Mining News - Mining Jobs | SA Mine Jobs | Olympic Dam

Mining News – QLD Mining Jobs, SA Mine Jobs, Olympic Dam $30 billion expansion

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  • It’s not just about Mining Jobs

    While there is plenty of talk about WA and how the state`s mining industry is driving mining jobs growth, QLD is forecast to become Australia`s employment hotspot. A Federal Government report released this week highlights an expected surge in construction, healthcare and social assistance positions, with about 220,000 more workers required in the next five years. This is on top of the expected jobs growth in the mining and resources sector as more and more mining project are approved in 2012-13.

  • New Oz Minerals’ Prominent Hill copper & gold mine in South Australia creates 150+ new mining jobs

    A new underground copper and gold mine has been opened in South Australia`s north, creating more than 150 jobs (up to 200+ mining jobs) on top of the existing 1200 strong workforce. SA Premier, Jay Weatherill, opened the Ankata mine which part of OzMinerals` Prominent Hill operations. Mr Weatherill said the new project was an example of how companies could share the benefits of the mining boom, with 80 per cent of the mining workforce living in South Australia with about 10 per cent of its workforce coming from indigenous communities.

    OzMinerals’ was also creating an underground road to an area underneath the current open-cut mine to drill for another deep deposit, which could extend the working life of the mine even further. The underground mining operations at Prominent Hill will reach full production next month, and is expected to produce about 25,000 tonnes of copper and 12,000 ounces of gold per year.

    The combined operation is forecast to produce 130,000-150,000 ounces of gold and 100,000-110,000 tonnes of copper per year which will be sold to European and Asian customers.

  • Mines may need less skilled workers

    The Department of Treasury has been told Australian mining companies could be forced to use less experienced workers to proceed on a significant amount of construction projects in the mining sector. Treasury says despite the availability of mining jobs, the mining industry is facing challenges recruiting and contracting workers for mining projects, especially for highly specialised technical positions, and these shortages were expected to continue in the short-term.

    “In some cases, there were reports that this could lead to either finding less experienced workers or splitting apart contract work into smaller operations.” Read more here

  • Tony Abbott says Olympic Dam project is vital

    The South Australian Olympic Dam project expansion would create the world’s largest open cut mine, with annual copper production tripling to 750,000 tonnes and uranium oxide production rising to 19,000 tonnes.

    Mr Abbott told the meeting the proposed Olympic Dam mine expansion was vital to the economic future of South Australia, but the only way to make it happen was to abolish mining taxes. BHP Billiton has until the end of the year to give the $30 billion expansion the final go-ahead.

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