Sustained excellence

Sir James Foots Building, opened May 2005

A building opened in May represented the culmination of a strong partnership forged between UQ and the minerals industry over 50 years.

UQ’s reputation as a leader in research and teaching was enhanced with the opening of the $24 million Sir James Foots Building in May 2005.  The building is home to the University’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI), the Earth Systems Science Computational Centre (ESSCC) and the Collaborative Learning Centre (CLC).

It is named after former UQ Senator and Chancellor (1985-92), Sir James Foots, AO, in recognition of his distinguished career in the mining industry and long-time personal and professional support of the University.

UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay, AC, won Queensland Government support for the project after identifying the University’s work in the minerals sector as important to the Smart State strategy.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, whose government contributed $10 million towards the establishment of the SMI, opened the building. Of the Queensland Government funding, $2 million was allocated to research while $8 million went to the construction of the building. UQ funded the balance of the construction.

Professor Hay said the building represented a significant investment in research and teaching at the University.

“This building is a symbol of UQ leading the way in providing cutting-edge facilities for researchers and students,” he said.

“UQ has forged a unique and highly successful working partnership with the mining industry over the past 50 years. It’s breadth and quality of minerals-related education and research is internationally renowned and without equal in Australia,” Professor McKee said.

“The defining vision for the SMI is that it becomes an acknowledged centre for all issues associated with the sustainable development of mineral resources.  With this new building and its facilities, we take another step closer to that goal.”

Mining Employment

Researchers at UQ are working to improve economic and employment outcomes for Aboriginal people in Australia’s mining regions.

The work carried out by the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining (CSRM) is already being used within the industry to improve strategies for attracting and retaining Indigenous employees.

The CSRM is also working with mining companies to examine ways in which the industry could support long-term Aboriginal tourism initiatives to further enhance economic growth and employment opportunities.
Director of the CSRM Professor David Brereton said the research was the first of its kind in Australia, and had received a warm reception from the mining industry.

Professor Brereton said companies could make a practical contribution to sustainable development by providing employment and training for Aboriginal people, and by helping them to develop new businesses, such as tourism ventures.

“The mining industry recognises that it cannot operate without a broad social licence,” he said.

Centres inside the SMI

The Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) works with industry on large-scale industrial challenges requiring technical solutions.  It prepares and trains postgraduate students for senior technical positions in the global minerals sector.  Its technology transfer company JKTech employs more than 30 specialist engineers and technologists, providing a range of consulting services – notably in comminution, flotation and general mineral process improvement.

The WH Bryan Mining Geology Research Centre (BRC) is a research leader in mining geostatistics and optimisation in mine design and planning. BRC provides high quality research, technical innovation and technology transfer to the mining industry. The Centre also offers postgraduate and technical training to academics and the mining industry.

The Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation (CMLR) has forged strong links with mining companies, industry bodies and government departments to provide the scientific basis for responsible mining environmental management. It has built a reputation for quality research and provides cost-effective environmental outcomes for the coal, gold, bauxite, alumina, base metals, heavy mineral sands and oil and gas sectors in Australia and overseas.

The Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre (MISHC) is a leading provider of mining safety and health risk management education, information and applied research services in Australia, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence.

The Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining’s role is to conduct research on social issues relevant to the minerals industry and help build the capacity of the industry to manage these issues more effectively. Its research program covers both Mining and Communities, Workforce Issues and Management and Governance.

The Centre for Water in the Minerals Industry structure takes in three main areas:

• Environmental regulation, managing operations to meet national and local requirements for environmental protection.
  
• Sustainable development, translating corporate principles and goals into operational level management actions and their reporting; and
• Minerals production, securing and maintaining access to water for current operations and future expansion.

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