Shift Miner News
Moranbah sex worker appeals being booted
May 17th, 2012
THE future of sex workers’ rights will be fought out in a legal battle in July when a sex worker who lost her anti-discrimination case to a Moranbah hotel has her appeal heard. Last October, the Queensland Civil and Administrative… Read more »
What sex boom?
May 17th, 2012
IT’S a case of media hype – while there may be a resources boom, an influx of miners in central Queensland is not fuelling a sex worker boom. Karlaa, based in Queensland’s southeast corner, has been a fly-in fly-out sex… Read more »
Missing ballot papers raise union ire
May 17th, 2012
BALLOT papers are being handed out to BMA miners who weren’t sent the forms in the mail last week. It’s the latest saga in a 16-month union-versus-company confrontation over a new enterprise agreement for 3500 BMA workers at seven Bowen… Read more »
FIFO doctor takes pressure off Moranbah
May 17th, 2012
A six-month pilot programme that gives BMA employees and contractors access to medical care at an Moranbah accommodation village aims to alleviate pressure on town-based medical services. BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) has been running the programme at Eureka Accommodation… Read more »
Sarina shops struggle for customers
May 17th, 2012
SMALL business in Sarina is struggling to survive the town’s increasingly transient population that lives locally but works in the mines or Mackay. The Mackay Chamber of Commerce is working to bring Sarina businesses into the fold, and help combat… Read more »
Two mines still pumping out
May 17th, 2012
ONLY two Bowen Basin coal mines are currently pumping water back into the Fitzroy river catchment. Rio Tinto’s Hail Creek mine has been releasing water in two locations: Schammer and Middle Creeks. It is expected to continue pumping water out… Read more »
Fast train report by end of month
May 17th, 2012
THE feasibility report into a proposed Gladstone to Rockhampton fast train service is expected to be delivered to Capricorn Enterprise by the end of the month. The study is being jointly funded by Capricorn Enterprise and Queensland Rail, with Rockhampton… Read more »
Wongai project open for comment
May 17th, 2012
PUBLIC submissions on a proposed $500 million coking coal project in the Cape York Peninsula have opened. The proposed Wongai underground mine 150 kilometres north-west of Cooktown has the potential to operate for at least 30 years and could export… Read more »
Mines Minister’s been trippin’
May 17th, 2012
IT was an industry boot camp of sorts for the new Mines Minister Andrew Cripps last week after enjoying a pit to port tour from Moranbah to Hay Point. Hosted by the Queensland Resources Council, the newly minted Minister visited… Read more »
Boom steadies, but is it all so bad?
May 9th, 2012
CENTRAL Queensland contractors are jittery, but is the mining boom experiencing a drop off? The mining giants of the region – BHP through its BHP Mitsubishi alliance (BMA) arm and Rio Tinto have given more than just hints that some… Read more »
Gladstone fishermen throw the lines back in
May 9th, 2012
ANGLERS in Gladstone seem to have moved on from the controversy surrounding fish deaths and water quality. Last year sections of the harbour were closed to fishermen after a high number of unexplained fish deaths and serious red sores were… Read more »
FIFO jets off in Qld
May 9th, 2012
A new charter jet aimed at servicing the Queensland mining industry’s fly-in fly-out workforce is now ready for take off. JetGo, which has bases in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Rockhampton, has been granted its Civil Aviation Safety Authority certification… Read more »
Black dog stalks mine sites
May 9th, 2012
THE Black Dog continues to stalk Queensland mining workers but almost two-thirds choose not to get help. The startling figure is contained in a groundbreaking report into health of mine workers released at a New South Wales conference last week…. Read more »
Pipe trucks to be common sight
May 9th, 2012
BUILDING pipelines over hundreds of kilometres takes a lot of money, planning and of course pipes. Big, long pipes. Those pipes have started to arrive for major gas projects in the Bowen Basin. There are so many of them –… Read more »
Surat gas leak fixed
May 9th, 2012
A gas leak on a QGC Surat drilling rig has been stopped. Operations at the QGC-owned Chinchilla property were suspended on Saturday night after the gas leak was detected. Nobody was hurt during the incident, and neighbouring landholders were notified,… Read more »
17,000 apply for Gladstone gas jobs
May 4th, 2012
