Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said yesterday's proposed changes to the mining and quarrying safety and health legislation would ensure timely information was provided to officers investigating fatal and other serious mining accidents.

The changes were sparked by a fatal underground accident at the BHP Billiton Cannington mine earlier this year.

"Mine workers, acting on legal advice, refused to provide the location of the accident to the mines inspectors who attended the mine to investigate," Wilson said.

"It was over 28 hours before investigators were provided with the relevant information to enable them to commence their investigation.

"To prevent this happening again, the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 and the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999 are to be amended to ensure that persons with relevant knowledge about the location, time and circumstances of a serious mining accident must provide that information to investigating officers.

"This will ensure police and Mines Inspectorate officers can get accurate information as soon as possible so they can go about their business of investigating incidents, saving lives and making Queensland's mines as safe as possible."