AIC Mines has kicked off the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) tender process for its planned Eloise plant expansion.

The company said it had received strong interest from a number of highly regarded and experienced engineering firms.

It is moving forward with a processing plant expansion to 1.1Mtpa from the current 725,000tpa capacity at the North-West Queensland copper operation, with an eye to a potential second stage expansion down the track.

Plant items including bins, a crusher, grinding mill and filter press have been specified to allow a progressive upgrade to 1.5Mtpa with minimal downtime.

It comes after the success of recent exploration work at the company’s Jericho deposit, whose development will supplement Eloise ore feed to the plant.

Related: Early ore potential builds for Jericho mine

The company’s latest quarterly report indicated the Jericho link drive, being constructed underground from the 1065 Level on the Eloise decline (125m below surface), was progressing according to plan.

‘The development remains on schedule and on budget. Raise boring of the first ventilation rise for Jericho was completed and is expected to be commissioned in the March 2025 quarter,’ the company said.

Meanwhile at Eloise, a new kitchen and dry mess have been commissioned at the Eloise accommodation village and 80 additional rooms were installed.

Work progressed last quarter on designs for the admin office, heavy vehicle workshop and muster room upgrades.

AIC Mines said it planned to purchase and install these buildings in the June 2025 quarter.

Work is continuing on the Eloise mine ventilation cooling system upgrade, with commissioning of the full 9MW (cooling power) planned for this quarter.

This will refrigerate air for development and production fresh air rises for the Eloise underground mine.

AIC Mines took ownership of the Eloise copper mine, about 60km south-east of Cloncurry, in November 2021, completing a $27 million acquisition deal with FMR Investments.

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