The challenge, organised by the Queensland Resources Council, aims to test and improve the skills of the state’s rescue services, with 11 teams from the mining industry and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service taking part in this year’s series of mock rescue situations.

These will range from a road accident, a chemical spill, a tunnel rock-fall, a rescue from heights, and a search and rescue operation involving breathing apparatus. The aim is to make the situations as realistic as possible, so the volunteers and competitors get first-hand experience of the techniques used in real-life rescues.

The tunnel rock-fall scenario was designed by North Region mines inspection officer Trevor Brown.

Brown said the Queensland Mines Rescue Challenge provided an opportunity to give rescue personnel greater insight into the part they played in emergency situations.

"And it's not just the challengers who benefit. I probably learnt as much being a mock patient as I did from actually entering," he said.

The challenge would also include a symposium with presentations on various topics relating to mines rescue.

"Rescue personnel's priorities are to make a situation safe, save lives, aid the injured, recover the deceased, and preserve the scene in as undisturbed state as possible for investigation," minister for natural resources and mines Henry Palaszczuk said.