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Junior explorer finds competitive edge

A junior miner in the North West says using State Government funding to work in partnership with university scientists, provides a competitive edge for both industry and education.

MM Mining chief executive officer Peter Rolley says the company is using grants to work with scientists from James Cook university, to locate copper mineralisation near Mount Isa.

The State Government handed out more than 1.5 million to junior explorers needing a hand with projects in the North West.

"What we intend to do is take exploration data we collected and work with some of the research scientists to process the data in a new way that hasn't been done before," Mr Rolley says.

"This will enable us to look at the ground around the Mount Isa region and generate a whole new set of areas that will be prospective for copper mineralisation."

He says junior explorers don't often make it a practice of working with universities, but there are advantages to the partnership.

"We obtain a competitive advantage, potentially in the identification of new areas and James Cook achieves funding, supporting their own research staff."

Taking fresh fruit for granted

How often do those plums or peaches you buy go rotten in the drawer in your fridge?

With the holidays around the corner stone, fruits and melons are making their way onto grocery shelves but do you consider them to be luxury items?

Independent grocer James McCloud says for those living and working on cattle stations, they are a special treat and in heavy demand this time of year.

"Delivery to stations is weekly and product wise, it is everything," Mr McCloud says.

"I think the cattle stations are very healthy conscious, particularly when you see the gear that goes through my door."

He says stations will order exotic groceries like Asian vegetables, but they are difficult come by at Brisbane markets.

"It is mostly sold in the Melbourne market because of the demographic and its cultural aspect and some of that product will sell for $2 or more a bunch by putting into the Sydney markets."