CONSTRUCTION giant Bechtel has received more than 17,000 job applications from workers wanting to build Gladstone’s new LNG facilities on Curtis Island. The company has been contracted to build processing plants for Queensland Curtis LNG, Santos GLNG and Australia Pacific… Read more »
Sacked for smoking underground
May 4th, 2012
A miner has been sacked after being caught smoking underground at a central Queensland coal mine. The inspectorate is now investigating the incident that happened at Peabody’s North Goonyella mine, near Moranbah, last week. It’s alleged the contractor had lit… Read more »
Sapphire miners cropped out
May 4th, 2012
HUSBAND-and-wife gem miners are still trying to get their heads around how Queensland’s strategic cropping laws will impact their industry. The laws came into effect late last year, and are aimed at safeguarding the state’s best cropping land from mining… Read more »
Emerald airport ramps up security
May 4th, 2012
THOUGHT you could smuggle a pair of nail scissors on board when flying out of Emerald? Well, not anymore. As of yesterday, Emerald Airport became one of the first regional airports in Queensland to start security screening. The Central Highlands… Read more »
Drilling spill investigated
May 4th, 2012
A spill of drilling fluid into the Condamine River downstream of Chinchilla Weir last Saturday is being investigated. QGC contractors had been building an underground pipeline beneath the river, about 12 kilometres downstream from the weir. A limited amount of… Read more »
Houses, water needed as Wandoan booms
May 4th, 2012
WATER and housing availability continue to be major issues for the Surat Basin boom town of Wandoan. With the resources industry in full swing in and around the town and across the Western Downs region, local council services are struggling… Read more »
Mining the international market
May 4th, 2012
WHILE the resources industry poaches and plunders the highly skilled from its competitors, a shift in mindset could help ease the skills shortage at the top level. Exploration geologist David Risely, who now works with US recruitment firm Global Job… Read more »
Gladstone wildlife moved for WICET
May 4th, 2012
NOT a single tree stands and not a single animal remains on one side of the Gladstone harbour. Construction has began on the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal project (WICET), which will eventually see 80 million tonnes of coal shipped… Read more »
New faces, same challenges for councils
May 4th, 2012
LOCAL council elections last weekend may have changed some councillors and a mayor here and there but the same challenges remain. That’s the view of two of the most high profile local government figures in the Bowen Basin. Despite taking… Read more »
Business generosity cements speedway’s future
May 4th, 2012
The Blackwater Speedway event this weekend will be raced on arguably one of the best tracks in regional Queensland and, more importantly, one of the safest. The club has just added the paint to a new concrete barrier fence around… Read more »
2000 discussions, $200m in funding
May 4th, 2012
ANOTHER $200 million in community funding will flow through to Gladstone and Surat Basin towns, thanks to Santos’ GLNG project. The project’s $200 million social impact management (SIMP) plan has been approved by the state government, following in the footsteps… Read more »
CQUniversity recognises MAIN members
May 3rd, 2012
Two Mackay Area Industry Network (MAIN) board members have been awarded honorary degrees from CQUniversity in recognition to their contribution to the community. Former Mackay mayor and MAIN board chair Julie Boyd was presented with the Honorary Award of Companion… Read more »
Miners without borders: market opens for skilled US
April 26th, 2012
AS Queensland resource companies struggle to find skilled workers, the US is experiencing the exact opposite – with advertised jobs being met with 20 to 30 applicants. US recruitment company, Global Job Hunt, will be in Mackay next week to… Read more »
Candidate conundrum in mining boom
April 26th, 2012
CANDIDATES are still struggling to find jobs in the resources sector despite the hype over the skills shortage. Hardest hit are cleanskins and lesser experienced junior workers trying to move between jobs, or people who have been out of the… Read more »
Less dust, better coal
April 26th, 2012
A NEW product, designed in Queensland, which suppresses coal dust and maintains coal quality during transport is being snatched up by coal companies. The Gold Coast-based Reynolds Soil Technologies (RST) has just launched its Total Coal Control (TCC) technology, and… Read more »
Dudgeon Point out for comment
April 26th, 2012
