Queensland Universities have undertaken a study which could change the future of mining and environmental considerations in the state.

The University of Queensland and James Cook University are looking for a few thousand participants from key areas of the state to help them get a gauge of the possible health effects of mining and resource development.

Separate surveys will probe the areas near Emerald to assess the coal mining impact, Chinchilla to see the impact of the coal seam gas industry and Charleville to find the effect agriculture has on health and wellbeing.

Several of the researchers will almost be coming from ‘industry-side’, working out of the University of Queensland's Sustainable Minerals Institute which is funded in part by the mining and gas industry.

Principal supervisor Associate Professor Sue Vink says it will make a valuable contribution to public health.

“What we hope to do is generate an evidence base, so a data set, that can be used to inform policy and also help the government provide infrastructure such as hospitals and do that proactively rather than reactively,” she said.

The mixed-method approach will combine existing hospital data with updates from survey statistics to scan both physical and mental health for the most complete image possible.