Top Stories

OPINION – Whoever wins the election will need a strong mining sector
Our world-class NSW mining industry continues to do the heavy lifting for the NSW economy. NSW Treasury recently released its mid-year review confirming an extra

WHAT DO YOU CRAVE?
During a recent visit to Emerald, CQ, I had the pleasure of visiting locally owned Crave Food & Juice Bar, specialising in healthy options. It

Up, Up and Away
People travel tens of thousands of kilometers to see one of the planet’s most famous tourist attractions that is the Great Barrier Reef. For me?

Hard Hitter
Joshua Johnston, an underground operator at Kestrel mine, is making waves with his incredible achievements in various sports and his commitment to giving back to

Control Your Cholesterol
Do you ever reach into the bag of hot chips and get your hand slapped away and nagged at to watch your cholesterol? What the

My Mining Life – Simon West
Who are you and what do you do? Simon West and I am a Shotfirer at BHPs Goonyella Riverside Mine When did you start in

Supplier Insider – DGI Trading
Tell us about the business. My name is Tim Boyd, and I’m a Business Development Manager at DGI Trading, based in Queensland. DGI Trading recycles

Community Champion – Michael Livingston
This month we have put Michael Livingston, Supervisor at Peak Downs Mine under the spotlight, highlighting his amazing work in the Dysart community as Captain

COMMUNITY GIFT – Dancing with Heart
This month the Components Only and @ The Coalface $500 Community Gift goes to Tegan Jones from Dysart Hospital who will be taking to the

Making the impossible possible for rural students
This month, three worthy Moranbah women became recipients of Moranbah’s 2023 Community Scholarship Program. Established in 1997, the idea originally came from the Mining &

Industry and science partnering together for a floating expedition
In November 2022, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) hosted the largest single science and engagement field event in its 50 year history. The

OPINION: Coal abatement technologies – the party is just getting started
Green groups and conservationists are so focused on reaching net zero by cutting all coal and gas from the energy mix that they are ignoring

OPINION: Energy workers want support for safety, jobs and supply
Worker representatives from Queensland’s coal-fired power stations and domestic thermal coal mines joined with other energy workers from around Australia in February to compare notes

New Schools Partnership Program teaches the art of resilience
Former NQ Cowboys player Ray Thompson recently spent the whole week in Moranbah delivering his “Discovering Resilience” presentation as part of a new partnership between

Shining a Light
Mining companies are among the top corporate givers in Australia, donating over a billion dollars last year. Supporting everything from health, education, environment, disaster relief,

OPINION: Securing a Strong Future
The success of Queensland’s resources sector should never be taken for granted. There are plenty of challenges to face each year, and one of them

Queensland March 2023
Giving Back In our feature this month we mention the amount of corporate giving by mining companies last year hitting over a billion dollars. But

Are you a Travel Bunny? Easter is a great time to explore the NT.
Are you ready for an Easter adventure like no other? Pack your bags and hop on board, because we’re heading to the land of Uluru,

An Authentic Taste of Italy in Mudgee.
The expansion of @ The Coalface NSW is very exciting. Not only does this mean we are reaching a larger audience, but also brings new

MONKEYING AROUND
Spending a muggy Hunter Valley afternoon at the zoo with worms wriggling on my lap and squirrel monkeys climbing all over me is one of

Speed Racer
Since he was two years old Simon Bestmann has been around the dust and adrenaline of speedway. His dad was building wings for Formula 500s,

Super-sized battery to power Liebherr fully-electric haul truck
WAE Technologies’ and Fortescue’s quest for decarbonisation has been making waves in the industry as of late. Weighing in at a hefty 15 tonnes, it’s

Safety Champions
Expressway Spares have been named 2022 Safety Champions, taking home the win in the inaugural Work Health and Safety (WHS) Excellence Showcase. The Work Health

My Mining Life – Liam Lawford
Who are you and what do you do? I’m Liam – a proud Wiradjuri and Anaiwan man raised in Newcastle on Awabakal Country. I work

Supplier Insider – Lincom Group
Tell us about the business. Lincom Group is at the forefront of significant projects, supplying the quarry, mining, recycling and forestry industries with the sales,

