Events
Prospect Awards finalists exhibit mining’s best FINALISTS FOR THE 2021 AUSTRALIAN MINING PROSPECT AWARDS ARE NOW LOCKED IN WITH THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST IN SAFETY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OVERALL BRILLIANCE ALL ON SHOW.
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he Prospect Awards is a mustsee event that showcases the best innovations and projects developed by mining and METS (mining equipment, technology and services) companies, ensuring outstanding individual and team performances are recognised. Despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 awards show will go ahead, albeit on March 17, 2022, at The Greek Club in Brisbane. Prospect Awards events manager Lauren Winterbottom thanks each of the talented individuals and organisations that submitted an application.
COAL MINE OF THE YEAR – PROUDLY SPONSORED BY SEW-EURODRIVE A QUESTIONING ATTITUDE This award recognises a coal mine that is performing well or has carried out an innovative project or program like last year’s winners, the Moolarben operation in New South Wales. The nominations are the Kestrel coal mine, owned by Kestrel Coal Resources, and Yancoal’s Yarrabee coal mine, both in Queensland. Kestrel has been recognised for making the operation one of Australia’s highest producing underground longwall coal mines. The mine produced 3.45 million tonnes of coal for the first half of 2021 before it completed a longwall move in less than 23 days from July to August.
The awards night will be held in Brisbane.
Yancoal has been recognised for its new cultural framework. During 2020-2021, Yarrabee broke all previous monthly and quarterly records for drilling and explosives loaded. It also became the first mine in Australia to implement the new Hitachi 800 tonne excavator, the EX8000-7. CONTRACT MINER OF THE YEAR – PROUDLY SPONSORED BY EPIROC This award recognises excellence in contract mining, engineering, projects, and services. For the second year in a row, Mader Group has been nominated, alongside newcomer MEC Mining. Mader Group provides specialist maintenance support for heavy mobile equipment and fixed infrastructure in mining and civil industries. Its value on the ASX increased by more than 20 per cent in the 2021 financial year. MEC Mining’s Productive Solutions offer holistic consultation to clients whose
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challenges have been compounded by the pandemic and increasing scrutiny of environmental and safety practices. In early 2020, MEC was approached by an ASX-listed mining multi-national publicly committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. HARD ROCK MINE OF THE YEAR – PROUDLY SPONSORED BY EPIROC This award turns the focus on hard rock mining and the businesses performing well or undertaking innovation projects to better themselves and the industry. New Century Resources has been nominated for two awards this year, the first of which sees its Century zine mine up for Hard Rock Mine of the Year. Century saw teams take on initiatives in water saving through hydraulic mining, and concentrate loading in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Roy Hill iron ore mine delivered a record equivalent annual run rate of 60 million tonnes in the June quarter of 2021.
