MIM outlines future focus as copper mining winds down

Mount Isa Mines is pushing ahead with pre-feasibility work for the Black Star open-cut extension project and says the mine could be operational from 2027. The MIM leadership team last night hosted the business's first community information session for 2024, coming in the wake of the announcement in October that it would close the city's underground copper operations in 2025. Chief operating officer for Glencore’s zinc and copper assets Sam Strohmayr said MIM was 'absolutely focused' on delivering the best possible closure process for those operations and looking to the future for new opportunities. Topics at the forum last night included the project to extend the open-pit at Black Star and restart mining there. MIM said the project was in pre-feasibility stage and it would move forward with planned works including definition drilling, metallurgical testing, engineering, and a mine plan design. The Black Star pit in 2016. Although it is still subject to a final investment decision, Glencore anticipates the project could be operational from 2027. The Black Star mine was placed into care and maintenance in 2016 after 13 years of operation. It produced about 40 million tonnes of ore, with an output of 1.75 million tonnes of contained zinc metal and nearly one million tonnes of contained lead metal. MIM is also investigating options for the local copper concentrator after it winds up its own copper mining operations, looking to determine whether it can run at partial or full capacity supporting other miners in the area. Related: Glencore weighing up options for copper concentrator The transition of the Mount Isa copper smelter to full custom smelting was another topic covered, the company said. Sixty per cent of the concentrate feeds for the smelter already come from other sources overseas and in Australia, including Ernest Henry mine near Cloncurry. The smelter is not included in the 2025 copper closure plans and MIM said the move to custom smelting would further support the business case to extend the smelter operations out to 2030. And MIM says it is increasing its exploration budget to $60 million over 2023-24 alone. The exploration program includes multiple tenements, which together represents a total exploration area equivalent to about 9590sq km. Chief operating officer Sam Strohmayr. "This week we’re celebrating 100 years of successful operations at Mount Isa Mines, where through the hard work of thousands of people across decades and the support of the community, Mount Isa Mines has made a lasting mark in Australia’s history and the global mining stage,” Mr Strohmayr said. "We’re also providing an update on our current operations, with the closure of underground copper mining in 2025 marking a significant announcement not only for MIM, but also for local businesses, the community and north-west region. “But I want to assure everyone that we are absolutely focused on two things: delivering the best possible closure and transition process and looking to the future for new opportunities, including the ongoing investment in our long-life zinc, lead, and silver operations. “Mount Isa Mines still has a long and exciting future ahead.” Related: Mount Isa Mines notches up a century of operations Mr Strohmayr said that as part of the closure planning and social transition process, Glencore was undertaking social impact assessment work to better understand the impacts of the copper operations closure. “We are working through several processes to support closure and transition, including detailed workforce planning, speaking with local suppliers, developing a Social Transition Plan and working with all levels of government to coordinate initiatives and support,” he said. “This includes actively participating in the government’s Mount Isa Region Future Advisory Committee to help develop a plan and initiatives that look to the future and support continued resilience and diversification of the region’s economy.”

MIM outlines future focus as copper mining winds down

Industry Queensland

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