article 3 december 2010

200 jobs up for grabs

By CARENDA
JENKIN
TWO hundred jobs will be up for grabs as two Charters Towers gold miners expand their operations.Conquest Mining has launched a campaign to fill a hundred new jobs at Pajingo, more than 70km south of Charters Towers, and Twin Hills,a further 190km south in the next six months.
Trial underground mining is expected to start at Twin Hills early next year where ore from the mine will be taken to Pajingo for processing.
While Citigold plans to double its staff, an additional 100 jobs over the next two years at its operations.
Conquest Mining general manager John McKinstry said ??you
name it, we are looking for them??.
??We have 50 positions opening up at Twin
Hills, 30 at Pajingo and 20 other more staff opening s , ? ? M r McKinstry said.
??We are looking for boilermakers, tradespeople,fitters, mechanics,electricians ? you name it. We are also
looking for more experienced miners and new recruits and on the professional side of things we want geologists.
??Conquest Mining has come with a lot of strength and they are going to do some good things up there."
Citigold?s managing director Mark Lynch told ABC Radio he is expanding the company to take advantage of record
prices.
??We?ve got plans in 2011 in grow the project and we?re in discussions with joint-venture parties now and we expect
to see about $40 million invested into the project
over the next two years,?? he told ABC Radio.
??So that will create,on top of 100, an additional
100 jobs over the next two and a half years.??
TP Human Capital director Clayton Cook,who is spearheading
Conquest Mining?s jobs campaign, said the group would perform its employee search primarily from within
North Queensland.
??From an economic and employment perspective,this is a major milestone to cap out the year for the North
Queensland region,?? Mr Cook said.
??This announcement highlights the ongoing importance of the mining industry to regional communities and their
economies.
??We are expecting considerable interest in these positions from North Queensland residents and wherever possible, we?ll be employing locals. But as you would expect in an
economic climate such as this, we will also expect
plenty of southern interest.
??All going to plan,we?ll have filled the 100th position by May 2011.??
MrMcKinstry also revealed that he has resigned from his new
post as general manager after spending nearly 10 years at
Pajingo working under Nomandy and previous owner North Queensland Metals.
??It?s nothing to do with Conquest taking over, I just need a new challenge,?? he said.??It?s been good to see
it from the start and now in i t s second
generational phase.?? Mr McKinstry finishes up with the
company on December 17. Conquest Mining acquired
the remaining 40 per cent in the Pajingo gold mine after buying Heemskirk Consolidated Ltd?s stake last month.
Conquest has also compulsory acquired outstanding shares in
North Queensland Metals, which owned 60per cent, has since been delisted from the ASX. Pajingo has a residential
site at Charters Towers, while staff at Twin Hills will be transported weekly to sites at either Townsville or
Charters Towers.