Qld students see 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup birthplace in North Qld

WHITE AUSTRALIA comes to a halt for the race that stops a nation, 20 South East Queensland students will be at Evolution Mining’s Mount Carlton gold mine -- the birthplace of this year’s coveted 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy.   

The students from 10 Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) schools, will spend two days touring the mine located 150km south of Townsville, arriving today. 

They’ll see the mine, processing plant, hear from geologists, engineers, scientists and tradies, and inspect one of the mine’s five 95 tonne haul trucks.  

“Last year the mine produced more than 100,000 ounces of gold and this year we are commencing an underground expansion,” said Evolution’s Mount Carlton general manager Anton Kruger. 

“It’s also great to see that 14 of the students attending are girls who will have an opportunity to meet some female employees on site in various roles, showing that this industry is definitely one for them to consider.

“It’s fantastic to have the students on-site to gain some insights into how gold is produced, and an overview of the many career opportunities available in the resources sector,” he said.  

“Gold is used not just in the obvious things like jewellery, but also in medicine, for example playing a critical role in cancer detection and cure, electronics such as mobile phones and computers, and of course, the Melbourne Cup, for which we are very proud to have this year produced the gold. 

“While many of the end products from mining are very familiar, the time, effort and resources spent on their production are not always apparent. 

“We hope that the tour will spark interest in the students in considering resources as an exciting and rewarding career option."   

The QMEA is a partnership between the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) and the Queensland Government under its Gateway to Industry Schools program. It has 74 schools throughout Queensland. 

QRC is the peak representative body for Queensland ‘s resource sector. The Queensland resources sector provides one in every five dollars in the Queensland economy, sustains one in seven Queensland jobs.

www.qrc.org.au

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