The Keneally Government will invest a record $84 million in the State’s mining industry including a massive commitment to clean coal technology. Minister for Mineral Resources Paul McLeay said the investment reflects the Keneally Government’s commitment to building a sustainable, adaptive and productive minerals industry. “We are investing $21.5 million towards clean coal technology. This will help us achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and advance the NSW mineral resource sector,” Mr McLeay said.

Queensland miners were expected to pay more than A$3.2-billion in minerals and energy royalties to the state government in the next financial year, the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) said on Tuesday. QRC CEO Michael Roche said the Treasury forecast of A$3.2-billion in resource royalties and land rents over the next 12 months represented a 63% improvement over the current financial year on the back of improved commodity prices.

The New South Wales (NSW) Minerals Council said on Tuesday that rocketing royalty payments from the mining industry would dig the state’s budget out of deficit and push it into surplus, helping to provide key services such as schools, police and hospitals. The mining industry’s contribution to the state’s bottom line would surge from A$953-million in 2009/10 to A$1.77-billion in 2010/11 – an increase of 85%.

A project to store carbon emissions in rock was Tuesday granted more than 3 million Australian dollars ($2.5 million) by the New South Wales (NSW) government....The new technology captures carbon dioxide from coal-fired power stations and reacts it with common rocks, producing magnesium carbonates which can be used as soil additives and fertilisers, or pressed into bricks and pavers.

Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Monday met Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Stephen Smith and the duo agreed to enhance co-operation in mineral and energy sectors between the two countries. Shinde highlighted opportunities and investments in Indian power sector and preparedness of Indian companies to invest in coal and gas sector in Australia. The two sides also discussed a joint action plan for enhancing the co-operation and collaboration for implementation of clean coal technology, such as, super critical and ultra critical technology, IGCC, solar thermal, sharing of expertise in mining and extending co-operation in capacity building.

A massive rail project worth almost $1 billion is in jeopardy due to a mining giant's announcement to suspend a major coal project in Wandoan this week. Anglo-Swiss miner Xstrata announced on Thursday it would suspend the $6 billion Wandoan thermal coal project, along with a $600 million extension of the Ernest Henry copper mine in Cloncurry, due to the uncertainty the Australian Government's proposed Super Profits Tax had created.

Swiss-based miner Xstrata Thursday suspended 586 million dollars (489 million US) in development spending on two Australian projects, saying a controversial new tax means "neither will be viable". Xstrata, joining a list of companies to delay or halt projects, said a review had found the proposed tax would slash the profitability of the six billion dollar thermal coal project and 600 million dollar copper mine expansion.

Rio Tinto said last night it paid an average tax rate of 35 per cent over the past decade and reinvested its entire Australian profits in infrastructure and acquisitions. Releasing figures verified by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, the mining giant said its tax contribution was growing and it had paid about $15.3 billion in corporate taxes and state royalties over the past five years.