Carnaby Resources has tests underway to gauge whether ore from its Greater Duchess project is amenable for treatment at Glencore’s Mount Isa copper mill and concentrator.

The move would potentially extend the operational life of the processing assets in the wake of Glencore’s recent announcement of plans to close its Mount Isa Mines underground copper operations and copper concentrator in the second half of 2025.

Carnaby said today the metallurgical test work and engagement with Glencore were ongoing.

There were a number of third-party processing facilities within the region that could be considered economically viable for the Greater Duchess project and it was continuing to assess each of these, it said.

The work is part of a scoping study, which is also covering the potential to build a standalone processing facility on site at Greater Duchess.

The scoping study is on track for completion in the first quarter of 2024.

“The scoping study will almost certainly flow through immediately into a prefeasibility study in early 2024 and Carnaby remains highly optimistic that Greater Duchess will become a significant development project in the battery metals-driven copper space,” the company stated in an announcement to the market today.

Carnaby Resources announced a maiden interim mineral resource estimate for its Greater Duchess project in late October of 21.8Mt at 1.3 per cent copper and 0.2 g/t gold.

The resource includes 283,100 tonnes contained copper and 148,200 oz gold.

The project is located 70km south-east of Mount Isa and includes the Mount Hope, Nil Desperandum and Lady Fanny prospects.

Carnaby managing director Robert Watkins said it was too early to talk about what quantities of ore would be processed, with the scoping study still underway.

If the company opts for toll treatment, providing a faster route to production, mining operations could be underway as soon as 2025 – with the Mount Hope prospect located on a granted mining lease.