the island state

article in Mining News at the moment highlighting Tasmania.
Intec gets a mention
Posted the relevant parts only
Tassie tiger reborn
Thursday, 24 July 2008

AFTER the dark days of the 1990s, the Tasmanian mining industry is once again in rude health as investment floods into the island state. By Paul Dicker
Spending on minerals exploration in Tasmania last year topped $38 million. To put that number into perspective, for fiscal 2002 mining hopefuls outlaid a mere $4 million.
The nine-fold increase is further confirmation of the mining resurgence in the nation’s smallest state.
Not since the heady days of the early 1980s has the current level of optimism been evident in the industry.
Mineral Resources Tasmania, an arm of the Tasmanian Government, calculates that a record $38.1 million was expended on exploration in 2007.
MRT managing geologist Geoff Green said the number of mining developments and new floats was unparalleled.
“It’s the best it has been … exploration is getting back to where it was in the mid 80s,” he said.
At Hellyer, about 100km south of Burnie, a joint venture between Intec and Polymetals is recovering zinc-lead concentrate from mine tailings.
At nearby Que River, Bass Metals has started opencut mining of high-grade zinc-lead-silver-gold ore, which will be treated at Zinifex’s Rosebery concentrator.
This further into the article:
“The Government should be embarrassed about what they’re spending on the pulp mill rather than infrastructure for the mining industry … that includes road, rail and hospitals.
“We can’t work out why they are not doing this.”
A spokesman for the Department for Infrastructure, Energy and Resources denied that mining was being ignored.
He said road and rail infrastructure were constantly under review. The Government had already gained federal funding for the Melba Flats extension and for a spur line farther north into Hellyer.
Rail remained the preferred transport option for the major West Coast mines but the spokesman said the Government could not force companies to use rail rather than road.
He conceded there was the potential for increased road traffic but the Government would continue to monitor the situation.