Publishers Opinion – Hunter Coal is the best in
the world
The comeback of coal has proven just what an amazing
and dependable resource the black stuff really is.
Dependable for us locally, the state, the nation, and the
world. What is equally amazing is just how well developed
our local industry was to ride out the tough times and
come out on top. So what makes the Hunter coal industry
so special?
In my opinion it is our people who give us the edge. At top end of our coal
companies we have tough, tenacious and brave leadership prepared to take
the calculated risks and make investments to give us the edge and stability
well into the future.
At the production end of the scale (arguably the more important job) is turning
those plans and decisions into real and saleable product for export. Everyday
miners show a level of skill, work ethic, teamwork and dedication that in many
cases bridges decades. It’s this depth of experience and smarts that makes
our miners and industry the worlds best.
Vision, constant innovation, training and education have given us an
unrivalled edge and knowledge base that means new ideas and ways of doing
things are often developed right here and then exported to the world. We set
the standard and others follow or copy it.
On safety, innovation and conditions we are virtually unchallenged.
Safety is the number one site based consideration and has been for a
long while.
And all coal is not the same. There’s the good, bad and the ugly, and Hunter
coal is at the particularly attractive end of the scale. Very high in energy and
great for steelmaking, our coal quality is very important these days and should
mean our industry enjoys a long future. In global markets, trust and reliability
is a key consideration and the key coal customers of the world demand
reliability of supply and quality and in this our track record is second to none –
something very few coal producing nations can say.
And as much as we love to hate them, our government largely understands
and encourages our potential as an industry. Well except for the Greens that
is! For everything the powers that be get wrong they also get plenty right.
Allowing the development of our coal resources and other mining industries
has bankrolled an economic foundation that truly makes us the lucky country.
Nations around the world can only dream of the people and industry we have
and the relative political stability we enjoy further cements us as world
champions of coal.
When you also fold in some of the most developed and functional mining
infrastructure in the world and consider our convenient and accessible
location to the globes biggest customers – there you have it! The Hunter
Valley, the best coal producers in the world.
