what is going on, page-4

as far as I know the only advanced brown coal hydrothermal de-watering project in Australia is exergens CHTD technology.

the comments made by senior members of the Local, Victorian and Federal Government in the article below suggest clearly that a hydrothermal de-watering project is under close consideration for Government financial assistance in the Latrobe Valley.

the possibility for an mnm/exergen merger to backdoor list exergen after CHTD plant funding is announced looks realistic to me.

is it just a co-incidence that BM JORC, finalisation of the MT M dispute and an announcement of Govt funding for the CHTD demo plant all look to be tracking to a similar timetable in Q1 & Q2 2012?

add these to the 'co-incidence' of IK being the former manager of the exergen project, and MNM staking out 550 sq km of coal in the LV area in 2011, and we are starting to get a long list of 'co-incidences' to weigh up in deciding what 2012 has in store for MNM, and its several billion tonnes of brown coal reserves in Victoria, and 500 million tonnes of black coal at Mt M in Qld.

http://www.latrobevalleyexpress.com.au/news/local/news/general/ready-to-invest/2394540.aspx

Ready to invest
BY LYNDA MCRAE
15 Dec, 2011 01:00 AM
POTENTIAL local investment projects, involving several companies, are tipped to seek "substantial" Federal Government funding through a new joint ministerial forum for Gippsland.
Latrobe City Council mayor Ed Vermeulen told The Express yesterday there were seven companies on council's "radar" which were "ready to invest in this region" but required government support to "provide certainty".

He said some of the projects included brown coal to urea opportunities, a hydrothermal de-watering project and a briquette manufacturing facility.

Cr Vermeulen said council was also aware other investors had been dealing directly with the Federal Government about potential assistance.

News of the new investment opportunities followed a visit to the Latrobe Valley this week by Federal Regional Australia Minister Simon Crean.

Mr Crean signed an 'Agreement for Co-operative Arrangements' with State Regional and Rural Development Minister and Deputy Premier Peter Ryan to formalise a joint bi-partisan government commitment to support the region's transition to a low carbon economy.

Both men heralded the agreement as a significant undertaking to support and financially assist the economic diversification of the Valley in the face of what they recognised would be "challenging" circumstances.

Yesterday council moved to ease community concern the agreement might amount to little more than a political 'talk-fest', by

indicating its intent to push for tangible outcomes.

Cr Vermeulen said council was advocating for immediate government funding to secure new businesses and industries for the region, and to support the retention of existing ones.

Though confidentiality considerations prevented council from providing more detail at this stage, it was keen to assure the community there were "a wide range of opportunities in Latrobe City" which were being "actively pursued", Cr Vermeulen said.

The Federal Government intends to afford support to proposals which "stack up" in terms of sustainability, according to Mr Crean.