PUBLIC comment has opened on the draft terms of reference for the proposed $10 billion Dudgeon Point Coal Terminals project near Mackay. The North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation and a consortium including Adani Mining and Dudgeon Point Project Management are… Read more »
Curragh coal prices drop
April 26th, 2012
NEW contract prices at Wesfarmer’s Curragh mine near Blackwater show the drop in coal prices being felt across the wider Bowen Basin. Curragh’s metallurgical coal – hard coking, semi-hard coking and PCI – will drop by about 11 per cent… Read more »
Sleepless in Moranbah? Then invest afield
April 26th, 2012
SO you like a good night’s sleep? Then investing in Moranbah real estate is probably not your thing and Toowoomba may be more in line with your portfolio. That is the observation of Terry Ryder, a journalist and real estate… Read more »
Cockatoo Coal expansion plans dashed – for now
April 26th, 2012
COCKATOO Coal has been left flapping with Korea’s SK Networks decision to scrap its proposed $313 million investment. Under last month’s accord, the funds were to have been used to help fund the expansion of projects, including the Baralaba coal… Read more »
Taroom and Collingwood up for discussion
April 26th, 2012
MEANWHILE, the draft terms of reference are to be released for Cockatoo Coal’s Taroom and Collingwood projects this weekend. The first is three kilometres south-east of Taroom and the second is 12 kilometres north-east of Wandoan. Neither project is affected… Read more »
Feasibility study for QMC’s White Range project
April 26th, 2012
QUEENSLAND Mining Corporation (QMC) has taken a step closer towards copper production, after awarding Calder Maloney to project manage the feasibility study for its flagship White Range Project. QMC acquired the White Range project, south of Cloncurry in north-west Queensland,… Read more »
FIFO workers to call Clermont home
April 26th, 2012
RIO Tinto has committed to a three-year lease on 180 houses in Clermont, south-west of Mackay, allowing developers to start construction. The leased homes will be offered to current fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers from the company’s Clermont mine, so they can… Read more »
It’s lewd, crude & FIFO rude
April 26th, 2012
AS the federal inquiry into FIFO rolls on across the country, it’s re-assuring miners aren’t taking themselves too seriously out there in FIFO land. To prove it, a rap song called simply “The FIFO song” has just hit YouTube promoting… Read more »
It’s raining men – hallelujah!
April 19th, 2012
SPORTING teams are bursting at the seams in Gladstone, as the city enjoys the benefits of a key piece of CSG infrastructure – the player pipeline. More than 18,000 jobs are expected to be created in the coal seam gas… Read more »
Gladstone & Surat reap $150M in benefits
April 19th, 2012
MORE than $150 million will be poured into Gladstone and smaller Surat Basin communities, in what’s considered to be the most substantial private social investment program in Queensland’s resources industry. Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG) will pump the money into housing,… Read more »
Mine shuts, but jobs safe
April 19th, 2012
MORE Queensland coal mines could shut their doors in the middle of a mining boom – but there won’t be widespread job losses. That’s the prediction of Mine Life resource analyst Gavin Wendt. The BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) has… Read more »
Peaceful at Peabody while BHP blue
April 19th, 2012
NORTH Goonyella miners have quietly signed a new workplace agreement with their employer American giant Peabody Energy. It’s in stark contrast to the bitter 15 month dispute that has been raging between the BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) and its… Read more »
Farmers frustrated at time wasted
April 19th, 2012
CENTRAL Queensland graziers involved in ongoing consultation over proposed coal rail lines through their properties are becoming increasingly frustrated with the time lost and money drain to their business. There are currently six proposed rail lines through central Queensland region,… Read more »
Loader becomes floater
April 19th, 2012
A DOZER driver had a lucky escape this week when his rig sunk into coal at the RG Tanna Coal Terminal in Gladstone. The driver was working at about 1am yesterday to push coal around onto stockpiles and it sunk… Read more »
Blackwater concerns fall on deaf ears
April 19th, 2012
A BLACKWATER resident says last night’s community consultation meeting with the council about the future of the town was like a scene from the movie Groundhog Day. The chairman of the Blackwater Community Progress Group, Kev Cracknell, said the meeting… Read more »
FIFO family-friendly after all?
