Mr Dent was formally given prestigious recognition as a "Queensland Mining Legend" at an industry conference attended by nearly a thousand mining industry delegates.

The award given by the Queensland government, Queensland Resources Council and mining unions recognises outstanding contribution over a lifetime by individuals in support of the mining industry.

Mr Dent was born in Mount Isa and following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather he worked for Mount Isa for three decades from 1956 to 1986, starting as a young apprentice and rising to general manager in the engineering division.

In 1988 he was recruited from the private sector to be the first executive director of the Queensland Mines Department Safety in Mines Testing and Research Centre.

In 1987 as executive director of the Mines Department he restructured the Safety and Health Division following the Moura mine disaster and implemented the disaster inquiry's recommendations.

Now aged 80, he still contributes the industry by awarding the Peter Dent Award for coal mine gas atmosphere chromatography monitoring as well as conducting lectures and mentoring.

He remains well known in the district with many relatives and friends in Mount Isa.

His daughter Shelly Alonso said her father served on many community and charity bodies while in Mount Isa including the Mount Isa Garden Settlement, Kalkadoon Lions Club, Mount Isa Hospital board, North West Canoe Club patron, St Josephs Primary School committee and the James Cook University board.

"His family were early pioneers in the Duchess - Cloncurry area well before the discovery of the Mount Isa ore bodies," Ms Alonso said.

"His is a story of a very much local boy making a huge contribution to our mining industry, both in Mount Isa and later in the broader Australasian industry."

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