University students unfazed by mining downturn

The downturn in Queensland's resources sector has not dampened the enthusiasm of students in mining heartland, with mining-related university courses remaining in high demand, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Central Queensland University, which had campuses in several communities with significant mining influence, has not reported any downturn in students keen to enter the resource sector.

Samarco chief on ‘temporary leave’ to deal with mudslide charges

Criminal charges brought over the deadly tailings dam disaster at BHP Billiton and Vale's joint venture, Samarco has seen its chief executive and chief operations officer step down “temporarily”, according to the Australian Financial Review.

Samarco said the top executives, CEO Ricardo Vescovi and COO Kleber Terra, asked to take temporary leave because “it is important for them to focus on preparing their defence”.

Row looms over Roy Hill delay

Gina Rinehart’s $A10 billion Roy Hill project faces fresh delays as a new dispute looms with its lead engineering contractor Samsung C&T over ongoing hold-ups in commissioning the project’s processing plant, the West Australian reported.

 

 

First ore was originally expected to be shipped by the end of September last year, but delays meant Roy Hill saw off its first shipment of ore from Port Hedland on December 10, with a second ship departing shortly before Christmas.

 

 

But, while a third shipment from stockpiled material at Port Hedland is believed to be due shortly, ore feed through the project’s processing plant has dried up to a thin trickle amid ongoing delays in commissioning the processing plant, still under the control of Samsung.