The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) today welcomed the State Government’s decision to approve an $82 million extension to the Isaac Plains metallurgical coal mine near Moranbah, calling it a huge vote of confidence in Queensland’s high quality coking coal industry.
Boliden has decided to invest in the expansion of Boliden Odda in Norway to an annual zinc production of 350 Ktonnes. The investment is for a total of EUR 700 m and will be completed at the end of 2024. The expansion means that the production of zinc with world-leading climate performance will almost double.
Alexandra Hills State High School students will be on the hunt for treasure – treasures that can be found in everyday things – when they take part in a Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) activity today.
The board of Glencore announces that Tony Hayward will retire as Chairman and Kalidas Madhavpeddi will be appointed as the new Chairman on 30 July.
The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility’s (NAIF) decision to invest in a new metallurgical coal mine near Moranbah in Central Queensland. The Pembroke Resources-owned Olive Downs Steelmaking Coal Complex (Olive Downs) in the Bowen Basin will receive a $175 million NAIF loan to kickstart construction of a ‘21st century mine built to 21st century standards’.
A growing number of small to medium-sized businesses that service the resources sector are having significant problems securing finance and insurance because of recent climate change-related policy changes by banks and insurers, the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) said today.
SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall have now produced the world’s first hydrogen-reduced sponge iron at a pilot scale. The technological breakthrough in the Hybrit initiative captures around 90% of emissions in conjunction with steelmaking and is a decisive step on the road to fossil-free steel.
Project improves end to end production visibility and helps digitalize operations using ABB Ability Data Analytics Platform for metals
A national commodity outlook released today confirms what most Queenslanders already know – they can count on resources to help the state recover from COVID-19 and thrive well into the future, the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) said today.
The peak body for the resources sector in Queensland has welcomed the opening of submissions to the Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan (QRIDP) by the Queensland Government.
“The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has been pleased to work closely with the Palaszczuk Government from the outset to develop the plan,” said QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane.
“We congratulate Resources Minister Scott Stewart and his department on working with us to develop this important plan to ensure the resources sector and its communities remain strong and deliver jobs and prosperity for all Queenslanders,” he said.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the resources industry has continued to ensure Queensland’s economic prosperity through its $82.6 billion contribution in the last year.
The combination of Metso Minerals and Outotec was conditionally approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in June 2020, subject to the transfer of legacy Metso’s straight grate iron ore pelletizing capital equipment business by Metso Outotec in India to a suitable buyer through a technology licensing arrangement.
The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the announcement from Federal Minister Keith Pitt of a new five-year, $190 million investment plan for Northern Australia.
The QRC has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of a further $539.2 million in funding for new emissions reduction projects, calling it a necessary and pragmatic step towards helping Australia meet global emission targets.
Trafikverket (the Swedish Transport Administration), together with LKAB and Bane Nor, is conducting tests on the Swedish and Norwegian sections of the Ore Railway to enable heavier transports in future. Therefore, the axle load for ore cars is being increased from 30 tonnes to 31 tonnes.
More than 60 percent of CEOs surveyed for a new report on Queensland’s resources sector are considering hydrogen-related business opportunities, with 10 percent already committed to hydrogen projects.
Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said more than 30 percent of member CEOs who responded to a recent sentiment survey believe hydrogen will provide an opportunity to reduce emissions in their own business, and a further 30 percent think hydrogen could help grow their business.
Mr Macfarlane said the results published in the QRC’s latest State of the Sector report show resources companies are actively looking at new technologies such as hydrogen as a way to reduce emissions to address the challenge of climate change.
“While there is a way to go before green hydrogen can be considered a commercially viable energy source in Queensland, the research, development and commercialisation work underway is very promising,” he said. “The State Government’s decision to establish a Ministry for Hydrogen Industry Development and a Ministerial Energy Council also shows it’s serious about encouraging industry to invest in renewable technologies like hydrogen, so I think we’re all moving in the right direction. The QRC looks forward to sharing the strong interest of our members in hydrogen, as part of the energy mix, in our discussions with the Council. The good news for Queensland is that the unique ingredients that make our state a global minerals and energy powerhouse are ideally suited to support a thriving hydrogen export industry. Queensland has around 300 days of sunshine a year, we’re close to large export markets in Asia, and we have a proud history of co-existing with other regional industries. Queensland’s resource industry already has the essential skills base and strong safety culture that can drive the state’s hydrogen sector forward on a large scale.”
Mr Macfarlane said research into how to safely and economically add hydrogen into the global energy mix is well underway, with mining companies already heavily involved in trialling hydrogen for industrial use.
Current projects involving QRC member companies include:
Mr Macfarlane said the latest State of the Sector report highlighted the continuing resilience and adaptability of Queensland’s resources industry in the face of the global pandemic.
“In spite of all the challenges we’ve faced, mining and gas jobs in Queensland increased by 15 percent over the 12 months to February 2021 according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics’ figures, which means jobs supported by our state’s resources sector would now be well over 420,000,” he said. “24 percent of our CEOs are also planning to increase employment at their Queensland operations over the next 12 months, with half expecting to increase their workforce by more than 25 percent. This is a huge vote of confidence in our sector which benefits every Queenslander through a stronger state economy and more jobs.”
The QRC is Queensland’s peak representative body for coal, metal and gas explorers, producers and suppliers across the resources sector. It contributes one in every five dollars to the Queensland economy, sustains one in six Queensland jobs, supports more than 15,000 businesses and contributes to more than 1,200 community organisations across the state - all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass.
Source: QRC
The Queensland Resources Council’s (QRC) latest State of the Sector report highlights the continuing adaptability and resilience of the state’s $82.6 billion resources industry, in spite of the impact of the global pandemic, Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said today.
Mr Macfarlane said a survey of QRC member company CEOs in February 2021 showed resources companies are actively looking at new technologies such as hydrogen to reduce emissions and grow their business in a sustainable way.
The Extraordinary General Meeting of BAUER Aktiengesellschaft today voted with the required majority to approve the agenda items up for resolution, thereby supporting the proposals by the management.
The Queensland resources sector has again defied the Covid-19 global pandemic by adding 10,259 jobs – or more than one extra job every hour – over the 12 months to February this year, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data released today.
The Action Plan for Critical Raw Materials presented by the European Commission in September 2020 is subject to an opinion which will be discussed by local and regional leaders during the plenary of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 18 March. Many European key industries, especially those involved in future-oriented technologies, are highly dependent on critical raw materials, a majority of which are imported from non-EU countries.
The Queensland resources and energy sector is currently looking to fill more than 1000 jobs across the State, Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said today.