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METS Ignited champions four Bowen Basin projects in Mackay

A project aimed at measuring workers’ physical, mental and emotional well-being was one of the four recipients of Commonwealth Government’s funding under its Industry Growth Centre initiative, METS Ignited.

The project was presented by Queensland’s provider of psychological care Nutricula Psychology and Active Adrenaline, where a strategic Holistic Safety Training program will be delivered to positively influence the assessment.

The $312,400 project will also aim to validate the link between worker well-being and safety performance.

Collectively, all four project solutions will bring increased value to mining operations around Australia. They will help provide solutions for conveyor belt spillage and its associated issues; access to the costly practice of rapid prototyping; and training for new underground mining operators.

Minister for Jobs and Innovation Senator Michaelia Cash said, “The government is providing connections and funding, matched by industry, to make these plans a reality.”

The Turnbull government invested $500,000 to four consortia for a total investment of $1.14 million.

METS Ignited chief executive Ric Gros said, “The commercialisation of innovation through programs like this will ensure that the METS sector – already worth $86 billion to the Australian economy – continues to grow and provide jobs for regions like Mackay.”

The Bowen Basin holds 43 operating coal mines and employs 18,800 people.

The three other recipients of the METS Ignited Bowen Basin Cluster funding are:

MyneSight (total project value: $785,000)

Industry partners: Mastermyne and MIRI

A simulation of underground mine in Mackay for training and research. It is a pilot for the future Australian Training and Research Underground Mining Simulator (ATRUMS).

The training simulation has already reduced the time it takes for an inexperienced miner to being operational at the coal-face by 30 per cent.

Macdonald Cordell (total project value: $200,000)

Industry partners: BMA Hay Point Coal Terminal and Aurecon Group

A commercialisation for a spray-on product used on conveyor belts, aimed to reduce carryback – an industry-wide issue where fine dust falls off belts, thus resulting in wear to conveyor components and more clean-up tasks.

The spray-on product will make the conveyor belt slippery and let the fine dust stay with the product.

Split Spaces (total project value: $200,000)

Industry partners: Central Queensland, LED Design Group Engineering, JET Engineering and JSIS Engineering

A rapid prototyping solution for mining technology, by increasing collaboration in the Bowen Basin region and facilitating access to required infrastructure without a costly commercial service or firms’ individual investments.

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