The deals involved the sale of high-speed gas analysis monitoring, as well as agreements for Chinese mine safety personnel to be trained in Queensland.

Safety in Mines Testing and Research Centre will supply 16 monitoring systems to China.

Mines minister Stephen Robertson said underground coal mining explosions in China during 2004 cost more than 6000 lives.

Robertson said with 600 new coal mines planned for the next four years, China represented a significant market potential for Queensland mine safety technology.

The state government had also reached two mine safety training agreements with Chinese authorities. The Department of Natural Resources and Mines signed a memorandum of understanding with the State Administration of Work Safety in China to facilitate collaboration between the two organisations.

Areas for collaboration include the training of Chinese mine safety staff in Queensland and China, and joint conferences and workshops to exchange information and promote partnerships between the two organisations.

Another agreement with China’s Shandong Coal Mine Safety Education and Training Centre also covered exchanges and training of mine safety personnel, but identified more specific projects.