Published Friday, 17 November, 2006 at 12:00 PM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
MICKEL PROMOTES QUEENSLAND’S MINING STRENGTHS IN INDIA
Queensland Minister for State Development John Mickel will leave for India today on a trade mission to further business opportunities for Queensland companies and to promote the Smart State as a key investment destination.
Mr Mickel’s trip will focus in particular on Queensland’s strengths in mining, mineral processing and mining services.
He will meet with key Indian business and government leaders, including India’s largest private steel company, Tata Steel.
He will also speak at two major investment functions in Kolkata where the 8th International Mining and Machinery Exhibition, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Indian Government, is being held from 22-25 November.
Mr Mickel said Queensland is a well established mining and minerals powerhouse.
“Mining and mineral operations account for more than 50 percent of our total merchandise exports and we are significant global players in coking and thermal coal, mineral sands, copper, silver, lead, zinc, nickel, bauxite, alumina and aluminium,” he said.
“As well as the mining activity itself, we have over many years built up a world class capability in mining support services which are used in operations in Australia and exported through the world."
Mr Mickel said Brisbane now ranked with Johannesburg, Montreal and Santiago as a global centre for mining and processing support.
There are at least 5000 engineers based in the city or on site in other Queensland locations such as Mt Isa or Moranbah.
A number of Queensland companies will take part in the Australian Pavilion at the International Mining and Machinery Exhibition, including the Queensland Government’s mine safety research organisation Simtars.
“Simtars recently won an order for its Camgas monitoring system from India’s Singareni Colleries Company,” Mr Mickel said.
The system determines the toxicity and explosive potential of gases in underground mines. China bought six Camgas systems early last year.
“Mine safety is a priority in India. Queensland has developed extensive expertise in this area and is in a position to assist Indian companies with mine safety programs and procedures,” Mr Mickel said.
Mr Mickel will also meet with senior representatives of Air India and India’s leading private airline Jet Airways to discuss route development and the training of aircrew and maintenance staff in Queensland.
“The Smart State is well geared to train air crew and maintenance staff. For example, the Da Vinci Centre for Aviation and Aerospace Training at Brisbane Airport is the first airport-based education and training precinct of its kind in Australia and one of very few in the world,” Mr Mickel said.
He said a number of Indian companies had already invested in Queensland, including the Aditya Birla Group, Vedanta Resources, VISA Steel and Tata Steel.
“India is currently Queensland’s third largest export destination and in 2005-06, we exported more than $2.85 billion in merchandise exports to India.”
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
Mr Mickel’s trip will focus in particular on Queensland’s strengths in mining, mineral processing and mining services.
He will meet with key Indian business and government leaders, including India’s largest private steel company, Tata Steel.
He will also speak at two major investment functions in Kolkata where the 8th International Mining and Machinery Exhibition, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Indian Government, is being held from 22-25 November.
Mr Mickel said Queensland is a well established mining and minerals powerhouse.
“Mining and mineral operations account for more than 50 percent of our total merchandise exports and we are significant global players in coking and thermal coal, mineral sands, copper, silver, lead, zinc, nickel, bauxite, alumina and aluminium,” he said.
“As well as the mining activity itself, we have over many years built up a world class capability in mining support services which are used in operations in Australia and exported through the world."
Mr Mickel said Brisbane now ranked with Johannesburg, Montreal and Santiago as a global centre for mining and processing support.
There are at least 5000 engineers based in the city or on site in other Queensland locations such as Mt Isa or Moranbah.
A number of Queensland companies will take part in the Australian Pavilion at the International Mining and Machinery Exhibition, including the Queensland Government’s mine safety research organisation Simtars.
“Simtars recently won an order for its Camgas monitoring system from India’s Singareni Colleries Company,” Mr Mickel said.
The system determines the toxicity and explosive potential of gases in underground mines. China bought six Camgas systems early last year.
“Mine safety is a priority in India. Queensland has developed extensive expertise in this area and is in a position to assist Indian companies with mine safety programs and procedures,” Mr Mickel said.
Mr Mickel will also meet with senior representatives of Air India and India’s leading private airline Jet Airways to discuss route development and the training of aircrew and maintenance staff in Queensland.
“The Smart State is well geared to train air crew and maintenance staff. For example, the Da Vinci Centre for Aviation and Aerospace Training at Brisbane Airport is the first airport-based education and training precinct of its kind in Australia and one of very few in the world,” Mr Mickel said.
He said a number of Indian companies had already invested in Queensland, including the Aditya Birla Group, Vedanta Resources, VISA Steel and Tata Steel.
“India is currently Queensland’s third largest export destination and in 2005-06, we exported more than $2.85 billion in merchandise exports to India.”
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.