

Mount Isa residents Tim and Simone Budden with sons Ben and baby Joshua.

a ‘them and us’ situation,” she said. “They are well and truly part of the community.” Mrs Budden is confident Mount Isa is the best place for sons Josh (five months) and Ben (2½) to grow up.

“Everything they need including excellent education - is here,” she said. “We are definitely here for the long haul and while I occasionally miss the smell of the ocean, I love this place. “It’s home. It really is home.”

Engineering excellence Former South Africans Deryck and Rene Thompson and their three children arrived in Australia with very little money but a lot of hope and huge dreams in November 2002. Nine years on, those hopes and dreams have been realised in the form of successful business Engineering Excellence, three properties and an unshakeable conviction that Mount Isa is the best place in the world in which to live. After working for other companies for two years, the Thompsons saw a gap in the market and set up business for themselves. “We started in a small shed with a bank loan spent on a 1.5m lathe, a small turret mill, a band saw and a small stock of steel,” Mr Thompson said. “After two very nervous months, work started coming in regularly and after four months we moved into our current address on the Barkly Highway. “My lovely wife – who also does a great job as Minister of War and Finance - had an airconditioned office and we rented a large workshop so we could expand. “After two years of working 10 to 16 hours a day, including weekends, we built up enough machinery to employ people and bought the shed.

“Next we bought the house next door to the workshop so Rene and I could spend more time together.” Hard work and dedication have certainly paid off, because Engineering Excellence took out the CS Energy Awards for Manufacturing Engineering in October 2009. The company runs six lathes, the largest of which is 4m long with an 880mm swing; four milling machines; a large drill press and welding machines. It keeps a large stock of steel up to 152mm and 2m long as well as hollow bar, bronze and solid billets. “Because of this, we can do 99 per cent of all jobs that come in the door immediately,” Mr Thompson said. “I’m also lucky in that I have a brilliant handpicked team - Marlito De Guzman, our workshop foreman, as well as Harley Steed and Robin Hartley.” Future business plans include completing an electrical upgrade, building on the workshop and investing in larger machinery. “Our secret to success is hard work, steel stock on hand for supply-on-demand work and top customer service,” Mr Thompson said. “Everyone who brings us work is a friend, not a customer, and small jobs are just as important as the biggest.”

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Deryck and Rene Thompson with Marlito De Guzman, Robin Hartley and Harley Steed at Engineering Excellence.

MINING FAMILIES

November 2011 |

The Mining Advocate

Defence a model for support With so much happening so quickly in Queensland’s booming mining industry, many families are having to cope with the sorts of issues defence personnel and their families have been dealing with for decades. These include varying periods of absence – particularly where mining employees fly in and fly out – having to construct completely new social networks in new locations and children’s education, just to name a few. To date, the mining industry has no over-arching support mechanism to deal with such issues. However, many of the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) strategies would work equally well with mining families. The Defence Community Organisation (DCO) supports families when ADF members are absent from home for service reasons. DCO - which is aided in this task by the National Welfare Co-ordination Centre (NWCC) and individual units – helps build Defence families’ self-reliance and enhance connections with their local community. “Before ADF members deploy, they complete a Family Registration Form which enables Defence to contact the family and provide resources and information on the range of support services provided by the Defence Community Organisation and communitybased organisations,” a Defence spokesperson said. Help is permanently on hand as Defence families can contact the National Welfare Co-ordination Centre 24 hours a day, seven days a week for information and referral to a Defence social worker or appropriate family support

agencies. NWCC can also provide information about a member’s deployment or pass urgent messages to deployed personnel. The Defence Community Organisation runs the Emergency Support for Families Scheme for families who experience an emergency while the member is away. Defence also recently launched a pilot of an initiative called FamilySMART — a series of group programs delivered to families by social workers. FamilySMART helps the partners of ADF members identify strategies and supports that build their psychological resilience so they can better manage stressful situations like deployment, parental absence

Squadron Leader Grant Fifield, based at No. 1 Squadron RAAF Base Amberley, is reunited with his son Fletcher, 2, and wife Megan shortly after returning from a mission. Photo: courtesy Department of Defence

from home, moving house or a partner returning after a long time away.