April 11th, 2012
HOW does FIFO and block shift work affect your sex life or your ability to join the local footy team? A new study is hoping to uncover the answers to those questions – and here’s the scoop, researchers don’t expect… Read more »
Arrow releases Bowen Pipeline EIS
April 11th, 2012
ARROW Energy has released its environmental impact statement for its 580 kilometre Bowen pipeline that will run from north of Moranbah to west of Gladstone. The public can now comment on the project that is expected to create 3000 jobs… Read more »
Mining’s killer highway meeting
April 11th, 2012
IN the five years to the end of 2009, more than 240 people were seriously injured in road crashes on the Peak Downs Highway between Clermont and Mackay. Fourteen of those died and another 71 were rushed to hospital. This… Read more »
Royalties could rise if tax doesn’t deliver
April 11th, 2012
COAL royalties could rise if the mining tax doesn’t deliver enough cash to Queensland. Premier Campbell Newman said this week that his government had not put the red pen through the possibility of raising royalties. He told reporters the government… Read more »
Anti-collision technology cheap and effective
April 11th, 2012
THE use of proximity detection devices to protect Queensland mine workers both above and underground should soon be universally adopted. The technology is used to avoid on-site collisions between mining vehicles and machinery and workers. Speaking at the recent third… Read more »
Contaminated pipes picked up at Port Alma
March 29th, 2012
A BIOSECURITY risk hidden in a cargo ship full of coal seam gas pipes was successfully detected in a small central Queensland port last week. The ship, carrying steel pipes from India for the Santos GLNG project in Gladstone, was… Read more »
Landholders in limbo on rail
March 29th, 2012
LANDHOLDERS sifting through the various Galilee Basin rail line plans say they are in limbo until the new state government appoints its ministry and the future of senior public servants is known. There are six rail lines proposed for the… Read more »
Paget upgrade sparks mining delays
March 29th, 2012
THERE will be short-term pain for long-term gain in Mackay’s industrial precinct of Paget, as plans are finally underway for a major road upgrade. Connors Road, which ranked as the fourth-worst council-controlled street in Queensland in RACQ’s Unroadworthy Roads Survey… Read more »
Climate change can’t stop mine: court
March 29th, 2012
A court has ruled concerns over climate change do not warrant stopping the development of one of the biggest coal mines in the southern hemisphere. Xstrata is planning a $6 billion, 11,000-hectare open-cut coal mine near Wandoan that will produce… Read more »
Down tools at BMA mines
March 29th, 2012
MORE than 3000 BMA miners have walked off the job at seven mines across the Bowen Basin, and the unions are accusing the company of deliberately stalling negotiations. For the past 15 months, the two parties have failed to reach… Read more »
First units for new housing player
March 29th, 2012
Gold Coast entrepreneurs who have invested nearly $25 million in a central Queensland accommodation project have started building portable units for their sites. The first of the new buildings will be shipped to the coal and gas fields in the… Read more »
Bowen Basin investor selling spree
March 29th, 2012
INTERSTATE investors – and not mining companies – are rushing to snap up real estate in Bowen Basin towns, according to one real estate agent. Ray White Mackay City agent Vicky Johnson had 10 houses in Moranbah and Dysart that… Read more »
Workers fluctuate, but buyers still flocking
March 29th, 2012
DEMAND for real estate in Gladstone will rise and fall in line with LNG workforce requirements this year, according to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ). Local agent and REIQ representative Mark Spearing said the market was steady, but… Read more »
Mines pump out, as rain pours down
March 22nd, 2012
SIXTEEN Central Queensland coal mines are pumping out water into the Fitzroy catchment, as the region braces for torrential rain. The monsoon low, which has dumped hundreds of millimetres of rain in north Queensland, is now tracking through the Central… Read more »
Will Gladstone ride the fast train?
