MINING.COM

GE to build major education centre in Perth

Giant US company General Electric has announced plans for an $80 million technology and education centre at Perth's Jandakot airport.

Its global chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt made the announcement in Perth on Wednesday with federal Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs Minister Chris Evans.

Mr Immelt said the new facility would be a multi-purpose GE training, service and technology centre able to be expanded further in future.

It would help provide skills and training to support growth in Australia's oil and gas, energy, mining, transportation and water industries.

Business Spectator | March 16, 2011 | 1:38 pm

Apprentices boost for mining sector

Adults will soon be able to complete an apprenticeship in 18 months under a plan to provide an extra 1000 workers for the mining sector.

The Gillard Government is expected to announce today the $2 million in co-funding for the adult apprenticeship project that came out of an inquiry from Federal Labor MP Gary Gray into the jobs demand in the resources sector over the next 20 years.

Traditional apprenticeships take four years and the low pay is unattractive to older workers. Under the scheme, recruits can stay employed or join the workforce of a participating mining company.

Shane Wright | March 15, 2011 | 12:52 pm

Bill ending eminent domain powers of mining industry clears Nevada Senate

Exploration and mining in mineral-rich Nevada could be affected, CB Online reports: The Nevada Senate passed a bill nearly unanimously Thursday that ends the authority of the state's mining and defunct sugar beet industries to invoke eminent domain to take private land for their own use. Sen. Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, who sponsored SB86, said she focused on the two industries because they represent companies that take property for private enrichment rather than for the public good.

MINING.COM Staff Writer | March 11, 2011 | 7:02 am

Heavy Equipment Safety Training College to Deliver Train-The-Trainer Instructor Certification for Yukon Mining Association

Yukon Mine Training Association (YMTA) launches a second year of training partnership with their delivery agent, Northern Safety Network Yukon training Heavy […]

Yahoo Finance | March 9, 2011 | 1:50 pm

Canadian mining sector poised to hire

The Globe and Mail reports that Canada’s mining sector is set for a hiring spree in the coming quarter, making it the most upbeat sector in the country as other employers remain cautious. Across all industries, one in five employers expect to boost their payrolls in the April-to-June period, according to a Manpower Inc. survey released Tuesday. According to The Globe, almost three-quarters, or 73 per cent, expect no change in staffing levels while 5 per cent are planning cutbacks – responses that are little changed from the prior quarter. It’s a different story for mining, where second-quarter hiring intentions are by far the strongest, and where the outlook also jumped the most in the quarter.

MINING.COM Staff Writer | March 9, 2011 | 7:20 am

Another wild week in the precious metals

Gold settled at $1428.60 for the week as African and Middle East tensions continue to support the precious metals.

Mike Daly | March 4, 2011 | 9:53 pm

BC mineral explorers respond to Fraser Institute survey of mining companies

The Association for Mineral Exploration BC (AME BC) is encouraged by British Columbia’s return to the top half of the Fraser Institute rankings of mining companies’ perceptions of the province, but acknowledged that challenges remain with regard to business certainty.

Association for Mineral Exploration BC | March 3, 2011 | 8:39 pm

Michael Moore spotlights Vale for shutting down operations in Manitoba

Michael Moore, political activist and academy-award winner, took sides in the labour fight between Vale and the workers in Thompson, Manitoba. On […]

Michael Allan McCrae | February 28, 2011 | 6:52 pm

New South African state mining company to begin coal production by June: CEO

South Africa’s state-owned African Exploration, Mining and Finance Corp. said it will start producing 800,000 metric tons of coal annually for domestic electricity provider Eskom Holdings Ltd. by June, Bloomberg News is reporting: The company, jointly controlled by the government’s energy and mining ministries, will spend 130 million rand ($18.5 million) building a coal mine in Vlakfontein, about 80 kilometers east of Johannesburg, Chief Executive Officer Sizwe Madondo said at the site today. Production will be increased to 1.68 million tons, with the option of boosting it further to 3 million tons annually, he told hundreds of local residents.

MINING.com Editor | February 26, 2011 | 5:46 pm

Mineral explorers celebrate Northwest Transmission Line approval

Today the Association for Mineral Exploration BC (AME BC) celebrated the environmental approval of the Northwest Transmission Line project. The BC Environmental Assessment Office has granted BC Hydro an environmental assessment certificate for the proposed $404 million, 344-kilometre transmission line project from the existing Skeena substation south of Terrace to a new substation near Bob Quinn Lake.

Association for Mineral Exploration BC | February 24, 2011 | 7:00 pm