Held in Reno, Nevada on July 16-17 the international competition was held in conjunction with the US metal/nonmetal mine rescue competition.

The international competition was contested by teams from Peru, Ukraine, USA, India, Australia and two each from Poland and Canada.

The Australian team – made up of Moranbah North miners Wayne Pate (cpt), Graham Fuller (vc), Shaun Dando (gas man), Joe Martorana (map man), Phil Starrett (bench man), Mick Bromley (FAB controller), Owen Witney (FAB controller) and Steve Douglas (first aid) – placed first overall, followed by Poland in second and third.

Starrett won the benchman competition with a perfect score of 100, while the underground team were only discounted 15 points overall to win the competition.

The simulated challenge that the team faced involved a fire in a multi-level hardrock mine where people were missing. The team had to search and rescue the missing miners, carry out first aid on the injured, extinguish the fire, and plan and conduct a ventilation change.

Team trainer and QMRS operations manager Lindsay Creighton said the competition was very different to the way competitions are conducted in Australia.

To prepare for the competition the team built a course at Moranbah North's rescue centre and downloaded past scenarios from the US Mine Safety and Health Administration to practise in the two months leading up to the competition.