23 MAY 2011www.cairns.com.au
Bauxite mine offers hope for Cairns' economic revival
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
A PROPOSED bauxite mine and port near Weipa are firming up as the beacons of hope for the Far North's struggling economy.
Cape Alumina acting chief executive officer Neville Conway has spent two days in Cairns briefing business and community leaders as well as company shareholders on the promising future of the project, which he is aiming to start in three years. He told The Cairns Post the $1 billion 15-year mine would inject $600 million into the Far North’s economy and employ up to 1000 people.
Mining of the Bauxite Hills project, 95km north of Weipa, was expected to start mid to late 2014. Mr Conway said Cairns would become an important fly-in/fly-out hub for the mine.
"Cairns is positioning itself as a FIFO hub and we will be part of that process," he said.
Mr Conway said it was too early to say when recruiting would start but there would be 500 workers involved in the construction phase and several hundred in the mining operations.
"We will be hiring as many local people as possible," he said. Mr Conway said they were aiming for indigenous people to make up at least 20 per cent of the workforce.
He said the lessons learnt from their failed Pisolite Hills project, which was axed because of the State Government’s Wild Rivers laws, would mean they could fast-track the new mine, including the environmental and economic impact studies.
As well as meeting Cairns Regional Council Mayor Val Schier, councillors and Advance Cairns he updated about 20 of the 200 shareholders in the Far North.
Mr Conway said the company was making good progress and had announced a new capital raising program to secure cash for the project.
Access agreements had been signed with the Aboriginal owners of the project area and large-scale drilling was scheduled to start this year.
"Bauxite Hills is a key project for Cape Alumina and we are very excited about the significant progress we have made," Mr Conway said.
"We are also very pleased at the strong support and encouragement for the Bauxite Hills project in Cairns and surrounding communities."
Advance Cairns chairman Russell Beer said the organisation supported the mine.
"What’s good for up there is good for Cairns, particularly the proposed FIFO operation and the supply of goods and services," he said. "It will be good for the airport. We’re all for it."
Cape Alumina acting chief executive officer Neville Conway has spent two days in Cairns briefing business and community leaders as well as company shareholders on the promising future of the project, which he is aiming to start in three years. He told The Cairns Post the $1 billion 15-year mine would inject $600 million into the Far North’s economy and employ up to 1000 people.
Mining of the Bauxite Hills project, 95km north of Weipa, was expected to start mid to late 2014. Mr Conway said Cairns would become an important fly-in/fly-out hub for the mine.
"Cairns is positioning itself as a FIFO hub and we will be part of that process," he said.
Mr Conway said it was too early to say when recruiting would start but there would be 500 workers involved in the construction phase and several hundred in the mining operations.
"We will be hiring as many local people as possible," he said. Mr Conway said they were aiming for indigenous people to make up at least 20 per cent of the workforce.
He said the lessons learnt from their failed Pisolite Hills project, which was axed because of the State Government’s Wild Rivers laws, would mean they could fast-track the new mine, including the environmental and economic impact studies.
As well as meeting Cairns Regional Council Mayor Val Schier, councillors and Advance Cairns he updated about 20 of the 200 shareholders in the Far North.
Mr Conway said the company was making good progress and had announced a new capital raising program to secure cash for the project.
Access agreements had been signed with the Aboriginal owners of the project area and large-scale drilling was scheduled to start this year.
"Bauxite Hills is a key project for Cape Alumina and we are very excited about the significant progress we have made," Mr Conway said.
"We are also very pleased at the strong support and encouragement for the Bauxite Hills project in Cairns and surrounding communities."
Advance Cairns chairman Russell Beer said the organisation supported the mine.
"What’s good for up there is good for Cairns, particularly the proposed FIFO operation and the supply of goods and services," he said. "It will be good for the airport. We’re all for it."
Previous article
Limited amount of workers for bauxite mine
Next articleVedanta Denies Toxic Waste Leak
Grow with
AL Circle
