Murphy met with exhibitors and said he was taken back with the diversity and expertise at the show - labelling the mining industry as the backbone of the Australian economy.

Numbers at the exhibition remained strong despite inclement weather and Murphy was enthusiastic over the mining equipment and technology services which generate about $AUS12 billion of sales each year.

“Fifty percent of firms in the Australian sector are exporters, with a combined exports of around $A2.5 billion annually,” Murphy said.

“This is expected to rise by to $A6 billion by 2010. This is all too often the untold story of Australia’s primary industry successes in global markets: the innovative products and processes that make our industries so efficient and internationally competitive.”

The eighth QME had over 500 mining and engineering exhibitors and was well received by visitors from across Australian and overseas.

Murphy said the development of the sector was consistent with Government trade policy.

“The Government is keen to promote products and processes which are well known to, and in many cases pioneered by, members of the Mackay region mining industry,” Murphy said.

“The Mackay-Surat region is one of the powerhouses of the broader mining industry at all levels; from getting the goods out of the ground to manufacturing the machinery to do it and then providing high-end services which support whole operations.”

QME ended yesterday afternoon after three full days of exhibits.