Archived News for Industry Professionals - August, 2013
Sand mining will continue on North Stradbroke Island despite protests from traditional owners and conservationists over the threat to delicate wetlands and aquifers.
B-doubles rolling in Melbourne
Victoria’s new Freight & Logistics Plan (VFLP) has allowed access for Higher Productivity Freight Vehicles (HPFVs) on the wider road network, with the first big rigs rolling out of city depots this week.
Conflict on gas, EPA and Federal influence
There is controversy unfolding over gas projects in the west, with a ruling that the approval of a massive offshore Kimberly gas hub was unlawful due to conflicting interests.
Cougar looks to change its stripes
Shareholders are set to vote on a name change for Cougar Energy, as the company tries to move beyond its coal gas-heavy past and into conventional assets.
Demos show opinions divided
The people have taken to the streets over the weekend to voice their various concerns about the future of resources projects in the country’s south-eastern corner.
Industrial dust ousts high-tech engineers
A firm which engineers and manufactures equipment for the mining industry has been forced to leave the Hunter Valley region of NSW, pushed out by unrelenting dust pollution from a nearby mine.
Lattice linking strength, functionality
Engineering researchers have developed a new kind of building block which is both incredibly strong and small.
Locals jump in as big freight bails from rural Queensland
With the imminent closure of key freight hubs in Queensland, one local mayor wants to ensure nearby freight companies are ready to pick up the slack.
Milk plants add megalitres to supply
A contract has been awarded for two new plants to improve Australia’s eastern states’ dairy supply chain.
Mine safety claims countered in QLD
Mine safety authorities have hit back at claims that job cuts are putting lives at risk in the industry.
Mithril moves on 3000 metre copper dig
The Mithril Resources group is moving ahead on a 3000 metre copper drilling program in the Northern Territory, after completing precursory assessments.
New device marries mine safety, productivity
Researchers at CSIRO are abuzz with the success of their new development; a tracker called WASP (or Wireless Ad hoc System for Positioning) designed for use in underground mines.
Transport Union backs foreign worker's pay rights
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has launched a new campaign for ‘Aussie Work, Aussie Rights’, aiming to end the exploitation of foreign workers in Australia.
Truck tips take handy form
The Australian Trucking Association has compiled and published a list of ten tips to assist motorists sharing the road with big transporters.
Unions combine to boost battle at Port
The New South Wales secretary for the Transport Workers Union says a conglomerate of Unions in the state have come together to force the Port Waratah Coal Services (PWCS) in the port of Newcastle to address safety concerns.
German plants' decline a sign of the times
A major German power company has shut down six domestic plants and another provider is considering moving to Turkey, as the nation trims down its addiction to fossil fuels and carbon-heavy energy.
If these buildings could talk
Researchers at the University of Adelaide are working on a new technology which can ‘talk’ to large structures about their health and wellbeing.
NBN looks within to fix design, contractor woes
Reports say NBN Co has been hit by a multi-billion dollar blowout from mounting construction costs and contractors’ demands.
Nuclear refinement could be industrial goldmine
With eyes around the world looking for new ways to end the global reliance on oil and coal, many are beginning to focus on the embattled but still solid source; uranium.
Power struggle charges to the street
A rally in Melbourne has seen disgruntled Yallourn power station workers joined by hundreds of people outside the offices of their employer, Energy Australia.
Scoping out sites for mines in space
Scottish scientists have done some prospecting in space, identifying twelve nearby asteroids which could be harnessed and mined for valuable resources.