UMATTER, BECAUSE YOU MATTER
It took Vicki Mendyk and her partner Lyndsay a little over 13 hours to walk around Maitland Park for 67 kilometres on one muggy night

Partners in Pink
The Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation (HBCF) provide support for people diagnosed with, or being treated for breast cancer, and for their families. HBCF is a

COMMUNITY GIFT – Survivors R Us.
This month the Complete Parts and @ The Coalface $500 Community Gift goes to a Survivors R Us, a not-for-profit charity that supports the fight

Bush Blitz
For more than a decade, BHP has partnered with the Australian Government and Earthwatch Australia to deliver Australia’s largest nature discovery program, Bush Blitz, supporting

International Collaboration bringing safety to Australian mine sites
Breaking into new markets is tough for any business, especially when you don’t speak the language or know the local culture. To remove those barriers

Get Torqn
Australian miners use a lot of cutting-edge technology. But, as the founders of Torqn point out, they still share information in a decidedly 20th-century fashion,

OPINION: Long service leave win for coal contractors
A recent Federal Court judgment has upheld the principle that if you perform coal mining work in a coal mine, you should receive coal mining

Making a Mark
Mining companies are among the top corporate givers in Australia, donating over a billion dollars last year. Supporting everything from health, education, environment, disaster relief,

OPINION: Australia can be a global leader in low-cost clean hydrogen and ammonia
Australia can become a world leader in the game-changing potential of low-cost, clean hydrogen and ammonia as these new, clean fuels will help realise the

New South Wales March 2023
Leaving a Legacy While critics are quick to point out the environmental impacts mining will leave behind, there’s not much talk about the economic

Lose yourself in the gem that is – The Capricorn Coast.
The Capricorn Coast in Queensland is a hidden gem that offers a wide variety of activities for travellers of all ages and interests. The region

Splendid IS as Splendid DOES
There truly is no other way to describe the fine dining experience at Otto Brisbane – than SPLENDID, drawing inspiration from a modern Italian cuisine.

Moranbah Mustangs Basketball – Bouncing into 2023
Young Moranbah basketballers attended a basketball holiday skills clinic in January with newly formed community sporting group Moranbah Mustangs Basketball. Guest Coach Tamsyn Bock from

Top Cat at CES 2023
Post the devastation that was COVID, expos are well and truly back underway, providing attendees with the opportunity to view the latest tech and gain

First Hand Experience Solving a Real World Problem.
What started out as a concern for mine workers’ safety while conducting routine tests on heavy machinery on a mine site in Muswellbrook, has turned

My Mining Life – Connor Lach
Who are you and what do you do? My names Connor Lach and I’m an operator at Goonyella River Side mine. When did you start

Supplier Insider – Expressway Spares
Tell us about the business. Expressway Spares are suppliers of new, used and reconditioned parts and components suitable for Caterpillar & Hitachi. We also source

Community Champion – Kev Burns
When asking around the Clermont community about who should be this month’s @ The Coalface Community Champion, everyone pointed me in the direction of one

Anglo’s Holiday Fun
Anglo American’s commitment to creating thriving communities in the places where their people call home was showcased over the Christmas school holidays with the coordination

Support for Suicide Prevention and Awareness Training
Grapevine Group Association has received more than $42,500 to support their suicide prevention and awareness efforts thanks to Glencore Coal’s Newlands and Hail Creek Open

Blackbirds
4RFM recently completed a two-part Podcast episode entitled Blackbirds, looking into the little recognised, and often intentionally overlooked subject of Australia’s Slave Trade, otherwise known

COMMUNITY GIFT – Clermont Rotary Club
This month the Components Only and @ The Coalface $500 Community Gift goes to the Clermont Rotary Club. Each month we look for an organisation

Play On!
Bravus Mining and Resources and Rockhampton Basketball Inc will be shooting a perfect six from six following an extension of their Major Partnership agreement through

OPINION: Mine worker mobile health unit arrives at major milestone
Less than a year after being launched the Queensland Government-funded mobile health unit has checked its 500th worker. The state-of-the-art Queensland-built truck named HEART 5

