Against the backdrop of a subdued coal industry, the Queensland-based consultancy has sought to expand its offerings and quality of service in the mining industry to include CSG, fugitive emission, underground coal gas compliance and gas drainage testing.

In November, experienced consulting professional and geologist Alan McFadyen joined as laboratory manager to restructure and assist operations manager Michael Riley to grow the company’s coal quality and desorption testing and analysis capabilities.

GeoConsult is well established within the industry, with long-standing relationships with coal and CSG clients, the company said.

It currently provides geological and laboratory services internationally with a focus on the local major and mid-sized projects across Queensland and New South Wales, and currently operates two National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited CSG/coal quality laboratories, in Brisbane and Emerald, Queensland.

NATA is one of four bodies which makes up Australia’s standards and conformance infrastructure.

GeoConsult has recognised that the current uncertainty in the industry requires a committed focus in providing quality service and results. Extending the accreditation of their laboratories to include previously unrecognised testing was seen as a vital step in being able to meet this goal.

In pursuit of that goal, GeoConsult recently achieved an extension to its laboratories’ scope of accreditation from NATA to include the testing and reporting of AS3980-1999 guide to the determination of gas content of coal – direct desorption method.

McFadyen said the focus in quality of the laboratory activities would run in parallel with the company’s strong geological expertise and state-of-the-art procedures.

He also pointed to the continued improvement in procedures and equipment – such as a new lightweight patented coal gas desorption canister design for underground and exploration use – as a sign of the company’s ongoing commitment to providing an industry leading service.