Queensland Mines Minister Andrew Cripps told International Coal News that the state government from the premier down was committed to emphasising to Queensland’s established and emerging customers in northeast Asia that the state was a global minerals province with a world class coal industry.
“The premier was in Japan recently and before that China where he promoted the industry,” Cripps said.
“The majority of Queenslanders want a strong resources industry but they want it to be properly regulated.”
Cripps said the industry was working though issues such as environmental opposition to infrastructure development and the expansion of the Abbot Point coal facility, through arguing a scientific case that added economic and environmental instead of resorting to emotive arguments to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
He said the industry had to have a long-term horizon, which was why he approved uranium mining and the development of shale oil in the state.
QME 2014 was officially opened yesterday by Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney in front of many visitors from both the local and international mining industry.
There was an attitude at QME 2014 that the Bowen Basin continued to attract innovation despite the downturn in the industry.
Contractor Mastermyne CEO Tony Caruso said the company was cooperating with its clients to create innovative solutions that benefited both parties.
One of these innovations was the development of an underground coal mining training facility that alleviated skills shortages by inducting people from outside the industry.
It helped lower the cost of labour for Mastermyne and ensured that the company could offer a more cost-competitive service.
There were several new products on display at QME 2014, reflecting the confidence in the industry.
PT Hydraulics Australia launched its ProTorc hydraulic torque wrenches, which have a range of 164Nm to over 70,000 newton-metres square drive and low clearances.
The company said the wrenches had been proven in the harshest of environments including mining, power plants, wind power, aerospace, shipbuilding and petrochemical.
They are made from high-quality, high-strength materials and manufactured using the latest technology CNC machines.
ProTorc wrenches and their components are put through a rigorous testing program throughout the manufacturing process, ensuring a reliable and high-quality product every time.
Turing to safety, Ampcontrol has developed a lightweight intrinsically safe VoiceCom phone from its Tomago facility in New South Wales.
It is Ampcontrol’s next generation lightweight phone suitable for Group 1 hazardous areas.
The phone unit weighs less than 2kg and features an integrated carry handle and spring retained handset, making it easy and comfortable to carry.