Diesel is in his DNA
When Calvin Frasson decided to follow his father Luigi’s footsteps, undertaking a diesel fitter career, little did he realise he would be named Hastings Deering’s

OPINION: How to Cook a Goose
In *Aesop’s* fable of the Golden Goose, the owners of the goose deduce that there must be a large chunk of gold inside from which

OPINION: Let’s make 2023 a year of justice for miners
A spate of dangerous dozer rollovers at the end of January means that the Queensland coal industry is again starting off the year with a

Pathway to Success
Applications are now open for the QLD Glencore Pathways Program which is aimed at providing employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians in the community. 15 participants

Community to the Rescue
RACQ CapRescue exists to serve the communities of Central Queensland, but without the support of those communities they would never leave the ground. Since commencing

OPINION: Mining concerned EPA powers will further delay projects
The Australian mining industry is concerned that the Government’s proposal to extend the powers of a national Environmental Protection Agency to include approvals will lead

OPINION: Exciting Year Ahead
Welcome to 2023 and what is shaping up as another exciting year for our industry. Two important reports released in January have again highlighted just

OPINION: 3 factors that will shape the Bowen Basin in 2023
We all know mainstream media loves to splash bad news and play up crises or drama. Forecasting trends and issues for the coming year in

Queensland February 2023
Happy New Year! @ The Coalface is back to shine a light on our industry and celebrate the thousands of hard working and dedicated people

Benefiting My Community
Applications are open for the first 2023 round of BHP Mt Arthur Coal’s Benefiting My Community Program. Community organisations and not-for-profits in the Upper Hunter

HVO Continuation is on Public Exhibition
Community members can comment on a proposal to continue operations at one of the Hunter’s longest-running mines, with an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on public

All Aboard for the Signal Box
For an indication of just how far Newcastle’s inner city has come since the closure of the heavy rail line, you need go no further

Competition is in their Blood
Hunter Valley triplets Ben, Sam and Jake Russell have made memories that will last a lifetime, crossing the finish line at the 2022 World Triathlon

Boosting Your Health
Each year the demand for vitamins and supplements continues to grow and according to the CSIRO it is expected to reach $5.2 billion in Australia

My Mining Life – Dylan Hixon
Who are you and what do you do? My name is Dylan Hixon. I’m 26 years old and I’m an operator at Hunter Valley Operations

Supplier Insider – Weldtech Engineering Pty Ltd
Tell us about the business. Weldtech Engineering is a locally owned and operated maintenance and repairs business based in Mt Thorley NSW, with an additional

Morgan Makes a Mark
Morgan Engineering has really reinforced itself as a national firm with a number of key award wins last year, including the inaugural Australian Owned business

A Commitment to Care
Ulan Coal have donated almost $10,000 to support Mudgee Community Health. The funding will help to improve facilities that support child and youth mental health

Investing in the Future
Three hundred Year 5 students from the Singleton local government area will gain leadership and wellbeing skills this year thanks to funding from Hunter Valley

Driving to Help
Hunter Valley Operation’s (HVO) partnership mining trucks are working hard for the mine and for local charities. The trays of the trucks have been painted

COMMUNITY GIFT – Shitbox Rally
This month the Complete Parts and @ The Coalface $500 Community Gift goes to a local Singleton couple who are taking part in the Cancer

Quiet Achievers, Worldwide Success
Dreams really can become reality if you believe in yourself. Just ask Kevin Cant, founder of Nivek Industries. The challenge of removing belly plates and

Cap Comes at a Cost
Pressure is increasing on the governments over the proposed coal price cap being imposed to contain electricity price rises. Although originally meant to only apply

OPINION – Positive Prospects
Our mining industry worked hard in 2022 to support regional mining communities and the state economy. 2023 is also shaping up to be another year

Complete Starts
Complete Parts and Equipment have made a huge commitment to the futures of 12 lucky individuals. Hiring 12 apprentices is a major commitment to the