March 22nd, 2012
GLADSTONE businesses are being sounded out to see if a fast train from Rockhampton to the Port City could fly. A fast train service between the two centres has been talked about for years, but Gladstone’s growing need for industrial… Read more »
14 miners sick after gas exposure
March 22nd, 2012
INVESTIGATIONS are continuing into what caused 14 workers at the Collinsville open cut coal mine to become ill. All work has stopped in one section of the mine, after workers reported being exposed to gas emissions at about 7.30 last… Read more »
$40M Dysart centre for rescue crews
March 22nd, 2012
A $40 million training centre for Queensland mines rescue crews is on the cards for Dysart, to keep up with the surge in new coal workers over the next decade. The Queensland Mines Rescue Service (QMRS) has embarked on a… Read more »
Resources tax brings headaches and long hours
March 22nd, 2012
A STUDY by Thomson Reuters has shown a majority of resources companies are not properly prepared for the Mining Resources Rent Tax (MRRT) that is to be in effect by July 1. In a situation to make most individuals feel… Read more »
Clash over CSG can be eased
March 22nd, 2012
FILLING the knowledge gap surrounding CSG and the community is key to minimising angst surrounding the industry, according to a researcher with the Gas Industry Social & Environmental Research Alliance (GISERA). Dr Peter Stone was commenting after being part of… Read more »
Rocky council needs revving
March 22nd, 2012
IF Rockhampton wants to be an industrial centre then it needs to act quickly, according to the city’s leading industry and tourism group. Capricorn Enterprise’s economic development manager Neil Lethlean told the WINO that any delays over planning for Gracemere’s… Read more »
The great coal rush of 2012
March 5th, 2012
THE Bowen Basin coalfields are experiencing a scramble for resources not seen since the Victorian gold rush in 1851. The latest figures put out by the state mines department (DEEDI) show there are four new coal mines under construction in… Read more »
Baralaba bucks caravan trend
March 5th, 2012
A caravan park in a small central Queensland mining town has escaped the fate of many others in the region, and will not be turned exclusively into a worker’s camp. Cockatoo Coal bought the caravan park last year, and the… Read more »
CQ agents mum on mystery developer
March 5th, 2012
THE CENTRAL Highlands is abuzz with rumours that a well-heeled Gold Coast property developer is buying up a swag of land and property across the region. It is understood the secretive developer has plans to become a major mining accommodation… Read more »
Cold shower for big ticket coastal developers
March 5th, 2012
STAGGERING price falls on large tracts of undeveloped coastal land in central Queensland has underscored the varied market for local real estate. Worst hit was one development site at Yeppoon, which was forced to drop its sale price by 86… Read more »
Gladstone dredge breaks down
March 5th, 2012
ONE of the massive machines being used to dredge the Gladstone harbour for the LNG industry has broken down and could be offline for a month. The $1.3 billion project is the largest seabed dredging in Australian history, and 36… Read more »
Bridge timetable blows out
March 5th, 2012
WORK has resumed on a vital new bridge needed to floodproof access to a small central Queensland town and a nearby coal mine. The $16 million Baralaba Bridge is being jointly funded by miner Cockatoo Coal and Main Roads –… Read more »
Creative genius in the house?