The Defence Community Organisation has also produced two DVDs to help families

manage absences from home. They cover the different phases of absence including preparation, staying in touch and reunion. “Going Solo – Dealing with Absence in Defence Families” is aimed at families with young children, and “Don’t Forget It’s Bin Night” is for families with teenage children. There is also a range of booklets and pamphlets that offer tips and tools specifically for families with children. Finally, the Partners in Defence website, www.defence. gov.au/dco/partners, provides information about all aspects of military life, including absence from home.

Staying together takes eﬀort – relationship breakdown may take more My wife keeps saying we need marriage counselling. I think we’re doing OK. We own our home, the kids do well in school and we’re in a routine now with my FIFO situation. At home, my priorities are seeing the kids, maintenance jobs and some R’n’R. My wife’s best friend left her husband last year and got $200,000 out of him. That would break me, so should I be worried? Al. As a family lawyer, I regularly meet men shocked that a relationship ended abruptly without apparent reason, only to learn that their partner had been preparing to move on for sometime. I meet women who say their partner

did not get just how unhappy they had become. We see an influx of these clients in the early part of each year, after the strains of the Christmas holiday season and the opportunity that New Year brings for reassessing their lives. Prevention is better than cure. Often there’s no cure for the relationship after one party has decided to end things. The only available cure (read, “moving on”) comes at significant cost to both parties – regardless of who ended it. Any conflict or unhappiness being escaped can worsen while new financial and parenting arrangements are sorted out. These tasks are difficult enough, but more so in the context of hurt feelings, lost trust and anxiety about the future.

As a general rule: • No one ends up with the money or assets they believe they deserve. (And it doesn’t matter who paid the mortgage.) • Neither parent has rights to the kids. (You’ll have to consult with your ex for years.) • Courts are not concerned about fairness between parents. • Child support seems unaffordable to the payer and inadequate to the payee. • Court battles take 18 months to two years. So Al – go see that counsellor. Susan Thomson is a partner in the MacDonnells Law state-wide Family Law team and a Queensland Law Society Accredited Family Law Specialist. Susan is based in the firm’s Cairns office.

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EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RESCUE

The Mining Advocate | November 2011

Mount Isa crew tops challenge Emergency response personnel from a raft of North Queensland operations tested their skills at George Fisher mine recently. In a hard-fought battle, Xstrata Mount Isa Mines’ E Crew held off six other teams to be named overall winner in the 2011 North West Minerals Province Mine Rescue Challenge. Four teams from Mount Isa Mines and one each from Ernest Henry Mining, MMG Century Mine and Resolute’s Ravenswood Mine competed in the rescue challenge, coordinated by Xstrata Copper’s

safety and health department. The teams were put through their paces in six categories during the two-day event at Xstrata’s George Fisher Mine. These included road accident rescue, vertical rescue, underground search and rescue, fire and first-aid scenarios as well as a theory and skills event. Ultimately, it came down to just a handful of points across the top three teams; Mount Isa E Crew, Ernest Henry Mining

and the Mount Isa B Crew. Xstrata Mount Isa Mines emergency and protective services superintendent Darren Bracey described the annual challenge as a chance for the rescue teams to test their training in a realistic environment adjudicated by experienced personnel. “Having mines rescue teams compete from across North Queensland provides an opportunity for all to benchmark and learn through mutual sharing of training and techniques,” Mr Bracey said.

The Century team tackles the multi-casualty event.

Photo: Roslyn Budd

Oaky No. 1 wins national underground title Queensland’s Oaky No. 1 team has emerged victorious from the 49th Australian Underground Mines Rescue Competition. Four teams from Queensland, one from Tasmania and four from New South Wales participated in the event, held at Wollongong’s Mines Rescue Station and NRE Gujurat Coal Mine, NSW. Second and third places went to Angus Place (Western Districts) and Appin Colliery

(Southern Districts) teams from New South Wales. Queensland’s Grasstree, North Goonyella and Crinum mines placed fifth, sixth and seventh. Dysart Rescue Station operations manager chief assessor Raymond Smith said all teams performed extremely well. At the Gujurat underground exercise, teams were informed there’d been an outburst and three people were missing. Participants were assessed

Oaky No. 1 team (back) Khan Tait, Nitun Gounder, captain Leith Luckel, Lenny Suluvale, (front) Mark Sheperdson, Steve Dawe and vicecaptain Steve Reed.

on search skills and timbering. Other areas of assessment included patient care, stretcher work, communications and team capabilities after the captain was eliminated through injury. The station exercise involved a briefing on compressed air breathing apparatus. Within minutes, shouting and coughing was heard coming from

the portal from which two “casualties” needed rescuing. Within the scenario, others were also missing and high carbon monoxide levels were detected at the monitoring points. The final challenge revolved around a fire at the boot-end, left by belt splicers who had been overcome by smoke. Mr Smith said a 50-question

theory paper delivered by power-point on a time delay of 20 seconds tested the ability of captains to delegate. “Finally, an individual practical test tested team members in mine-plan reading, minimum equipment knowledge, first aid and the use of compressed air breathing apparatus protocols,” Mr Smith said.