OPINION: Our New Year’s Resolution: Same Job Same Pay
This time last year, we were heading towards a federal election and our union was campaigning for ‘Same Job Same Pay’ to end the long-term

Our Community Chopper
Despite all the challenges of the last few years the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is always there when you need it, serving communities across Northern

NSW February 2023
@ The Coalface is back and we are bigger and better than ever before. This year we are excited on our new expansion. From Mudgee

Partners in Wellbeing
Anglo American and Moranbah District Support Services (MDSS) have announced a two-year, $216,000 partnership that will secure vital counselling resources and ensure the continued delivery

Alcohol Antidote
As we enter the silly season, it means work parties, catch ups with family and friends and lots of good times. And as we all

More endangered than Panda Bears – Saving the Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat from Extinction
There are fewer Northern hairy-nosed wombats in the world today than there are Giant Pandas. But a long-term partnership between Glencore and the Queensland Department

Local Students In the Fast Lane
Lincoln Thicker’s dreams of being an aerospace engineer are one step closer thanks to a balsa wood scale model of a Formula One car, and

Apprentices battle it out
Apprentices from across QLD put their trade training to the test, competing in a range of skills challenges at the annual Glencore Skills Competition on

Queensland December 2022
As the year comes to a close it’s time to say goodbye, but don’t worry as we will be back with a bang in 2023!

Champion Couple
Wade & Enja Ryan have dedicated themselves to the sport of boxing and have achieved impressive victories through their hard work and determination. Recently I

A Place to Call Home
Whitehaven’s rehabilitation efforts at the historic Brickworks open-cut mine site are paying off, with a healthy koala spotted using the koala corridor planted by Whitehaven

North West December 2022
Christmas is the time to celebrate and a big thankyou to our Christmas cover models, the team at Quarry Mining, for helping everyone get into

It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.
In 2005, Kim Nguyen started Soft Cogs Inc. with a goal to bring together a group of people who love to ride, have a good

Top Team Effort
“There’s something about the Barrington Tops and Aussie Ark that makes manual labour far more enjoyable!” So says Jo Ferguson, community relations co-ordinator at AGL

Learn to Lead
Join Jackson’s Journey is a new series of children’s books designed to strengthen the leaders of today and build the leaders of tomorrow. When it

Thiess celebrates 27 years at Mt Owen
The end of 2022 sees the conclusion of 27 years of continuous Thiess operations, under successive contracts and numerous owners, at the Mt Owen Mine

Hunter Valley December 2022
As 2022 comes to a close it’s time to say goodbye, but don’t worry as we will be back with a bang in 2023! Christmas

Trail to Triumph
This year saw 11 part time and 17 full time runners join together in the Trail to Triumph Ultra Marathon to raise awareness and funds

Resources workshops STEM-ulate new career options
October was a busy month in an outstanding year for the Queensland Minerals & Energy Academy (QMEA), with students from across the state participating in

Meeting the Carbon Challenge
Glencore’s wholly-owned Carbon Transport and Storage Company (CTSCo) Project aims to demonstrate the full-scale, operational and end-to-end use of carbon, capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS)

OPINION: Where would regional Queensland be without mining’s investment in our communities?
Anyone who’s been following the Netball Australia sponsorship story over the past weeks would have observed two distinct schools of thought: the #gowokegobroke opinion, which

Grosvenor Take Home the Trophy
Mines rescue brigades from across Qld and NSW descended upon the NSW Illawarra mining district to compete in the 58th annual Australian Underground Coal Mines

OPINION: Mining companies hire women but don’t support them
From the time the first women entered the Queensland coal mining industry in the 1980s, our union has strongly supported women’s right to access the

A Trip of a Lifetime
Post-Covid overseas travel is back and Hunter broadcaster Tracy McKelligott and her 15-year-old daughter Mia couldn’t wait to go. Tracy had previously gone overseas for

Ripper Meal at the Riverside Bistro
Ossie the Mossie is as iconic to Hexham as the Big Banana is to Coffs Harbour. But you don’t need a bug zapper or the

Painting with Pinot
Have you ever done Picasso, with a Pinot? Well if you haven’t this is your sign to get a group of friends together and go
