Coal set for dramatic shake-out, says IHS

The Australian Financial Review reports that the Australian coal sector is set for a dramatic shake-out this year with imminent asset sales pending, mine shutdowns increasingly likely and further job losses inevitable as mining companies struggle to deal with stubbornly low commodity prices, according to consultancy IHS.

Plaguing the sector is a hefty oversupply in the wake of investment on “over-zealous” expectations of Chinese demand, while consumption has been soft, including an unprecedented 6% drop in global demand last year, IHS said.

Mount Isa Mines app for neighbours to check air quality

An app is one of two online tools Mount Isa Mines says will provide transparent information on the mine's air quality and sulfur dioxide management activities, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The AQMI (Air Quality Mount Isa) smartphone app shows the mine's data from Mount Isa's air quality and weather conditions in the Queensland outback town.

The company has also launched a new AQMI (Air Quality in Mount Isa) online portal on the Mount Isa Mines website which provides sulfur dioxide data automatically uploaded every hour from Mount Isa's air quality monitoring network.

QNi still in trouble, says sacked administrator

The administrators removed by Clive Palmer from running his Townsville refinery say operational problems at the Yabulu refinery could force the plant's closure, according to the Australian Financial Review.

As another former manager at Queensland Nickel came forward to question Palmer's management team at the refinery before it went into voluntary administration on January 18, FTI Consulting director John Park said there was a “myriad of operational challenges” at the refinery.