March 5th, 2012
NOMINATIONS are now open to recognise the best out-of-the-box thinking in Queensland’s mining and quarrying industries. The Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference will be held in August in Townsville and, as always, will include the prestigious Innovation Awards…. Read more »
Training a virtual reality in mining
March 5th, 2012
A NEW risk-free way to train Queensland mine workers is about to become a virtual reality. Simtars – the state government’s mines testing and research station – is currently developing Queensland’s first fully immersive virtual reality mine training facility. Queensland… Read more »
Scholarships offer career defining opportunities
March 5th, 2012
MACKAY nursing students Kahla Edwards and Brittany Power are developing their skills and experience in their chosen career thanks to support from an annual scholarship programme that is now open for 2012 applications. Since 2009, the Hail Creek Mine CQUniversity… Read more »
BMA safety changes spark ute rush
February 27th, 2012
THOUSANDS of mining vehicles will soon need to be replaced to meet strict new safety standards on all BMA sites across the Bowen Basin. The new rules will apply to the company fleet, as well as contractor and sub-contractor vehicles…. Read more »
BMA workers back on the job
February 27th, 2012
MORE than 3000 BMA miners are back at work this afternoon, after a week-long strike over pay and conditions. Last Wednesday, union workers at all seven of BMA’s Bowen Basin sites walked off the job at midday. Fifteen months of… Read more »
CQ farm buy up continues
February 27th, 2012
PURCHASE of large tracts of Central Queensland farming land by resource companies is expected to continue as new projects and new players enter the mining arena. In past months there have been significant sales of well-known properties in the wider… Read more »
Real estate unstoppable in mining towns
February 27th, 2012
A strong resources sector is driving demand and price for real estate in Central Queensland and the Darling Downs, according to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ). Queensland’s mining regions were the stand-out performers this quarter with Blackwater, Gladstone,… Read more »
46,200 welds in 540km pipeline
February 27th, 2012
QGC’s 540 kilometre gas pipeline will consist of 46,200 12-metre lengths of pipe welded together and then buried. The steel pipeline will run from Chinchilla in the Surat Basin to Gladstone where the coal seam gas will be shipped overseas… Read more »
LNG CEOs served up questions
February 27th, 2012
THE CEOs of major gas companies will get a side order of questions from guests at the Gladstone Area Promotion and Development Limited lunch on Tuesday. The regular event, to be held next Tuesday 28 February at the Gladstone Entertainment… Read more »
More teething problems as Moranbah grapples boom
February 27th, 2012
MORANBAH residents are losing their shoe shop, a clothing boutique – and now they are set for another kick in the teeth. The Central Highlands Dental Surgery has announced it be will be closing its doors on 30 March due… Read more »
FIFO hearings for Moranbah, Mackay
February 27th, 2012
MORANBAH is hosting the federal inquiry into the social and economic impact of fly-in, fly-out and drive-in, drive-out workers today. Hearings began at 10am at the community centre and are part of a series of regional sittings for the House… Read more »
Sightseeing tour to protect delta
February 27th, 2012
A SIGHTSEEING tour is to be staged by the Keppel and Fitzroy Delta Alliance (KAFDA) this weekend to educate locals about the local environment the group is trying to protect from coal developments. KAFDA spokesperson Ms Ginny Gerlach said because… Read more »
John Holland wins WICIT contract
February 27th, 2012
JOHN Holland was been awarded a $220 million contract to construct stage 1 of the stockyard works for the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal (WICET) project at Golding Point in Gladstone Harbour. This will include building the structural, mechanical, piping,… Read more »
Assessment to protect reef
February 27th, 2012
A groundbreaking assessment on how best to protect the Great Barrier Reef from the impact of coastline development – including farming and mining – is to be carried out. The state and federal governments and the Great Barrier Reef Marine… Read more »
Moranbah North cuts jobs
February 20th, 2012
WORKERS at Anglo American’s Moranbah North underground mine will today learn how many – and who – will lose their jobs. A site supervisor has spoken out to the WINO amid on-site rumours 250 contract jobs will go. He did… Read more »
