Former Aurora Metals workers are seeking answers from the Australian Taxation Office over more than $3.2 million they say remains unpaid in superannuation almost three years after the Far North Queensland miner collapsed.

They say about 120 workers are owed money.

iQ Industry Queensland has sent the ATO a series of questions seeking clarification of the laws governing unpaid superannuation and how the priority provisions apply to the Aurora liquidation. A response is pending.

Main image: Mungana processing plant

The office of Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter confirmed it was collecting the names and details of affected workers to present a case to authorities, but had not responded to further questions by the publication deadline.

Aurora Metals and 11 related entities entered voluntary administration in June 2023 owing creditors more than $170 million. KordaMentha was appointed administrator before the group later moved into liquidation.

Underground loader operator and former Aurora employee Dennis Stylianou said he approached KordaMentha and was told there was “no money left in the bucket” to pay the outstanding superannuation.

Related: Aurora boss found guilty of environmental offences

Mr Stylianou said he understood unpaid superannuation ranked at the front of creditor claims.

ASIC says outstanding wages and superannuation are the first class of employee entitlements paid in a liquidation if money remains after liquidator fees and expenses. The ATO says superannuation guarantee charge debts must be paid before ordinary unsecured creditors.

However, priority status does not guarantee recovery, particularly where secured creditors control assets or insufficient funds remain.

The Fair Entitlements Guarantee does not cover unpaid superannuation. Compliance with and enforcement of employer superannuation obligations are the responsibility of the ATO.

In March 2026, the office of Natural Resources and Mines Minister Dale Last said mortgagee in possession Mt Garnet Mineral Finance had sold several former Auctus Resources permits to Nugget Bucket, a wholly owned subsidiary of Legacy Mines.

The permits included tenures associated with the Mungana and King Vol mines. The department said it was working with Nugget Bucket on tenure matters, including renewal applications under assessment. 

Other permits associated with Aurora remained under mortgagee control.

Other entitlements recovered

Some workers were also owed more than three months’ wages after Aurora’s collapse.

Mr Stylianou said workers later received about $4.8 million in wages and other eligible entitlements through the Federal Government’s Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme after Mr Katter advocated on their behalf.

He said the payments were made about 14 to 15 months after the collapse, once the scheme received the required records from the administrators.

Despite Aurora’s failure, Mr Stylianou said previously the operation still had a future.

“They upgraded the mill, spending $95 million to make it state-of-the-art, which is the attraction for anyone who wants to buy the mine and all the leases there. So there is ore there to be mined, but it was just poorly run.”