Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition - Queensland's Central Meeting Place for Mining and Engineering

QME 2006 Post Show Report

Spotlight on Queensland’s Dynamic Mining Industry*

In 2005-2006, Queensland’s mining and mineral processing industries contributed $20.3 billion to the state’s economy and an estimated $5 billion was contributed by the mining services sector.

Queensland’s mining industry is also leading the way in the application of innovative technologies such as robotics, satellite imaging, and 3D visualisation. Innovation has a significant role to play in maintaining Queensland’s global competitiveness, in minimising the environmental impact of mining activities and in ensuring the health and safety of workers.

The mining industry provides direct employment for more than 19,000 Queenslanders. Indirectly, mining is estimated to provide jobs for another 65,000 people.

Coal

With over 30 billion tonnes of identified resources of black coal in the state, Queensland’s coal industry is a major contributor to the state’s economy and is the largest exporter of seaborne coal in the world.

Queensland's coal production reached a record 160.06 million tonnes (Mt) of saleable coal in 2003–04. During this period, exports of saleable coal to 34 countries worldwide totalled 134.98 Mt. Coal production is expected to increase five to thirteen percent per annum to 2009-10 in Queensland.

Most of Queensland’s coal is produced from mines in the Bowen Basin in central Queensland. Other coalfields are located in the Callide, Tarong, Surat and Clarence-Moreton basins in southeast Queensland.

An extensive rail network links Queensland’s coal mines to six coal export terminals at four deepwater ports on the Queensland coast. This network delivers coal to domestic and export markets, primarily through the key ports of Mackay and Gladstone.

Metallic and Industrial Minerals

In addition to its rich coal resources, Queensland has a wide range of other mining operations that include many world-class deposits.

The Mount Isa Minerals Province is a major source of the world’s lead, zinc, silver and a major producer of copper.
Gold is mined at the Sarsfield and Pajingo Vera Nancy deposits inland from Townsville in north Queensland and the Cracow goldfield in central Queensland.
Cape York Peninsula hosts vast bauxite deposits in the Weipa area with current production around 12 million tonnes annually. Silica-sand deposits at Cape Flattery, also on Cape York, are rated as world class and are the basis of a major export market.
The gemstone industry is based in the central Queensland gemfields near Emerald where sapphire is mined commercially. Opals are mined in western Queensland near Quilpie and Winton.
Other resources mined include dimension stone for building (granite, sandstone, marble and slate), limestone, magnesite, kaolin and mineral sands.

The Mackay Whitsunday Region: Queensland’s Coal Mining Capital

In 2003-04, there were 45 coal mines in Queensland: 34 open-cut and 11 underground. In the Mackay and Whitsunday region, venue for QME, there were 18 operating mines, 16 open cut and two underground.

Companies on the leading edge of coal mining innovative technology who are located in the region include BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), BHP Billiton Mitsui Coal Pty Ltd, Anglo Coal Australia Pty Ltd, Xstrata, Peabody Energy Australia Pty Ltd, Rio Tinto Coal Australia Pty Ltd, Australian Premium Coals Pty Ltd and Macarthur Coal.

The world is demanding more coal from the Mackay Whitsunday region, particularly coking coal to feed industry. To put it into context, coal exports in 2003-04 were valued at $4.5 billion - 76 percent of Queensland’s exports and 41 percent of Australia’s exports. The region’s mines employ more than 6,000 people and 9.8 percent of all Queensland mining businesses (81 businesses) are located here.

*Sources: Queensland Government, Queensland Resources Council, MAIN

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