Professor Richard Clegg (L) shows Jean-Pierre Beaudry and Thierry Bonnet De Larbogne from the Koniambo Nickel Project and Gladstone Head of Campus, Pierre Viljoen some of the research underway at the PELM centre in GladstoneCQU Gladstone may be well positioned to provide essential training and research support to a multi-billion-dollar XTRATA nickel plant operation planned for New Caledonia after a visit to the campus by Jean-Pierre Beaudry and Thierry Bonnet De Larbogne from Koniambo Nickel last week.

Metallurgical instructor,  Jean-Pierre, process engineer Thierry, and training manager Pamani Siwa were in Gladstone on a week-long visit to investigate opportunities for staff training at the trade, tertiary and industrial levels.  The visitors were hosted by TAFE Queensland.

The PELM (Process Engineering and Light Metals) centre and the Centre for Environmental Management at the Gladstone campus were of specific interest to the group because of the work they do in the Gladstone region, as well as the similarity of the region to the proposed project site. 

The Koniambo project, now in the development stage, will include other industrial projects such as a coal-fired power plant and a desalination plant.  The earliest start date for the plant would be 2009.