MICKEL’S PITCH TO INDIA’S ENERGY AND ENGINEERING COMPANIES
Published Tuesday, 21 November, 2006 at 03:00 PM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
KOLKATA: Queensland is recognised as one of the world’s big coal producers, but what’s not as well known is the State’s growing reputation as a global centre of mining expertise, technology and equipment.
Queensland Minister for State Development John Mickel is in Kolkata India today spruiking the Smart State’s mining capabilities to private engineering company MN Dastur and private energy provider, Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation.
In India, the coal supplies from local mines and foreign imports are not meeting the current demand of the power and steel industries” Mr Mickel said.
“Finding the coal to fuel the explosive growth in the Indian economy is proving a challenge for the Indian Government, given the fierce international competition for coal.
“In 1973, India nationalised its coal mines and the Indian Government allocates coal blocks to energy utilities and companies that require coal for their energy needs for what’s called captive mining. In other words, a company is allowed to mine a seam, but only for its needs, not for commercial mining purposes.”
The Indian Government recently allotted the Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation a coal block 200 kilometres west of Kolkata, in West Bengal.
The Corporation is currently looking to tender out the mine’s operations and the capabilities of Queensland suppliers put them in a perfect position to assist in the development of the Corporation’s mines’ Mickel said.
MN Dastur is one of India’s largest private engineering companies working in mining, construction and energy projects in India, Europe and the Middle East, and subsidiaries in Japan, German and the USA.
There’s a real opportunity for Queensland mining services and equipment firms to be involved with MN Dastur,” Mr Mickel said.
“I’ll be going in hard in my discussions with MN Dastur and Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation, promoting Queensland’s mining industry strengths.
“Not only in terms of extracting coal but also in mining safety, where Queensland excels.
We also have a lot to offer in terms of environmental management on mine sites and burning of coal for energy, with the leading-edge research we’re undertaking in the Smart State on clean coal technology.”
Mr Mickel said in addition, if Queensland companies get the nod here, it would provide a springboard for future projects undertaken by MN Dastur and in India generally.
Mr Mickel said mining is the backbone of the Queensland economy and the industry has developed world-class expertise, equipment and technology that delivers process improvement and reduces costs in an industry, which by its very nature, is resource-intensive.
“Brisbane now ranks 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,” he said.
Mr Mickel is currently on a trade mission to India to further business opportunities for Queensland companies and to promote the Smart State as a key investment destination
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
21 November, 2006
Queensland Minister for State Development John Mickel is in Kolkata India today spruiking the Smart State’s mining capabilities to private engineering company MN Dastur and private energy provider, Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation.
In India, the coal supplies from local mines and foreign imports are not meeting the current demand of the power and steel industries” Mr Mickel said.
“Finding the coal to fuel the explosive growth in the Indian economy is proving a challenge for the Indian Government, given the fierce international competition for coal.
“In 1973, India nationalised its coal mines and the Indian Government allocates coal blocks to energy utilities and companies that require coal for their energy needs for what’s called captive mining. In other words, a company is allowed to mine a seam, but only for its needs, not for commercial mining purposes.”
The Indian Government recently allotted the Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation a coal block 200 kilometres west of Kolkata, in West Bengal.
The Corporation is currently looking to tender out the mine’s operations and the capabilities of Queensland suppliers put them in a perfect position to assist in the development of the Corporation’s mines’ Mickel said.
MN Dastur is one of India’s largest private engineering companies working in mining, construction and energy projects in India, Europe and the Middle East, and subsidiaries in Japan, German and the USA.
There’s a real opportunity for Queensland mining services and equipment firms to be involved with MN Dastur,” Mr Mickel said.
“I’ll be going in hard in my discussions with MN Dastur and Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation, promoting Queensland’s mining industry strengths.
“Not only in terms of extracting coal but also in mining safety, where Queensland excels.
We also have a lot to offer in terms of environmental management on mine sites and burning of coal for energy, with the leading-edge research we’re undertaking in the Smart State on clean coal technology.”
Mr Mickel said in addition, if Queensland companies get the nod here, it would provide a springboard for future projects undertaken by MN Dastur and in India generally.
Mr Mickel said mining is the backbone of the Queensland economy and the industry has developed world-class expertise, equipment and technology that delivers process improvement and reduces costs in an industry, which by its very nature, is resource-intensive.
“Brisbane now ranks 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,” he said.
Mr Mickel is currently on a trade mission to India to further business opportunities for Queensland companies and to promote the Smart State as a key investment destination
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
21 November, 2006