Coal could become a factor in northern Queensland wealth
May 9 - 15, 2012
WITH a long history in copper, lead, zinc and silver, coal is now being added to northern Queensland’s riches as Townsville’s prospects for exporting coal and providing workers for prospective northern Galilee coal projects are assessed.
Bob Cameron revisits early PRB attraction
May 2 - 8, 2012
WHEN Bob Cameron visited the Powder River Basin as a young mining engineer he saw a geologist’s heaven. When an opportunity arose a good 40 years later to work in the area as chairman of Australian-listed County Coal the “mining engineer and businessman” in him simply couldn’t say no.
Shenhua rolls with the punches
April 25 - May 1, 2012
SHENHUA Watermark has copped it all. Issued with its Director General Requirements late last week, the coal project needs to meet New South Wales’ new 4.1 legislation, new Strategic Regional Land Use Policy, as well as Tony Windsor’s proposed Federal legislation to boot.
Draig reveals early potential
April 25 - May 1, 2012
AGAINST a backdrop of the Mongolian elections Draig Resources has been keeping busy drilling towards a maiden JORC resource with encouraging results to date.
Cokal looks to north Kalimantan
April 25 - May 1, 2012
COKAL is looking to bypass congested southern Kalimantan coal export channels with a plan to open up a new northern front – though it is, as they say in the business, very early days.
Orpheus plays to its own tune
April 11 - 17, 2012
A SERIES of small mines established to generate cash flow will give Orpheus Energy time to find its company maker, according to executive chairman Wayne Mitchell.
Beacon shines in Mozambique
April 11 - 17, 2012
APRIL 10 - BROADENING its investor base from AIM to the ASX just before Easter, Beacon Hill Resources is confident its expansion plans are on track for its producing asset and its foothold in Mozambique will allow it to become a strong producer in the country’s exciting nascent coal industry.
Clear path for Bandanna
April 4 - 10, 2012
NO longer an explorer and not quite a producer, Bandanna Energy is currently sitting in no man’s land but a path to coal output is being beaten by new CEO and former Macarthur man Michael Gray, who says with port capacity secured the Queensland coal hopeful is only a few years away from producer status.
Orpheus sees positive in Indonesia rule change
March 14 - 20, 2012
THE news that Indonesian coal play Orpheus Energy had made the transition to producer should have been a boost for the minnow. Instead, Indonesia’s latest proclamations about limiting foreign ownership of its resources have left the stock continuing to drift.
Cuesta confidence returns
March 7 - 13, 2012
CUESTA Coal has ditched plans for a backdoor listing in favour of on IPO after securing a Chinese investor and observing improved market conditions.
Watermark landmark draws close
February 29 - March 6, 2012
IT’S no mean feat getting a new coal mine approved in New South Wales these days. It’s even harder if you are a Chinese company fighting anti-foreign ownership sentiment and your project is located on prime agricultural land on the Liverpool Plains. Undaunted, China Shenhua Energy is pursuing its $A1.7 billion Watermark coal project with an all-embracing community consultation program as it puts together an Environmental Impact Statement to be submitted mid this year.
Take two
February 22 - 28, 2012
SHOT down on the eve of the state election last year, Kores’ Wallarah 2 management have since regrouped and are currently jumping through approval hoops to have another crack at gaining approval for their underground coal project on New South Wales’ Central Coast.
Mozambique aspirations
February 15 - 21, 2012
TAKING inspiration from the Riversdale story, Shiv Madan headed to Africa with aspirations to become a major coking coal player in the burgeoning Mozambique coal industry.
NuCoal expands Hunter Valley foothold
February 15 - 21, 2012
FEBRUARY 21 - NUCOAL took another step toward its vision of becoming a significant Hunter Valley coal producer this week, signing a binding heads of agreement to acquire the neighbouring exploration licence to its existing Doyles Creek and Savoy Hill projects.
Sober coal warning from McCloskey
February 8 - 14, 2012
INDABA 2012: VETERAN coal watcher Gerard McCloskey has warned of a looming reality check in coal markets, suggesting the two-year acquisition frenzy among coal miners may have been overly ambitious.
Bell strikes a balance
February 8 - 14, 2012
COPPING a battering from both unions and mining companies, Queensland mine safety and health commissioner Stewart Bell isn’t in line to win any popularity contests. However, approaching his third year in the job, he has made headway in tackling the state’s most pressing safety and health issues as well as shaking off any notion the key Queensland Mines Inspectorate can be externally influenced.
Farm conundrum grows for NSW miners
February 1 - 7, 2012
AS Strategic Land Use Plans loom for New South Wales miners, Sparke Helmore Lawyers Alan McKelvey and David White delve into possible ramifications of the vague policy currently on the table.
Time to deliver for Cockatoo
February 1 - 7, 2012
WITH a Glencore pedigree working in Australia, the United States and Singapore, new Cockatoo Coal CEO Andrew Lawson is bound to know a thing or two about coal marketing and strategic development. His challenge this year though is to ensure Cockatoo Coal delivers on promises related to projects in the Bowen and Surat Basins, in Queensland, and in New South Wales.
Queensland minnows feel squeeze
February 1 - 7, 2012
WHILE the details are still fuzzy, what Queensland’s small coal explorers can be sure of is they will come under increasing financial pressure with the introduction of cash-bidding for coal tenure and duty on exploration permits.
Strategic Cropping Land arrives
February 1 - 7, 2012
THE controversial Queensland strategic cropping land legislation came into effect this week and it won’t be long for the first casualties to emerge, according to HopgoodGanim Lawyers associate Damian Roe.
