The Australian state of Queensland needs 40,000 skilled workers to fill positions at 66 planned mining projects between now and 2020, according to Australia’s ABC News.

The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) and Deloitte Access Economics today release a study into the industry’s needs, with QRC’s chief executive Michael Roche saying: “The good news is that we’re not just talking about a one-off spike in employment around the construction phases.”

He goes on to add that although the 40,000 roles will include permanent roles for residents, “the best part of 30,000 may end up being non-resident workers”, including ‘fly-in, fly-out workforces’, an Australian system of flying workers in for several days on site, and then flying them home for days off.

ABC News adds that the state’s mining industry - and wider economy - should not be hurt by the imminent introduction of the Mineral Resources Rent Tax, according to state mining minister Stiring Hinchliffe.