Miners return to Tasmania
23/06/2008(16:59)
Miners are returning to Tasmania, after a crisis in the local minerals business took a nose dive back in 2005.
Tasmanian newspaper the Mercury reports that at the regenerated Renison tin mine, Avebury nickel mine and Mount Bischoff tin mine more than 300 workers have been employed.
Many of these miners are Tasmanians who are returning to the area to find work, which will help replenish the 100s of miners who left when their jobs were axed from the Renison mine three years ago.
Duncan Bennett, managing director of Metals X, told the paper that the firm has been "overwhelmed" with the volume of Tasmanians who are returning from western Australia to find work.
He added: "Where possible, we try to source employees locally and I estimate 60 per cent of the workforce is Tasmanian."
Metals X is Australia's largest producer of tin and also trades in the nickel production markets.
The firm changed its name from Bluestone Tin to Metals X, as it is known today, after merging with Metals Exploration.