The Ernest Henry Mine is a major copper and gold mining operation located about 38km north-east of Cloncurry in North-West Queensland. The mine lies within the Mount Isa mineral province, one of Australia’s most significant base-metal regions.

Originally developed as a large open-cut operation in the late 1990s, the mine later transitioned to underground mining using block caving methods after the open pit was completed. This technique allows large volumes of ore to be extracted efficiently by allowing the orebody to fracture and collapse under gravity as material is removed from below.

Ore from Ernest Henry is processed at an on-site concentrator where it is crushed, ground and treated through flotation to produce copper concentrate containing gold as a by-product. The concentrate is transported by rail to the Port of Townsville for export.

The mine is operated by Evolution Mining and is one of Queensland’s largest copper producers, playing a key role in the region’s mining industry.