Coal price gives BHP breathing space on strike
February 20th, 2012
A SPIKE in coal prices will cancel out any production losses stemming from a miner’s strike in central Queensland, according to a key resources analyst. Coal production in the Bowen Basin is expected to be significantly cut when more than… Read more »
Collingwood & Taroom “significant projects”
February 20th, 2012
COCKATOO Coal’s Collingwood and Taroom mine projects have been granted significant project status by the state government. The projects, near Wandoan and Taroom respectively, are expected to cost about $1.8 billion to build and export up to 14 million tonnes… Read more »
Caravan park closure could spell end for businesses
February 20th, 2012
THE eviction of more than 27 people from Middlemount’s only caravan park not only means possible homelessness, but could also spell the end for several local businesses. Last week, permanent residents were given notice to vacate the town’s only caravan… Read more »
Shoe sale marks end of an era
February 20th, 2012
THE real estate boom in Moranbah is one reason why an iconic shoe business is closing for good. The Boalywood Shoe Shop, touted as the best little shoe house in the west, is holding its final sale tomorrow as own… Read more »
Miner suffers severe acid burns
February 20th, 2012
A Queensland miner has been so severely burnt by sulphuric acid that skin grafts are being considered as treatment. The worker was inside a bunded sulphuric acid storage area, when he stepped on a grid mesh covering a sulphuric acid… Read more »
Same report tells same story
February 20th, 2012
THE latest statistics released by the state government have failed to shed any new light on the safety of mines and quarries across Queensland. Yesterday, the Queensland Mines and Quarries Safety Performance and Health Report 2010-11 was released by the… Read more »
Wages surge on back of employee confidence
February 20th, 2012
QUEENSLAND gas workers are experiencing surging wages on the back of industry confidence in future demand and success of projects. Figures released by recruitment firm Hays showed skilled employees in the oil and gas sector had experienced on average pay… Read more »
Brisbane to grab bigger slice of FIFO
February 20th, 2012
BRISBANE is the latest destination to stake its claim to be a major fly-in, fly-out hub. This week Lord Mayor Graham Quirk unveiled the city’s plans for business development over the next two decades and a key part of projected… Read more »
New rail regulations make tracks safer
February 20th, 2012
THE state government has toughened up rules for train drivers, setting new minimum standards to manage fatigue in a bid to further boost safety. Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the new regulations would set new minimum standards for fatigue management… Read more »
New rail regulations make tracks safer
February 20th, 2012
THE state government has toughened up rules for train drivers, setting new minimum standards to manage fatigue in a bid to further boost safety. Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the new regulations would set new minimum standards for fatigue management… Read more »
Public meeting for Fitzroy coal projects
February 20th, 2012
A PUBLIC information meeting is planned for tomorrow at the Emu Park Cultural Hall to discuss coastal development in the Capricornia region. The Keppel and Fitzroy Delta Alliance (KAFDA) has organised the 6pm event. Spokesperson for KAFDA, Ginny Gerlach said… Read more »
Discharge breaches minor says QRC, DERM
February 6th, 2012
THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has dismissed the two instances of Bowen Basin mines breaching their water discharge quotas as minor offences. Since last Monday, 14 mines have released water – on 25 occasions – into the Fitzroy catchment. Recent… Read more »
“Normal” wet season slows mines
February 6th, 2012
BOWEN Basin mines have been slowed down by recent heavy rain, but the impact on production has been minimal. This time last year, most of the region’s mines were in overdrive to try and get production back on track. The… Read more »
Expansion on the cards for Moranbah explosives plant
February 6th, 2012
EXPANSION plans are already being talked about at Dyno Nobel’s new and not yet operational Moranbah ammonium nitrate plant to keep up with demand for mine explosives in the northern Bowen Basin. The new plant is in the early commissioning… Read more »