Anna Bligh Opens Queensland Mining & Engineering Exhibition (QME) 2006 in Mackay
The Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition was opened in Mackay yesterday by the Queensland Deputy Premier, Anna Bligh.
Ms Bligh said that mining is the powerhouse behind Queensland’s current economic success story, with economic growth in Queensland this financial year forecast to be well ahead of the 2.5 percent forecast for the nation.
Ms Bligh said that “a big factor in this has been due to our booming resources sector. The global appetite for our coal and mining is at an all time high and prices are continuing at a high level.”
“Fuelled by massive demand from China, India and an economically resurgent Japan, Queensland’s crude metals, including coal, metalliferous ores, petroleum and other crude minerals, and processed minerals and metals totalled to $24 billion in 2004/05, which is 31 percent of the nation’s total mining exports.”
Ms Bligh said of this $24 billion, $9.5 billion was in coal exports and Queensland is the largest single coal-exporting province in the world, supplying more than 20 percent of the world’s seaborne coal to 34 countries.
“But it’s not all just about the resources we pull out from the ground and export around the world - Queensland is also emerging as a major player in mining services,” she said.
“Queensland has developed world-class equipment and services around mining that deliver process improvement and reduced costs in an industry, which by its very nature, is resource-intensive.
“The Queensland’s market for mining services generates revenue of about $1.1 billion a year in turnover.”
There will be 460 exhibitors at the Exhibition. The last time this event was held in 2004, almost 8,000 people visited the exhibition.
This year, there is also a live webcam at the show.
For those of us that are not able to visit this year, post a comment to let us know your experience at the exhibition. Tell us what you liked or didn’t like.
Calvin Close
miningreference.com - Australia’s Premier Mining Directory