Glencore is playing its cards close to its chest on the future of the copper smelter in Mount Isa.

A four-year extension was due for review this year. In the past, the owner has made a decision to continue smelting copper contingent on operating under legacy environmental standards.

Mount Isa City Council and the Australian Workers Union have called on Glencore to secure a future for workers.

Copper is mined at Mount Isa and Cloncurry, processed at Mount Isa and smelted into 99.7 per cent pure copper anodes.

The anodes are transported to CRL in Townsville and refined into 99.995 percent pure copper cathodes for export.

Glencore’s Queensland Metals business was currently reviewing the business case for the future of the copper smelter at Mount Isa and copper refinery at Townsville (CRL), said chief operating officer Matt O’Neill.

“We have been in discussions with both the Queensland and Federal Governments and are continuing to engage with them on this issue. Mr O’Neill said.”

The contribution of the smelter had widespread benefits, Mount Isa Mayor Danielle Slade said late last week.

“I know first-hand how critical the copper smelter is to Mount Isa and Townsville,” Cr Slade said.

 “The copper smelter employs around 300 local workers, and Glencore’s copper refinery, based in Townsville, employs around 150 Townsville workers.

“Incitec Pivot’s Phosphate Hill operations are also dependant on the copper smelter remaining open.

“The closure could mean over 1000 job losses, which would have a devastating and long-lasting effect on our community and the surrounding region.”

High power costs, competition from international smelters and refineries, and declining ore grades at Mount Isa and Cloncurry were among the key challenges facing their metallurgical assets in Queensland, Mr O’Neill said.

“We’re coming into the final stages of the review process,” he said.

“But no final decision has been made as yet. We want to ensure that we’ve investigated every possible option around the future of the copper smelter and refinery.”

MIM has been promoting its tolling milling capacity and just last week, Cloncurry Mayor Greg Campbell, said copper exploration was at a high and noted Rio Tinto’s investment in the region after being absent for more than two decades.