Articles by Andrew Duffy

FIFO turns Mine Towns to "Skeletons" The CFMEU says Queenslanders should be wary of increasing FIFO (fly-in fly-out) workers for fear regions could become too similar to parts of Western Australia.  ABC News  reports CFMEU national secretary Dave Noonan has travelled to north-west Queensland and expressed concern over rising FIFO quotas at mines .  "[It has] been a...Full Article »

The waste generated from coal mining and beneficiation is contaminated with carcinogens, heavy metals, and radioactive elements. It’s extremely dangerous to the environment and human health, and an important consideration for mining companies. While each miner has its own plan to tackle the problem Virotec Solutions CEO Lee Ferguson says the industry’s treatment “has at times...Full Article »

The Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) says it will push ahead with controversial new changes to disclosure rules for mining companies after receiving positive feedback from the industry. ASX senior policy analyst Diane Lewis said the mining industry had been generally supportive of the changes after a consultation paper was released last year. After the paper's initial release the Australasian...Full Article »

Weighing up Obesity as a health and safety risk in the mining industry For workers in the mining industry some of the most dangerous health and safety risks aren’t located on site. With the rate of obesity and chronic disease in mining rising at an alarming rate, companies are increasingly looking at ways to keep workers healthy. The risks posed by unhealthy lifestyles can be deadly, and...Full Article »

Government Celebrates Mining Tax Success The Gillard Government is today celebrating the passage of the mining tax through the Senate, the final hurdle for the controversial new policy. With the support of the Greens the legislation passed last night 38 votes to 32, despite repeated attempts by the Coalition to delay the vote.   This morning Prime Minister Julia Gillard marked the occasion,...Full Article »

Hardly a week goes by without a company, recruiter, or government boasting about the number of jobs available in the mining industry. But while the vacancies seem endless many still struggle to find work in the industry.   The disconnect between this reality and what people see in the media is alarming, and the source of rising frustration in the community.   Most often the frustration...Full Article »

Mining Skills Shortage Focus The Minerals Council of Australia says the mining industry is struggling to get workers to relocate to the Northern Territory to work on resources projects. Minerals Council NT spokesperson Peter Stewart told the ABC companies were relying on fly-in-fly-out workers to fill gaps. He said finding people with the right training and experience was difficult, and having...Full Article »

New China system hopes to break iron ore mining monopoly China has launched a rival online iron ore mining trading platform it hopes will allow it to weaken the monopoly of Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. The move is the latest in a series of negotiations by China to soften high commodity prices. The China Beijing International Mining Exchange and China Iron & Steel Association launched the...Full Article »