CMQ Engineering are Australian based mining equipment manufacturers, providing equipment and expertise to mining firms across the nation and internationally. We are capable of custom fabrication to create solutions for the unique needs of mining firms. Contact us to discuss your requirements or for ordering information. Call us on 07 3879 3288 or get in touch via our online form.

The Importance of Mining – A Breakdown

Access to Resource

From common and precious metals to rare earths and fossil fuels – these resources have historically been difficult to acquire. It’s been in relatively recent times have we gained access to these kinds of resources in large quantities – all because of mining. Copper, iron ore and other mined materials make up the world we live in. It’s all too easy to take for granted as we catch up on the latest rugby scores while watching the sports news on our phones. But those millions of mobile phones, and the huge stadiums the rugby games are played in, were all made from mined resources.

Job Creation

It’s a big industry and growing. Mining requires vast numbers of workers to handle day-to-day operations. The many miners, geologists, engineers, and truck drivers are just a few examples of people who directly work in mining. There are also many other jobs that are indirectly related to mining, such as those related to the processing of the mined ore. The job creation doesn’t stop there – countless other jobs are created further down the supply chain, as the processed ore is turned into goods that are then sold at retail or used in other industries, creating even more jobs.

Economic Development

In addition to job creation, mining has other economic benefits. The sales and export of mined material generates revenue, which in turn boosts GDP. Governments receive taxes on income paid to mine workers and from the sale of mined resources. National and private pension funds receive contributions for the many people employed in the mining industry. As with many drivers of the economy, it’s a domino effect as growth in one part of the economy leads to growth in other areas, and all this growth can be traced back to mining.

Infrastructure Development

Construction and infrastructure projects are highly dependent on raw materials. Gravel and limestone are used in the construction of roads and concrete structures. Steel is used in buildings, bridges and in power plant construction. Copper wire caries the electricity from those power plants to homes and businesses. The internet that you are using to read this article is based on an interconnected infrastructure of circuit boards and switches, all of which were made with mined materials.

Energy Production

Coal as an energy source gets a lot of bad publicity for its environmental impact. But the real-world economics of power plant construction and access to fuels in third world countries means coal generated power is not going away in the foreseeable future. Australia has some of the largest coal deposits in the world, and exports driven by strong demand from Asia have contributed a lot to our annual GDP, demonstrating the importance of mining in Australia. Other sources of electricity are also dependant on mining. Mined uranium is used to fuel nuclear reactors, and even the boom in ‘green’ energy is driven by mining – the steel and other materials used to build wind turbines and solar panels come from deep in the Earth.

Contact Us to Learn More

At CMQ Engineering, we are very aware of the importance of the mining industry, and especially the importance of mining in Australia. We are proud to support this vital source of economic growth by supplying the technology and mining plants used by mining firms nation-wide, and around the world. Get in touch with us today and let’s discuss how we can enhance your mining operations. Get started by calling on 07 3879 3288 or contact us through our online form for purchasing enquiries.

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CMQ Engineering is the international leading mining engineering company in terms of quality, innovation, and customisation. We work with global mining firms to help them achieve peak operational performance, and we want to do the same for you. Contact our team today by calling 07 3879 3288, or get in touch via our online form with questions or for purchasing information.

Innovation in Mining Industry – Our Top 5

Canaries

It may seem strange to see a bird on a list of innovations in mining, but the domestic canary saved the lives of countless miners. Carbon monoxide is a flammable and extremely poisonous gas that can be found in underground mines. It is odorless and colourless, making it difficult for early miners to detect. That changed in the late 1800s when miners started carrying caged canaries into mines to detect the dangerous gas.

Being small and more sensitive, the exposed canary would get sick and die before carbon monoxide or other poisonous gases affected the human miners. This acted as a way of warning the miners that they needed to escape or put on respirators. It was such a successful innovation in mining that other industries use ‘canary in the coal mine’ as an idiom referring to any early warning system.

Electricity

This innovation changed so many aspects of human life, but it had an especially big impact on mining. As mines got access to consistent and reliable sources of electricity, miners were able to use electric drills, electric lights, and electric conveyor belts, all of which improved efficiency and speed of production. The use of electric lights had an especially big improvement on safety, as miners no longer needed open flame based light sources such as oil lamps – reducing the risk of fires and explosions.

Open Pit Mining

For many, the word mine conjures up the image of a man-sized hole in the side of a mountain, leading into an underground mine, framed by wooden supports. There have been various kinds of surface mining techniques in practice since ancient times, but underground mining had remained the most prevalent mining method for precious metal extraction until recent times.

That all changed with advances in mechanisation that are used in open-pit mining. Mining firms are now able to extract and process vast amounts of ore, around the clock, and at a scale never imagined. This has become the most well-known kind of mining in Australia, fuelling the commodities boom that is a major driver of our economy.

Rail

In the 20th century, computers and the internet were new technologies, and we continue to experience these every day. The technology that had the same kind of global, world-changing impact in the 19th century was rail, which brought about the industrial revolution and urbanisation.

Rail transport also led to many changes and advances in the mining industry. The market for mined materials was greatly expanded and mining firms were able to move more ore, further, and at greater speeds. Rail is still a big part of mining today as a means of easy transport of large quantities of cargo to and from a site, with machines like CMQ Engineering’s rail wagon unloader specifically designed to take advantage of this technology.

Cement

This is another advancement that played a big role in the development of society as we know it today. It’s hard to say exactly which aspect of the modern world was most greatly changed by cement, but it could be argued that mining is one of them. Cement has been used to develop the transportation infrastructure needed for large scale mining, including roads, bridges, and tunnels. But cement also revolutionised structural support and reinforcement methods used in underground mining.

This has led to fewer collapses, making mines safer, and greatly reducing injuries and deaths. Miners are now able to dig deeper and further into the Earth to exact more ore than ever before. Cement is such an important part of mining that many mining operations will have dedicated cement storge silos and static concrete batch plants on site.

The Leaders in Mining Innovation

CMQ Engineering are on the forefront of innovation in mining, concrete, agriculture, and quarrying. We strive to develop the best technologies and fabrication methods for the equipment that powers mining firms around the world. Benefit from our experience by engaging with our expert team. We’ll work with you to provide custom made mining plants and other equipment that will enhance your mining operations. Get in touch with us today by calling on 07 3879 3288 or contact us through our online form with questions or for purchasing information.

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