Search will continue for FNQ metals
NINE exploration companies will continue the search for new deposits of copper, gold and other base metals in the North West Minerals Province with the support of the latest round of State Government exploration grants.
With resources being depleted at Mount Isa and growing demand for metals globally to supply emerging industries in renewable energy, batteries and electric vehicles, the search is particularly acute for copper in North Queensland.
The latest round of funding will provide a total of just more than $ 1 million.
Natural Resources and Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said the North West Minerals Province provided a golden opportunity for explorers whose work had positive local flow- on effects.
“Funding through the Collaborative Exploration Initiative allows companies to kickstart projects that may have never have got off the ground due to the costs and risks involved in exploring in remote regions of Queensland,” Dr Lynham said.
The program has generated 48 new mineralisation discoveries over the past 10 years, including a contribution towards Australia’s largest copper- cobalt resource by Aeon Metals and the Maronan deposit worth up to $ 9 billion. vacancies for 200 people at its operations in Mount Isa, Cloncurry and Townsville because of a tightening in the labour market. Both MMG, which operates the Dugald River zinc mine near Cloncurry, and Capricorn Copper, which operates the revamped Mount Gordon mine north of Mount Isa, recently started production, , employing p y g about 300 people each. “There are a lot of projects ramping up around northwest Queensland, so much so that skill shortages are emerging again,” a spokesman for recruitment firm Hays said. “We expect suitable mining candidates to remain in demand throughout 2018. It will … be a positive year ahead.”
The Hays spokesman said there was high g demand for white- collar r workers such as mine engineers, occupational health and safety officers, planning engineers, metallurgists and geologists. Trades in demand included diesel fitters, mechanical fitters, boilermakers and underground operators p including g drill operators.
Mr Dwyer, who has been commissioned by the Federal Department of Employment to report on the region’s construction workforce needs, said there were 46 approved projects in the region g worth $ 3 billion, , creating 6500 jobs.
“The Townsville region’s demand for skilled construction workers is likely to grow quickly in 2018 and 2019,” Mr Dwyer said. “It’s important that Townsville obtains an understanding of the need for construction skills and quantifies the demand from large projects so we can find solutions to a potential skills shortage before it occurs.” Mr Dwyer said the mining, transport and tourism sectors would contribute three- quarters of the estimated 6500 jobs.