Mines boost CQ chopper’s coﬀers The Queensland mining industry recently donated $25,000 to the RACQ-CQ Rescue helicopter service. Queensland Commissioner for Mine Safety and Health, Stewart Bell said the mining industry and wider community were deeply indebted to the RACQ-CQ Rescue helicopter team, who dedicated their time to saving lives. RACQ-CQ Rescue general manager Phil Dowler acknowledged the mining industry was a great supporter of the service. “The cost to fly the rescue helicopter for one

hour amounts to $6033, so we are extremely grateful for the donation from industry, whose generosity keeps us flying for about 134 hours a year,” he said. “Almost 50 per cent of total missions are to areas within the Bowen Basin and with development under way in the Galilee Basin, we can expect to be a great deal busier. “The fact is, no one knows when they will need to use our services, but without the help of the community and industry donations, we wouldn’t be in a position to help those in need.”

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Miners Memorial Day

November 2011 |

The Mining Advocate

Photos : Roslyn Budd

Coal community marks its losses

Tribute in Mount Isa Miners, union representatives, industry executives and family members of those killed in mining work commemorated Miners Memorial Day in Mount Isa recently. While the 2011 occasion paid tribute to some 1470 workers who have died over three centuries of mining in Queensland, it also marked the 90th anniversary of the state’s worst mining disaster. This occurred when 75 mine workers died in a coal dust explosion at North Queensland’s Mount Mulligan mine. “Miners Memorial Day shines a light on the most important side of mining – the safety and health of the men and women who work in Queensland’s mines and quarries,” State Employment, Skills and Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said. “It is also a day for mine workers, families and friends to remember their loved ones. By being here today, we are also able to reflect on what can happen if we are not vigilant about protecting the safety and health of mine workers.” The service also remembered miners who died in mine disasters at Collinsville, Box Flat, Kianga, Moura No. 4 and Moura No. 2 mines. Australian Workers’ Union organiser Hag Harrison said all mining deaths could be avoided, so ensuring such tragedies did not reoccur must be paramount. “The mining industry is changing, with new people coming in…so we must be vigilant that they are being trained to a high standard so they aren’t put at risk,” he said.

Bill Allison (CFMEU) and Hag Harrison (AWU, Mount Isa).

Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe

In his address at the Collinsville Miners Memorial Day service, CFMEU Mining and Energy Division Queensland district president Stephen Smyth honoured all miners who had lost their lives on the Collinsville coalfields since mining began there in 1919. In particular, he paid tribute to the seven who died as the result of a carbon dioxide outburst 57 years ago. Queensland Mine Safety and Health Commissioner Stewart Bell, who also attended the October service, emphasised the importance of all miners remaining vigilant in the workplace and of acknowledging the sacrifices made by those who had lost their lives. “We must not forget those sacrifices when we strive for zero harm, the industry catch-cry,” he said. “It’s easy to become complacent but we haven’t solved all the (safety) problems and so we need to keep our eye on the ball at all times.” Mr Smyth also paid tribute to those who have contributed to preventing tragedies and accidents through improved safety standards and the union movement in general. “Also, we should never forget others killed in coal mines elsewhere,” he said. “Coal mining is and continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations anywhere in the world.” Given that reality, Mr Smyth stressed the importance and urgency of maintaining stringent rules and legislation to ensure the health and safety of all mineworkers. “They are their own safety officers. If it’s not safe don’t do the job because no amount of money is worth putting yourself in a position of danger,” he said.

Rick Leeman (Xstrata Zinc), Cassandra Bird (Xstrata Copper) and Bryant Schwengler (Xstrata Zinc).

James Sweeney and Louise Brennan (Good Shepherd Catholic College, Mount Isa).

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