The company is developing a decision support system for use in bulk material handling stockyards, where it will track and visualise material such as coal, iron ore and bauxite in three-dimensional space.

Industry, Tourism and Resources parliamentary secretary Bob Baldwin said a successful outcome of the project would provide coal and other mining companies with the ability to accurately produce a consignment of consistent grade material for their customers.

“Individual stockpiles can contain variable material with differing grades resulting in costly out-of-specification consignments,” he said.

“Out-of-specification consignments attract penalties, costing up to millions of dollars per shipment and also run a significant risk of being rejected.”

He said while the decision support system is aimed at mining and mineral commodity industries, it could be employed by ports and logistic companies.

Baldwin said if the project were successful, the decision support system would also have significant national benefits.

“It will improve competitiveness with overseas producers due to increased consistency in the material handling by local producers and within the delivery chain,” he said.

Baldwin said the Commercial Ready program was a competitive grants program offering innovation grants ranging from $50,000 to $5 million and

QMastor was the first company to receive a grant in the Hunter Valley region.