PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified major BHP Billiton and its joint venture (JV) partner Mitsubishi have officially opened the Daunia coal mine, in Queensland.
This was the JV’s ninth operating metallurgical coal mine in the region.
Coal president Dean Dalla Valle said on Wednesday that the JV partners had made significant capital investment to expand its operations in the Queensland region, in recent years.
“In addition to the $1.4-billion invested to construct the 4.5-million-tonne-a-year Duania mine, the JV has committed $7.7-billion for major projects in Queensland over the past three years. This includes the new Caval Ridge mine and the expansion of the Hay Point coal terminal, currently under way, as well as the Broadmeadow mine extension completed this year.”
Dalla Valle pointed out that the BHP Mitsubishi alliance was the state’s largest coal miner, operating seven metallurgical coal mines in the region, along with the Hay Point coal terminal.
The company’s nearby Caval Ridge mine would make it eight.
Speaking at the opening of the mine, Queensland Resources Council (QRC) CEO Michael Roche said that from inception Daunia had set new benchmarks, starting with strong commitments to safety and workforce diversity.
“Almost half the 900 people working at Daunia were recruited from the Cairns and Brisbane regions with an emphasis on attracting women and indigenous people to the coal industry,” he said.
“As a result, 27% of the Daunia workforce is female and 5% indigenous – a remarkable achievement and a credit to BHP Billiton and their JV partners Mitsubishi Development.”