Archived News for Industry Professionals

A new suite of continental-scale mineral maps has been developed that will enable mining companies to increase the efficiency and viability of their exploration efforts.

The proposed development will also employ about 400 workers during construction as well as ongoing employment.

Online job postings of oil and gas positions have recorded an unprecedented 11.98 per cent booming in the last year and a half according to an index published by recruitment specialist Hays.

A new $90 million partnership between the Federal and Victorian Governments will aim to ensure a ‘bright future’ for the state’s Latrobe Valley coal industries in a future low emissions economy, according to Federal Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson.

The Queensland Government has introduced legislation before State Parliament that will aim to significantly cut red tape and streamline regulatory approval in the resources sector.

The Queensland Government has proposed new rules to govern the management of water and brine produced by the coal seam gas industry.

The Queensland Government has announced the appointment of mining industry veteran Barry Golding as a facilitator to test coal companies’ appetite to proceed with the new coal handing facilities at the Port of Abbot Point.

The South Australian Government has earmarked $200,000 in funding for the Port Pirie Regional Council to help strategic studies into the city’s long term economic development.

The South Australian Government has launched an independent analysis of industry and community views on infrastructure required to support the growing mining and energy sector in the state.

Australia has authorised uranium exports to the United Arab Emirates to cater for future UAE domestic power generation, with the signing of a Nuclear Co-operation Agreement between the two countries in Abu Dhabi.

The ABC’s Lateline program has questioned the independence of the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development, set up in May by the Federal Government to provide advice on impacts of coal seam gas and large coal mining proposals on water resources, claiming it comprises members with financial links to the mining and gas industry.

The Queensland Government has passed its Greentape Reduction Bill, reducing the Environmental Protection Act by 90 pages and aiming to save businesses on average $20,000 in costs, 150 pages in paper work and 68 days in processing time.

The Namoi Catchment Water Study, commissioned by the NSW Government and prepared by Schlumberger, has found that mining and coal seam gas drilling at current levels are unlikely to cause extensive regional-scale damage water supplies in north-west NSW. Increased mining could be expected to place more pressure on fresh water supplies.

The South Australian Environment Minister Bill Marmion has appointed Dr Roy Green to investigate more than 200 appeals received regarding the Environmental Protection Authority’s report on the Browse Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Precinct at James Price Point. 

Dr Green has considerable experience in government and the petroleum industry, including chairing an expert panel for quarantine management at the Gorgon LNG Project on Barrow Island Nature Reserve. 

“Dr Green is appointed as an appeals committee and will investigate all appeals received,” Mr Marmion said.

“He has previously been the chief executive of the CSIRO and deputy chairman of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), and as such, is considered to have an eminent standing to undertake the committee role.”

The process of investigating the appeals will include consultation with the EPA, appellants and the proponent.  Once the committee has completed its investigations, a report is presented to the Minister, who will determine the appeals having regard to the committee’s advice. 

Appeals against the EPA’s report closed on Monday July 30, 2012.  

This year’s Mining Business Outlook Report by Newport Consulting has found that mining leaders are ‘more bearish’ in their economic outlook for 2012–13 compared to the previous financial year.

A resources analyst says the slump in Australia's mining industry is due to complex issues at home and in China.

Thermal coal has hit two-year lows of around $US88 a metric tonne.

Iron ore has dropped around 15 per per cent in two months, fetching an average of less than $US120 a tonne.

Matthew Trivett, of Patersons Securities, says the market is not as confident as it used to be about the information coming out of China, which is the largest buyer of those commodities.

He says some Chinese Government decision making is based on on appeasing the masses rather than on solid economics.

Mr Trivett says there are also problems with the high cost of Australian mining.

"On the home front, we've got a lot of rising costs, lot of union action, a lot of the projects coming on line need a lot of capital," he said.

"And what we thought was going to be a good revenue stream in the future is getting smashed by prices falling off a cliff."

German chemical company, BASF, has opened a research and development centre in Australia to lead technological innovation and increase productivity in the global mining and resources sector.

The new facility, located at the Australian Mineral Research Centre (AMRC) in Perth, will drive innovation in mineral processing and metal production technology with a view to enhance sustainable mining practices in Australia and around the world.

A team of six will lead the company’s research into minerals thickening and crystallisation processes; by 2017 BASF hope to employ around 20 researchers at the centre.

Vice Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF, Dr Martin Brudemueller, said the company’s research will help to ensure the sustainability of the global mining industry.

“With the latest advances in mining solutions research, BASF aims to help mining operations to minimize water consumption, maximize recovery, reduce land areas consumed by tailings disposal and minimize the cost and time required to rehabilitate sites,” Dr Brudemueller said.

A major study highlighting how the Upper Spencer Gulf region in South Australia can boost regional development opportunities from the growing resources and energy sectors has been released.

The Western Australian Government has taken steps to prevent future coal mining in the Margaret River area by terminating all pending applications for coal exploration activities within a 230-square kilometre zone.

The WA Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore said the decision followed Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) advice which indicated coal mining in the area posed an unacceptable environmental risk.

Based on that advice, the State Government rejected the Vasse Coal proposal last February.

“The Government has now decided that the advice should also be applied to the whole of the coal mineralisation extending through the identified 230-square kilometre zone and applications for coal exploration or mining should not be supported,” Mr Moore said.

“This decision sends a signal to the industry - applications will not be accepted to explore for or mine coal in this area."

Under the Mining Act 1978, the Minister for Mines and Petroleum can terminate or refuse applications if the Minister is satisfied on reasonable grounds that it is in the public interest to do so. This provision will be invoked if explorers are unwilling to withdraw their coal applications.

"I would emphasise that this decision is based on unique and local circumstances existing only in the Capes region. It will provide some future certainty for local residents and landowners without adding unnecessary sovereign risk to the State’s $107billion resources sector,” Mr Moore said.

The Minister said any future applications for exploration or mining activities for commodities other than coal in the Capes region would be reviewed on their own merits and would be subject to the same rigorous assessments before any approval would be considered.

Two mine referrals in the Tarkine in Tasmania will undergo environmental assessment under national environment law.